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IReal Estate SPORTS See what's Drury cap tAiIi~~ inside page 19 tures COMMUN fifth~ 'W Coren uplifts crowd Page 8 ZJMt (Daaban * ______ STATE 55RM IS rsLRE.-)I 1O % Don MacRae Anita Cutala Stsato A METROLAND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER VOL. 144 NO. 10. ~-'TUESDAY, MARCH 9,2004 $1.00 <GST included) 40 PAGES "Using Communication to Build Better Communities" Photo bt, GRAHAM PAINE Surveying the damagte Milton Fire Department Captain Doug Shortt, left, and a fireflghter survey the damage to a second-floor bedroom atter the No. 5 Sideroad home was ravaged by an early Saturday morning fire. Damage ta the home, located just west of Regional Road 25, la pegged at about $200,000. The four realdents of the boardlng houa. eacaped to safety thanks ta a amoke detector. Kt was firet heard by a firat-floor resldent who awakened a second-floor reaident before exltlng. The cause of the ftire was electrical. xParrott's killer may be out in 9 1/2 years By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Friends and famnily of siain Miltonian Murray Parrott say the fact his killer will be in prison with a life sentence offers littie consolation - especially srnce he'l be eligible for parole in nmne- and-a-half years. "No amnunt of time could give him back Use third of bis life he bast," said bis wife of 27 years, Pas Parrott, after Judge Bruce Dumo sentenced Douglas Stokes to life in -'Champion wins third in Ontario The Champion tnok home a third-place award for General Excellence in the Ontario Cnmmunity Newspaper Association's 2003 Better Newspapers Competition. The awards presentasion was held Saturday in Toronto. The Champion competed agamast 18 other community newspapers in Use circu- lation category of 12,500Oto 24,999. The tiras-place award went su Stoney Creek News, while Use Orangeville Banner placed second. Judges ruade Useir decisions based on elements such as Use paper's front page, cnmmunity news, presentation, ad design, sports, local teaturea and overail prnduct quality. Each winming paper was offered a writ- ten critique by judges. 1I liked Use large photos (on Use front page)," remarked one ot the cnmpetition's judges, addmng Use paper has "a gond mix ot lotal news atonies." Thie Champion placed third for General Excellence last year as well. prison yesterday with no chance of parole for 12 years. Mr. Stokes, 21, has already been in cus- tody for two-and-a-half years, so he can apply for parole in nine-and-a-half years. Since Douglas Stokes pleaded guilty to the 2001 second-degree murder of Mr. Parrot, 53, a sentence of lite ini prison was mandatory. The question being deait with throughout the hearing was when he could seek parole. Judge Dumo made his decision yester- day attemoon at Superior Court of Justice in Milton as Ms Parrott sas ini the front rnw, surrounded by supporters. Mr. Stokes' mother, from St. Catharines, left Use cours room, before Use judge fmn- ished reading bis decision. There's nn evidence Usas Mr. Parrott showed any violence toward Mr. Stokes, as had been testified, Judge Durno said. He said he didn't believe Mr. Parrot pulled nus his kite - with which he was eventually killed - in a threatening mani- ner as he walked home from Use formser Knight Cap bar on Main Street. Mr. Stokes' motive was moat likely rob- e se. GUILTY on page 10 Comment ...............6 Dateline ............11-12 Champion Country ..13-16 Classufied ..........22-25 N ot just big..Lîfe sînze. The ail new 2004 Toyota Tundra Double Cab