FRIDAY
S I N C E
MAY 23, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 80
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Street photography on display at VISAC Page 2
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
at the award winning
Columbia River Hotel Trail
Teachers facing partial lockout
A REFRESHING PAUSE FROM PLAY
SD20 asks parents to keep students home during Tuesday’s job action BY VALERIE ROSSI
It’s almost the weekend...
Time to visit Maglio’s!
Hwy 22A 250.368.6466
Fred Behrens
250.368.1268 (cell) fbehrens@telus.net
All Pro Realty Ltd. 1st Time Home Buyer Specialist 250.368.5000 ex.31
g the Securin nay Koote and ary Bound area
Times Staff
Though local schools will be open Tuesday, School District 20 is asking parents to keep their children home as there will be no staff available for supervising the grounds. Kootenay Columbia Teachers Union teachers are set to walk away from their duties that day and onto the picket line as part of a rotating strike throughout the province. “While schools will be physically open there will be no instruction as we anticipate no teachers to be present,” said superintendent of schools Greg Luterbach. “We also anticipate that no support staff will cross the teachers’ picket lines so we will only likely have the principal at each school.” The closures are part of a two-stage strike plan voted on by teachers in March when 89 per cent of the 29,300 teachers who cast ballots voted in favour as a means to apply pressure to the government during contract negotiations. In the latest development, school districts are formalizing their plan to cut teacher pay for strike action with a stop-work order that takes effect 45 minutes before and after school hours and during lunch and recess breaks. The partial lockout, effective Monday, mirrors the B.C. Teachers' Federation's first stage of strike action, refusing student supervision outside classroom hours and communication with management. The lockout is an attempt to bolster the B.C. Public School Employers' Association case for cutting salaries by 10 per cent in response to the strike action. See MINISTER, Page 3
Montrose salutes resident’s tireless efforts Art Benzer will lead Beaver Valley May Days hike up Antenna Trail BY VALERIE ROSSI Times Staff
SELKIRK SECURITY SERVICES 250-368-3103
ART HARRISON PHOTO
Eighteen-month-old Jeffery Morris samples the spray before running through it at the waterpark at Gyro Park in Trail Wednesday. The wet and wonderful play area proved popular with the kids as the thermometer topped 26 C for one of the warmest days so far this year.
If you look up the meaning of volunteer in the dictionary there should be a picture of Art Benzer. The 76-year-old Montrose
resident spent nine years in politics, nearly a decade as a volunteer firefighter and pretty well his whole life committed to enriching people's lives with his passion for the outdoors. His pet project, the Antenna Trail (which he modestly clarifies was a group effort), has brought good health to those who frequent it regularly and
has connected community members over the years from its inception in 2005 through various community hikes. “I just did it to help out my fellow citizens and I've always been a hiker and I really like the outdoors
ART BENZER
and I wanted people to enjoy the outdoors,” he said from his home Thursday. The 2014 Montrose Community Service Award winner is preparing to lead residents in yet another hike up the Antenna Trail this Saturday for Beaver
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN250-368-8550 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242
There is a Special Offer coming your way
Canada Post, Contract number 42068012
The Trail Times has hired circulation sales representatives Chris Hopkyns and Dave Collin to undertake a subscription drive. They will be calling on you to offer subscription prices for the Trail area at substantial savings over regular subscription prices. Offer not available at the Times Office
Valley May Days and again on June 7 for Montrose's Family Fun Days. “Art is an amazing man who volunteers quietly on his own,” said Montrose Councillor Cindy Cooke, who nominated Benzer for the annual honour that has been doled out since 1984. “It's people like him that we want to recognize.” See BENZER, Page 8
CHRIS HOPKYNS
DAVE COLLIN