I Arch! ' 1 i p s Sftlf Spring IT si and 1 o n F Qulf Island Wednesday, February 10,1999 Vol. 41, No. 6 Your Community Newspaper Since 1960 Salt Spring Island, B.C Si .25 (incl. GST) Storms lash islands By MIKE LEVIN Driftwood Staff Murray Smith isn't sure what day it is. But no one is blaming the B.C. Hydro field manager after six straight 16-hour days trying to deal with the aftermath of three storms that knocked out power to most Gulf Island homes.. "It started (last) Tuesday, and everyone has been going steady since," Smith said in an exhausted voice Monday from his Ganges office. "I've never seen anything like this." High winds started battering the area early Tuesday, uprooting trees that brought power lines crashing to the ground. With most repairs completed by Thursday, another, even-stronger > storm hit early Friday morning. At its height, three of Salt Spring's four feeder lines were down. Winds gusting to almost 150- km-per-hour stalled most repair operations and forced B.C. Ferries to report it had shut down all oper­ ations (except to Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast) at about 2 p.m. The final blow came early Monday morning when another Up to their ears feeder was knocked off-line by a Lucille Marcotte, left, and Lana Tait are surrounded by azaleas, Spring. The two were spotted in a mist of colour at Flowers falling tree. ribbons and hearts as they prepare for Valentine's Day on Salt and Wine earlier this week. Photo by Qernck Lundy By Monday afternoon power had been restored throughout the island, but with snow and more wind warnings in the forecast, Robbery Wigen snatches seat on board Hydro crews remained on alert. The damage of the last week The winning candidate in Howie Nuttall said he recalls a by- for me know me." only compounded the effects of Saturday's school board by-elec­ election in the Greater Victoria He said he campaigned door-to- three weeks of stormy weather victim tion for a Salt Spring trustee col­ School District which raised only door and distributed a flyer outlin­ that left island watercourses and lected almost half of the scant 384 2.6 per cent of eligible voters. ing his objectives and positions. some roads blocked with mud and speaks up votes cast. Wigen said Monday he was He speculated that his focus on broken tree limbs. Peter Wigen, a University of looking forward to acting on his what should happen in schools Unofficial estimates put the By SUSAN LUNDY Victoria student who lives on Salt campaign platform, which includ­ rather than with budget problems number of trees felled by high Driftwood Staff Spring, outdistanced four other ed more community involvement may have appealed to voters. winds between 80 and 100, although not all were uprooted. A victim of robbery who challengers to win the election with in schools and developing leader­ Wigen is majoring in political admits to selling "a little pot 190 votes. ship skills among students. science at UVIC but is taking only One brute snapped clean about to friends on occasion" is Garth Hendren received 70 In a strong field of five candi­ three courses at present, giving five metres above ground and cat­ upset at being pegged a "drug votes; David Eyles, 51; Ken Lee, dates, which included two former him ample time to attend to school apulted over Wendy Webb's guest iealer." 45; and John Davies, 28. school trustees, the 23-year-old district matters. cottage on Meyer Road. The "I've never been convicted Only 6.147 per cent of the Wigen would have to be consid­ The by-election to fill a seat healthy Hemlock came to rest on of selling drugs," he said after island's 6,295 eligible voters cast ered a "dark horse." vacated by Jane Parlee last fall the edge of the cottage, causing police described him as a ballots. Of that number, 65 were Wigen himself was not so sur­ was required by the School Act. little damage. "known drug dealer" in a new registrants. prised by the win: "I just had a lot Projected cost to the school dis­ "It looked like a monster took a ROBBERY VICTIM 2 It wasn't a record low turnout, of good community support," he trict was $7,000, said its secretary- big bite out of the outside edge, however. Deputy returning officer said. "A lot of people who voted treasurer Rod Scotvold. STORM 7 Global Answers for Local Growth To find out about how AIM'* Canadian line-up can work hard for you this RSP season, call: With the (.in.idi.m stock nt.ttl.i t continuing its ti'iiji term trend ¥&% "I undeifcrfitruiance versus other trwrkvfs around the world. Martin Hoogerdyk t*i% ittw '.inis need .t mutual fund • ontpuny with International n «m • to enhance their RSPs ' tit moi.nii ( Jvs.. Salt Spring Island B.