News AdvertiserSERVING PICKERING SINCE 1965 PRESSRUN 47,600 ✦ 60 PAGES ✦ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2003 ✦ durhamregion.com ✦ OPTIONAL DELIVERY $6/$1 NEWSSTAND POWER PLAY TO THE TOP Twelve cylinders add up to Geraldine Heaney’s path from plenty of go in the Audi A8 adversity to golden triumph Wheels, Pullout Sports, B1 Briefly... Durham: Durham Regional Police and OPP combined to stop more than 7,000 vehicles and charge 10 people Drug cases dropped during the fourth weekend of the hol- iday RIDE program. accused of operating sophis- tiary burden” if the case also discovered a hydro by- to withdraw the charges A 53-year-old Toronto woman Charges ticated marijuana grow labs went to trial. pass was being used to ille- comes three weeks after Ms. and nine men aged 23 to 36 - from withdrawn against Oshawa, Whitby, Beaverton, Picker- in the region. Ms. Tran, 32, was arrested gally siphon electricity. Tran’s lawyer Barry Fox ing, Uxbridge, Clarington and Aurora Pickering resident Crown counsel Sevag Sept. 26, 2002 after police Ms. Tran had faced filed a motion seeking court- - are charged with exceeding .08 Yeghoyan withdrew charges raided a Pickering home on charges of production of ordered disclosure of details mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of blood. By Stephen Shaw against Lan Thi Tran, of Lightfoot Place and found marijuana, possession for surrounding an ongoing 11- One person was also charged Staff Writer Pickering, telling an Oshawa 772 pot plants with a street the purpose of trafficking month-old OPP investiga- with refusing to provide a breath DURHAM – Federal prose- provincial court judge Fri- value of $333,000. Police con- and theft of hydro over tion into alleged criminal sample, three were charged with cutors have dropped day that the prosecution fiscated $35,000 worth of hy- $5,000. possession of a controlled sub- charges against two people could not satisfy its “eviden- droponics equipment and The decision by the Crown ✦ See Chiefs page A2 stance and 19 with various Highway Traffic Act offences. The spotchecks were conducted at various points across the region. The Ajax: Ajax, Pickering and other Durham residents did their part ear- lier this year as thousands of Cana- dians walked, rode or jogged for shock spinal cord injury awareness and re- search. The Rick Hansen Wheels in Mo- tion program was launched in June 2003 to raise awareness and funds of a to help improve the quality of life of people living with spinal cord injury. Communities across the country participated by walking, riding, jog- ging or coming out in a wheelchair to life travel along designated courses. The Ajax event raised $1,400, Defibrillators to pushing the national total to more than $600,000. be available at The 2nd annual Rick Hansen more ice rinks Wheels in Motion event will be held Sunday, June 13, 2004. Volunteers By Danielle Milley are needed to help community event Staff Writer committees. PICKERING – A recent life- For more information, visit the prolonging incident at the Web site at www.rickhansen.com. Pickering Recreation Com- plex has jolted City council into action. What’s On... “We extended someone’s life by a few weeks and they were able to say goodbye to Durham: The Ontario Genealogical Celia Klemenz/ News Advertiser photo their family,” Councillor Society Durham Region Branch 22 Mark Holland said Dec. 15 will meet early in the new year. as he introduced a motion The meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 6 at to install more defibrillators 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the The big night is finally here at ice rinks. Arts Resource Centre, Queen St., Oshawa. Council unanimously PICKERING –– The wait is finally over for Alex Taggart and all the children across Ajax and Pickering. Santa arrives at their homes tonight, with passed the motion to pur- The evening’s guest speaker will presents for those who’ve been nice all year long. discuss the Mormon Library - ‘Begin- chase and set up a unit at nings and Continuing History.’ the Don Beer Arena; as well, The meeting is open to all mem- staff will work in partner- bers and interested public. For more ship with the Men’s information call Bessie at 905-723- Applause for development freeze Progress Club to install a 7460 or Marion at 905-683-2476. second defibrillator at the Move affects the Province’s announce- al and rural land. agricultural and rural lands recreation complex. The greenbelt area ment of a development Ontario Municipal Affairs protected from develop- club is paying for the unit. Index... moratorium across the area Minister John Gerretsen in- ment over the next 12 “They are the prime known as the Golden Horse- troduced the Greenbelt Pro- months while the Ontario places for heart attacks,” By Chris Hall shoe - stretching from Nia- tection Act in the Legisla- Liberals debate a more per- Coun. Holland said. A6 Editorial Page, Staff Writer gara Falls to Lake Scugog - ture Tuesday. manent plan. “We need to move forward Sports, B1 DURHAM – Durham farm- will be a giant step toward The act will keep more Entertainment, B6 ers are cautiously optimistic preserving prime agricultur- than 243,000 hectares of ✦ See Farmers page A2 ✦ See Defibrillators page A4 Classified, B9 Give us a call... General 905-683-5110 Working to close Distribution 905-683-5117 General FAX 905-683-7363 Newsroom FAX 905-683-0386 the distance GIVE THE GIFT OF New video aims tacks of Sept. 11. He wanted APMO partnered with the to dispel myths to raise awareness and dis- Durham Regional Police GG LFLF pel stereotypes about Islam Service to show the video to 6 PACK OFFER FOR 2004 SEASON about Muslim and the Muslim community. officers and with the 6 WEEKDAY SPECIAL PRICE community “There was a general feel- Durham District School ROUNDS $$ ing of guilty by association,” Board to make the video OF GOLF VALUE $210 (2003 VALUE) 180180 he said. available to schools. INCLUDES TAX By Danielle Milley In January 2003, after se- Mobeen Khaja said York ANNANDALE Staff Writer curing funding from the De- Regional Police have also CHURCH ST. AT BAYLY 905-683-3210 AJAX – The way people be- partment of Canadian Her- requested five copies of the have around Mateen Khaja itage, the Association of video, the RCMP is showing changes when they find out Progressive Muslims of On- the video and the associa- he’s a Muslim. So he’s tak- tario (APMO) gave Mr. tion hopes to have it avail- ing steps to help change Khaja a contract for the able in local libraries. FINE CHINESE CUISINE that. project. “It’s important for us to & DINING LOUNGE Mr. Khaja has produced “We thought that we work hard to make our peo- Order Your the video ‘No Distance Be- needed an educational film ple and religion better un- For Reservations tween Us,’ which is made up or video to make our reli- derstood by all communities New Year’s•OR• Eve Great Take-Out of interviews with Muslims gion and our people better and people,” he said. Food Today talking about their religion understood,” said Mobeen Lewis Williams was the 509-9888 and community. Khaja, Mateen’s father and school board’s race-rela- A.J. Groen/ News Advertiser photo He produced the video in the president of APMO. “We tions officer when the pro- Valley Farm Public School’s Ethnocultural Club is one of the many 376 Kingston Rd., Pickering the wake of the backlash knew television and film ject began. groups across Durham Region that has watched the new video ‘No (NE corner of Rougemount & Hwy. #2) against the Muslim commu- were very powerful tools to Distance Between Us.’ It’s intended to dispel stereotypes about Islam nity after the terrorist at- reach people.” ✦ See Videographer page A4 and the Muslim community. boxing day blowout IN STORE belt car SPECIALS clip adapter 2 Days Only Dec. 26 & 27 leather case ON NOW THRU rdrdoff DEC 31ST Offer Exclusive to these official Durham Rogers AT&T locations only off Beside National Sports Pickering Town Centre 1/3 (2nd floor, beside Sears) (Whites Rd. & Highway 2) 1/3 (905) 420-0744 (905) 831-9557 ALL in stock accessories* No exchanges or refunds Dec. 26 & 27 Baywood Centre Closed on December 26/01 ®Rogers Communications Inc. Used under License.™ AT&T Corp. Used under License A/P PAGE A2 NEWS ADVERTISER, WEDNESDAY EDITION, December 24, 2003 www.durhamregion.com Farmers still ‘digesting’ order ✦ Farmers from page A1 farm in the Blackstock area. mean greenbelt for esthetics? So strictions the act will have on work- matter until after she had met with Four major issues the federations they can have nice, pastoral ing farms - in particular those look- Township planner Jim Dyment. The rezoning moratorium pre- would like to address include land scenes? ing to construct new buildings or She expected to meet with him yes- vents any land in the loosely de- use, economic development, ac- “There’s a difference between a rezone their land for new agricul- terday. fined greenbelt area that is cur- countability and responsibility and greenbelt and a working greenbelt ture-related purposes. Durham Region officials have al- rently zoned as agricultural or education and marketing. where there are farm practices with “That’s something we’re going to ready noted the freeze does not rural from being rezoned for devel- Also of concern to Mrs. Yel- crops and livestock. have to look at. I’m sure some indi- apply to rural or agricultural lands opment over the next year. lowlees and the DRFA is the gov- “They have to make it clear.