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"WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2001 - 3 Council stresses | RIDE stats almost double, report police importance of staying in school By J. Peter Hvidsten "Weekend Star More than 250 Grade 8 students from Scugog Township will be -among the 10,000 students from across Durham Region to learn about staying in school. Brad Savage, a resource development co-ordinator. for Junior Achievement Durham Region, attended a session of Scugog Council on Monday to explain the program and ask for council's help. The JA program, known as "The Economics Of Staying In School", will be provided to students across the Region during a one-day session. More than 450 volunteers will deliver the message to the youth, aimed at reinforcing the importance of staying in school. Te Council supported the initiative and agreed to pro- mote the week of April 22-26 as "The Economics Of Staying In School Achievement has been in Durham Region for 30 years, it only recently began to become active in the north- ern communities. They hope to raise their visibility in the community with signage on entrance signs. WUT 2) I Br £//1/, BD) 81031010 D Yun BE i Bp 1 (11 All purchases (excluding repairs) 11 inde d 3 : wiil be refunded, if it snows on Jan. 1, 2002 0) 17.5 conn or 6.88 inches at Oshawa Viunicipal Airport yest on CIN IKUS f° L i | pen OHH AN Week." . Although Junior The 'number of impaired drivers on local roadways have almost doubled, according to figures released by Durham Police. The Durham Regional Police Festive R.I.D.E. pro- gram has wrapped up its second week of operation with some disheartening results. According to police, this week's total statistics were up compared to the figures from last year at the two- week mark. There were a total of 14,450 vehicles stopped com- pared to 12,675 in 2000 and to date 257 roadside breath tests have been administered, up from the 157 at this time last year. So far in 2001, police have issued 58 12-hour sus- pensions; after two weeks in 2000 they handed out 27. From our family to yours ... A Very Merry Christmas. As a result of their RIDE spot check program, Durham Police have arrested 40 motorists for driving impaired compared to 20 after the first two weeks in 2000. : : As well, Durham Police have also layed 16 other Criminal Code charges and 62 Highway Traffic Act tick- ets. ; Also concerning police are the "unusually high num- ber of graduated drivers cited for drinking and driving." So far 10 drivers have been caught drinking and driving while under the graduated license program. : The Durham Regional Police would like to remind motorists that drinking and driving in Durham Region will not be tolerated. If you are a drunk driver and think that you can make it home than think again. L NCTE onfoot