Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 11

Canada CALGARY HERALD Monday, July 26, 1999 All CHERRY FESTIVAL Once again, Gentleman Joe's spitting image of a champion FEDERAL TAX-CUT DEMAND Reform leader takes UA cause to Ontario 'This is where battleground is' gan in south Chatham-Kent 18 years ago, placed third in the world championships in Eau Clare, Michigan, earlier this month. Joe Lessard Jr. of Chatham, who placed second in the world championship event, also placed second in Saturday's event in Blenheim. He managed to spit a pit more than 58 feet His wife, Karen, was winner of the women's championship, spitting a pit nearly 50 feet It marked her fourth consecutive win in the past four years. Third-place honours in the Canadian championship went to former Blenheim resident Martin Salter, who now lives in Milverton.

Salter was the defending Canadian champion and came garbed as the "phantom of the orchard." The Canadian Press BLENHEIM, ONT. Six-time Canadian cherry pit spitting champion Joe Lessard Sr. of Blenheim chalked up his seventh win Saturday before a cheering hometown audience. The 53-year-old veteran of the cherry pit spitting circuit, better known as "Gentleman spat a cherry pit nearly 61 feet to capture the 1999 Canadian Cherry Pit Spitting Championship. The Canadian championship competition was one of the main highlights of the 1999 Blenheim Cherry Fest and Sidewalk Days.

Lessard Sr, who has been involved in cherry-pit spitting since the sport be par rMP v-WV CIO Class vt FOR WOMEN Dresses reg. $415 $Q2 Sale SuitS reg. $610 The Canadian Press GRAND BEND, ONT. Reform Leader Preston Manning will target southwestern Ontario in his fight for a United Alternative. "This is where the battleground is," said Ian Todd, Manning's aide, who added that the area is "our fastest- growing area in terms of fund-raising, membership and general activity." Manning and his wife, Sandra, toured Grand Bend, and Parkhill, about 50 kilometres west of London, promoting Reform's demands for a 25-per-cent federal-tax cut.

But Todd said Manning's main intentions were to drum up support for the party's proposed merger with the Progressive Conservatives. Reform will extensively target southwestern Ontario until the next federal election, expected within two years, Manning said during a stroll with his wife through an antique market. "One of the things we have to do is stop the vote-splitting between Reform and Conservatives," Manning said. "We got a million votes twice in Ontario more votes than we got in Alberta and British Columbia but no seats because of the vote-splitting." An Ontario breakthrough failed to materialize for Reform in the 1993 and 1997 federal elections, and the party believes their United Alternative proposal would garner enough votes to secure seats in the province. Manning was to visit the Chatham, area today.

SAVE UP TO 80 OFF Sill Sale Pant SuitS Sah139 Blouses reg. $250 Sale f'Vii t. Lm A. 1 Sale Merchandise May Be Purchased On The 0 Interest Plan And Paid From September To February 2000. Your Selections Go Home With You TODAY! Morns Lamont, Canadian Press Reform Leader Preston Manning chats with 98-year-old Rose Arnold during a tour of Parkhill, Ont, on Sunday.

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The Canadian Press CALGARY An oOpatch welder who has been protesting outside the headquarters of a company he claims owes him almost $11,000 says he suffered a serious seizure late last week. Andy Rak said he remembers nothing after 9 p.m. Thursday until he regained consciousness Saturday morning in a Calgary hospital. "I went to get my truck so I could sleep in it and next thing I remember I'm lying in hospital," he said. Rak was discharged Sunday and said he plans to be back today outside the offices of Renaissance Energy, continuing his protest.

"I'm not giving up." Rak and up to 30 others are caught in the middle of a feud between Renaissance Energy Ltd. and Phoenix Pipeline Construction of Calgary. Rak and his fellow subcontractors helped build a nine-kilometre gas line for Phoenix from a Renaissance well to a gas main. The job was finished July 1 but Renaissance refuses to pay Phoenix, so Phoenix can't pay its subcontractors. Renaissance spokesman Doug Anguish said the oil company fears Phoenix is about to go broke.

FOREST FIRE Wet weather welcomed by firefighters The Canadian Press COLD LAKE An out-of-control forest fire destroyed more than eight square kilometres of trees in a popular camping and recreational area in northeastern Alberta on the weekend. No one was evacuated and wet weather on Sunday helped firefighters get the blaze near Marie Lake, about 18 kilometres north of Cold Lake, under control. It was started by lightning on Thursday. More than 70 firefighters from Alberta and Ontario, armed with 14 bulldozers and six water-dropping helicopters, fought the blaze, However, Rick Strickland, fire information officer for Alberta Environment, said Sunday's rain was expected to dissipate with a forecast for windier, warmer, drier conditions moving in early in the week. The break that came with the wet weather allowed fire crews to launch a massive offensive against fires raging near Lac La Biche and Fort Mc-Murray.

"We moved some of our resources onto the larger fires," said Dennis Driscoll, duty officer for Lands and Forest Service Alberta. "We had what I call a pause day where we can regroup and concentrate on larger fires in- liwaJn ,111. sTli 1999 GMC SIERRA SL REGULAR CAB I Sierra SL I F150XLS I Ram 1500 ST Regular Cab Regular Cab Regular Cab Engine Vortec 4.3L V6 4.6L V6 3.9L V6 Horsepower 200 205 175 Transport Canada Fuel Economy Ratings: L100 km 14.610.6 15.1TI.1 15.9tl 11927 mpg) (1925 mpg) (1826 mpg) TowHaul Mode on Automatic Transmission Included NA NA Four-Wheel Disc Brakes Standard Option NA 4-Wheel ABS Standard Option Option Engine Hour Meter Standard NA NA Automatic Headlights Standard NA Driver Message Centre Standard NM NA Interior Air Filtration System Included NM NA AJAC "BEST NEW PICKUP TRUCK" Vortec 4300 V6 engine Automatic transmission with overdrive and towhaul mode 4-wheel disc and 4-wheel anti-lock braking system Full instrumentation including tachometer, engine hourmeter and driver message centre AMFM stereo with cassette Tilt-Wheel Automatic headlights PASSLock' II Theft-deterrent system Side guard door beams Trailer wire harness Intermittent wipers Dual airbags PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS $298 $22,688 PER MONTH36 MONTHS 7 $1,700 DOWN PAYMENT AN0 INCLUDES FREIGHT ft PLU NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED Automobile Journalists feC ASSOCIATION OF OANADA (filiSlSf PONT1AC BUICK GMC 8 We'd like you to know more: Come visit us at your local dealer, on our website at www.gmcanada.com or call 1-800-GM-DRIVE 'Based on a 36 month lease for a 1999 GMC Sierra Regular Cab equipped as described. A down payment or trade ot $1,700 is required. Total obligation is $12,428.

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