Mills Pontiac Closes Its Doors

$1.00 Your Independent Local News Source Vol 3 No 33 Wednesday, June 11 2008 Protestors Mills wont give Pontiac up fight closes its By Jessica Verge and Courtney Duffett The Oshawa Express General Motors workers are ready to protest doors the closure of Oshawas truck plant until served By Jessica Verge with an injunction. The Oshawa Express The Canadian Auto Workers Local 222 union members have been standing guard outside the With workers on strike for nearly a month, companys Colonel Sam Drive headquarters for Mills Pontiac Buick GMC has temporary more than a week, drawing attention from labour closed its doors. leaders, politicians and national media. Some 60 workers in the service, parts and But GM Canada confirmed body shop departments walked off the job Monday they would be seeking May 16. Now the dealership has moved their legal action in a bid to end the cars off the lot and drawn the blinds with a blockade, adding that some message on their answering machine chalking vehicle production was lost it up to a labour interruption. this past Saturday as a result of Im not overly worried about it, says the protest. Kevin Kent, Canadian Auto Workers union Protestors are fighting to chairperson, adding that he believes the clo- save some 2,600 jobs that will sure is intended, in part, to make the union be lost when the truck plant bend but says it only makes them stronger. Amanda Wright closes in 2009. Kent says CAW is still interested in return- Im fighting for my job ing to the bargaining table, where issues and to make a point that were not going to take involving wages and cost of living were being this anymore, says Amanda Wright, a car plant negotiated. employee for the past six years. In a previous interview with The Oshawa Its not the first time Wright has been faced Express, Mills Pontiac general manager said with job loss. Her husband, whos been on the line the parties had reached consensus on a number at GM for 17 years, came to Oshawa after the of issues but the union rejected the companys Scarborough van plant was shut down. offer. Were very nervous, she says, adding that shes been at the protest site for 12 hours a day since it started. Were talking Fiesta Week about what to do after this, whether we are going to go back to school and we are thankful we dont have any children. Like Wright, Teresa Malysa has also been through it before. On the line in Windsor for 23 years, Malysa came to the Teresa Malysa Oshawa plant three years ago. Its like history is repeating Photo by Wally Donaldson/The Oshawa Express itself all over again, she says. I thought Oshawa was untouchable. Thats why I came here. I thought I was safe but now my dreams have been Close call crushed. But Wrights not ready to give up the fight. Bryan Candotta of the Oshawa Dodgers attempts to stretch a single into two bases, but as Peter I believe it will have to go further than this but Molloy of the Kitchener Panthers clearly shows with the ball in the glove, the Oshawa runner was gunned down during the first inning of last Saturdays baseball game at Kinsmen Stadium. See page 14 Im not sure what or when, she says. Teen sought in sexual assault Durham police are investigating after a touched her in an inappropriate manner. The 12-year-old female reported being sexually victim ran back to the school and reported it assaulted while walking home from school to the vice-principal who contacted her fam- in Oshawa. ily and the police. On May 15, shortly after 4:30 p.m., cops The suspect was last seen running south attended an address in Oshawa for a report on Tilbury Street towards Wellington of a sexual assault. The victim reported that, Avenue. at 3:45 p.m., she was walking alone on a The victim described the suspect as a pathway near Tilbury Street, which runs white male with tanned skin, between 15 and along the south side of Bobby Orr Public 16 years old, short blonde curly hair and School in Oshawa. The victim reported hear- about 180 lbs with a medium build. He was ing someone call out to her from behind and wearing high top runners, blue jeans and a turned around to look. An unknown male red shirt. walking in the opposite direction Anyone with information is asked to con- approached the victim, grabbed her arm and tact police at 905-579-1520. Photo submitted Senior tries to electrocute wife The City of Oshawas Canada Day celebrations feature family activities and entertainment beginning at A 60-year-old Oshawa man is facing charges female victim contacted police. noon all leading up to a fireworks display at 10 p.m. on July 1. after police say he attempted to electrocute his Clarington