( ',. V8k It 18 t Phone; 150.537.1730 • Fax: 250.537.4008 AIM < .in.nit,in equity h allowable foreign contcti 'tih/tngthi jlohal it •••tii.•••••• i Mi- Oh groupM n'iii|uiii rcgs .t win Id trt opportunities home to Canadian investors. Invest with DISCIPLINE AIM Important intormation about AIM Mutual Funds is contained in the simplified prospectus that can be obtained tram your financial advisor or AIM* Funds at 1.877.468.2468. Read it carefully before investing. Share/unit value and investment return will fluctuate. ®P" Trademark of AIM Management Group Inc. Paid for in part by AIM Funds Management Inc. 2 A WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1999 N E WS B EAT GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD Select the High winds keep coast guard boats busy investment that's Saturday's ferry disaster sce­ Juan Channel and a 63-foot vessel Its started Saturday morning at While the coast guard worked right for you! nario kept Ganges Coast Guard that was floundering. about 8:30 a.m. and involved all on board the Spirit of Vancouver Call me Today! occupied in a recreation involving Boats were in trouble through­ local coast guard vessels as well Island, auxiliary members helped Martin Hoogerdyk CFP 1,000 people. out the area, prompting Nilssen to as two from the auxiliary. get the injured to navy craft for But it was nothing compared to wonder why anyone would go out Nilssen and Al Hoskins were transport to hospitals in Sidney in heavy seas. the sheer power of Friday's gale deployed as medics on the stricken and Victoria. The exercise took Certified Financial Planner™. force winds which had coast guard B.C. Ferries vessel. "You have to wonder about peo­ about three and a half hours. boats hopping from dawn to dusk. ple who think they can handle the "We did the triage, where you On Thursday, coast guard mem­ 537-1730 "The wind was just screaming. water in those conditions," he have to prioritize the injuries," bers responded to a flare sighting I've never seen anything like it," said. "But I guess that's why we Nilssen said. "In some cases you TIMAMdtl. IIOTP said rescue specialist John have jobs." have to decide between the dead off Salt Spring and secured a dis­ Nilssen. "Once we started getting Other calls involved a 20-foot and the dying. That's what this abled vessel. calls, it took us half an hour just to boat dragging anchor off type of operation is all about. get out of (Ganges) harbour." Maracaibo and another on the "I was totally pleased with our The coast guard was called to six rocks in Active Pass. Members performance because we did what separate rescues during Friday's also evacuated a group of youth we would have in a real situation." fZrdtisland rXass storm, which saw winds gust to 70 campers from Third Sister Island. The scenario was aided by the knots (150-km-per-hour). Nilssen was also front and cen­ work of artists from three make-up Members started by securing a tre during the simulated ferry res­ companies who added enough 15-foot sailboat that was dragging cue that brought all B.C.'s emer­ blood-and-flesh wounds to the anchor in the harbour's boat basin gency response teams together victims to make it as realistic as WINDOWS... and ended with a call to the San under Canadian navy command. possible. All shapes and sizes. Free estimates - call today! Shop now open 8 am - 4:30 pm ROBBERY VICTIM: "It will happen againyy Rainbow Road (next to the cement plant) ROY CRONIN 537-4545 From Page 1 Driftwood story last week. nation of money saved and a nate him. ^OUR AU, t The 41-year-old island man, deposit from an individual who is "I've heard of a few (similar who wishes to remain anonymous, buying his Camaro. incidents) on the island that said the perpetrators in a January "It's money I've saved up — I haven't been reported," he said. 29 Vesuvius Bay robbery must don't trust banks." "But there is no way in the world I haye heard through the grapevine The victim said 60 grams of would not report it. I don't like that he had marijuana at his house. hash discovered in the suspects' violence and I don't like guns. Two men broke into his home vehicle was stolen from his home, They have to know they can't around 6 p.m., held him at gun­ but a similar quantity of cocaine bring their city games over here.