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2-he Canadian Champion, Tuesday, July 15, 2003 Bat found in Burlington tests positive for rabies By JASON MISNER The Champion Halton's public health officiais are wamning resi- dents to be cautious of bats after one was confirmed to have rabies. A bat retrieved in a home in the Burlington area July 5 tested positive for rabies. Rabies was confirmed in two bats last sommer, une cach in Oakville and Halton Hilîs. A Burlingson adult - whom tise Region won 't identify- found the bat. Because a bat bite is typically small and leaves a small wound and can go unnoticed, the health department erred on the loir- 2.4 L with oe and mit steorini imâ * side of caution and recommended the individual get rabies shots, said Mary Anne Carson, Haltons manager of communicable dis- cases. 'Dhe individual commented there may have been some expo- sure to bats," Ms Carson said. "The person is fine." The shots pruvide vaccinations and antibodies that can offer immediate protection against rabies. The Region distribuses the vaccine to a person's family doctor who administers the injection. Usually an adult receives injections in the arno while a child receives them in the thigh. Rabies is a virus that is fatal if a person is infected and not treat- Il -aLitr,4-CYt Rd. IJO30hp, DONC, 16-vili7e, VW- Orgine - AFir RodtiniRR,g4M S1ReRoîtt4 speakers t PI,.iRks ndmiro-OYO$s R ryIRS-8 M4640 Spiutt o iî,t. 0stage driver à pas,.Rgedr agof r i~gOubidf t#erétuts FgRge - 15" wftels -5-soedmanemissionR o onORaddiRFona$14.12 par 8008aandgel aaRRmatIic t ranmsso M".Liu»F18,COORPt$OnI kwy 5.31/ OOkR <53mpg) /City 7. IL100knt (4OR6g.>- Camry SE LEASEFOOR~ PER *0M T ORTe 088M ORTelS WiTiIl 4 72 OOWN FREIONT AND P.IR1,CLUVEO?$2 9 26, 000 MSRP 4Litr, 4-cyiîoder.157 hp, DONC, 1k-vaVYI 8 fli ngne -4-spudauoiW rnmi s Osion oveOrdrve- AWM CD CassReewif86 speker -Air CRoniiniRRRg-PoerWindows,. 0080 m'ru-Croise cRori -R.aj,, 8R@My- 60/40 spu it oliRg fuir $est -ILutherORapped rgwhoelIand shiftkno,-D6". uiD' uRIRRaIIRy wIeoi,-AluRiRuR dgsh accent$ and ,O Pd instrRlentation ECRnesmi lize -,.it eo,,,,..a poie FrJap Public health officiais warn residents to watch out PE MOM O 8MNH WT 2 0DW 'l 7,300.MS i ed. Bats can be found in barns, caves and oceasionally in homes. Ms Carson stressed "bats can be found almost anywhere to have rabies." She said the Region's key message is that anyone who finds a bat in their home should eall the health department immediately since rabies has been confu-med in Halton. The number is (905) 825-6000l. Regional health staff will then determine the next course of action, Ms Carson said. "If a person has the opportunity of having been exposed to a hat, report it lu the health department." To proteet yourself from bats, the Region recommends your pet get a rabies vaccination every year, that you warn your children to stay away from aggressive animais and that you animal-proof your home to prevent them from getsing inside. Consult the Region's Web site for more information at www.region.halton.on.ca. The Health Canada Web site lists ways of protecting yourself against bats. But it also highlights they're effective pest con- trollers, with a single bat capable of eating as many as 600 mos- quitoes in une hour. "Bats represent important members of the wildlife community and should be valued for the rote they play as predators of insects." Jason Misner ('an be reached at jmisner@miltoncanadian- champion.tom. Further sanctions threatened by teachers' union Further sanctions against the Halton District Sehool Board will be put in place by public elementary teachers if they don't get a new contract by late August, said the president of the local teach- ers' union. Maurcen Weinberger, head of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario in Halton, said Friday that stepped up sanc- tions against the board will be forthcommng if an August 25 medi- ation session doesn't produce a new collective bargaining agree- ment. "We already have a member meeting planned for August 26 and if things do not go well on the 25th, we will use that meeting to prepare for further sanctions," Ms Weinberger said. "0f course, we are hopeful that the 26th will be used to give out information about ratification of a contract as we look forward su negotiating a deal on the 25th." The previous week the union representing Haltons approxi- mately 1,600 public elementary teachers issued a 'pink list' sanc- tion against the board. It calîs on teachers across Canada not to apply for teaching positions at the Halton public board for now. Elementary teachers in Halton have been without a new contract since August 31, 2002. They have been in a legal strike position since June 30. "We expect I-lton teachers to be accorded respect for the work they do and won't be treated as second-class citizens. We believe we deserve wage parity with our secondary colleagues in Halton," said Ms Weinberger. "We are currently the only elementary teachers in the province without a contract. We fmnd this hard to understand when our posi- tion refleets the same kinds of considerations that other huards and locals have already agreed to. Our issues are salary, part-year grid payment and some working condition items." Man killed in tragic motorcycle accident A 38-year-old rural Mfilton man died tragically Friday aftemnoon when he was thrown from a motorcycle he was niding in front of his house. Ando-ew Ratky of No. 30 Sideroad was pronounced dead at the scene followmng thse 5 p.m. accident that occurred between Townline Road and First Line, said Halton Regional Police. Police said Mr. Ratky was taldng a friend's new motorcycle for a test drive when he failed to negotiate a curve and wens off thse roadway, colliding with two trees. The friend had purchased the 2003 Suzuki just days earlier and brought it to Mr. Ratky's house to show it to hlm, police said. Halton police are investigating thse accident. F onsCRompti<oR Hey D8VLOOkR (41MP) /City l0.2vl/0o 12Rpg> 1.8oureinthitr e, or a ne rc, bt OCo 6vlr-anenei odrione o AAfNSeeCOwt4 Mlton To ota's great trucks at our exclusive new centre located next door to Milton Toyota. 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