officers located the suspect travel- wife while she was showering. ling in his vehicle east in the area of Hwy. 2 and Just after midnight on June 2, Durham cops Regional Road 57 and followed. The car turned Shuttle service for July 1 changes locations were called to a residence after a female report- south onto Regional Road 57 and travelled to ed being attacked and choked by her husband, Hwy. 401 where it entered the eastbound lanes. who had since left the house. The officers activated their lights and sirens but Cuff the Duke headlines The victim reported that on Sunday morning, the driver refused to pull over and the officers while taking a shower, she received several elec- initiated a Suspect Apprehension Pursuit (SAP). trical shocks when she adjusted the taps. When The suspect vehicle was pursued eastbound on Canada Day in Oshawa she called her husband, an electrician, into the Hwy. 401 and discontinued when the suspect bathroom to report the shocks, he reportedly told driver began driving at speeds in excess of 170 Oshawas own Cuff the Duke will take their debut while Petti put out a solo debut. her it was a build up of static electricity. km/hr. centre stage at Canada Day celebrations In October, they released Sidelines of the At around 11 p.m., the victim discovered a The suspect was spotted driving in Port Hope this summer. City, which included the song Rossland section of drywall missing and electrical wires a short while later by police officers from Port The City of Oshawas free waterfront Square, paying homage to their Oshawa attached to the plumbing in the bathroom. When Hope and arrested without further incident. Canada Day celebration will feature the roots. the female confronted her husband, she was A 60-year-old Oshawa man has been charged Toronto-based band, which has gained The July 1 celebration will feature a full physically assaulted and chocked almost to with mischief endangering life, aggravated acclaim across Canadas independent music day of family entertainment starting at unconsciousness. When the suspect left the resi- assault, two counts of assault causing bodily scene. noon, including more than 70 performers, dence driving a red Grand Am, the 60-year-old harm and failing to stop for police. Cuff the Duke got their start in 2002, demonstrations, displays and activities. releasing their debut Life Stories for Other bands taking the stage include the Minimum Wage to rave reviews and hailed Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band and Cocaine bust leads to four arrests for their maturity even though the Oshawa Endless Summer, a Beach Boys tribute Cops have arrested four people after ing cocaine and possession of property musicians were just 21 years old. band. Cuff the Duke is scheduled to take $39,000 in cash and drugs were seized during obtained by crime. In 2005, the band released their self- the stage at 8:45 p.m. with fireworks at 10 an investigation in Oshawa. A 51-year-old of Hillside Avenue in titled second disc. In 2006, founding mem- p.m. On May 30, Durham Regional Police con- Oshawa has been charged with possession of a bers Wayne Petti and Paul Lowman wel- To get to the lake, the city is offering ducted an investigation into the trafficking of controlled substance of powder cocaine and comed Halifaxs Dale Murray and free shuttle service from a new location at cocaine in Oshawa. marijuana, and possession for the purpose of Montreals Corey Wood to the group. the General Motors parking lot at Park At around 6 p.m., a man was seen attending trafficking cocaine. The past year has seen them re-release Road South and Wentworth Street West. two addresses in the Oshawa area, each for a A 46-year-old of Don Morris Court in short period of time. At around 6:20 p.m., the Clarington has been charged with possession same man drove to the Oshawa Centre parking for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and a 20 lot and walked to another parked vehicle, a year-old of Lakeview Avenue in Oshawa has Correction white construction van. Officers observed a been charged with possession for the purpose In the June 4 edition of The Oshawa Classic Flowers, 74 Simcoe St. S. drug transaction take place. of trafficking cocaine and possession of prop- Express, tickets for Hearth Places annual Rundle Garden Centre, 1015 King St. E. Officers stopped the van after it had left the erty obtained by crime. Artists in the Garden event, taking place June Lasting Expressions, 555 Rossland Rd. E. area and an Oshawa man was arrested with Officers then executed two search warrants 21, were listed at $10 per person.

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