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st weekender saturday february 7 1998 p 11 york crime stats boast good news and bad kathleen griffin staff reporter nine more people died on york region roads in 1997 than did the year before in twelve more fatal accidents representing a 30 per cent increase in traffic fatalities last year thirtynine people died in car crashes last year compared to 30 in 1996 in york region there were 10784 motor vehicle col lisions in total 257 less than the 11041 accidents recorded in 1 996 york regional police have released their crime statistics for 1997 and presented them to the york regional police services board last week generally it seems crime has decreased although criminal harassment arson and assaults numbers are up there was one less murder last year than in 1 996 for a 13 per cent drop five of these murders including the brutal beating death of elderly milliken resident yee mei ng have been solved two are still outstanding including the murder of milliken shopkeeper and mother of two alberta khan incidents of criminal negligence causing death attempted murder and robbery and extortion all decreased last year by 60 per cent 27 per cent and 12 percent respectively sexual assaults increased by one incident 290 in 1996 to 291 in 1997 criminal harassment increased by a whopping 50 per cent from 108 incidents in 1996 to 162 in 1997 assaults increased as well by nine per cent from 2529 to 2746 drug charges are down 10 per cent weapons violations are down by 14 per cent while prostitution and gaming occurrences are up 1 per cent arson has increased 15 per cent but break and enter theft posses sion of stolen goods and mischief are all down between 1 per cent and 18 per cent citizen demand for service went down by eight percent or about 12000 fewer calls in 1997 than 1996 eighty percent of that drop is attributed to a decrease in alarm calls total criminal occurrences reported in 1997 amounted to 31664 compared to 33317 in 1996 of 1997s total 10380 have been cleared 32 per cent in 1996 police cleared 33 per cent millions could be cured of blindness half of the people in the world who are blind due to cataracts could be cured according to the christian blind mission international during white cane week feb 1 7 the stouffvillebased development agency wants canadians to realize how lucky they are that there is one eye doctor for every 28000 people in canada in africa for example there is only one for every one million people a vast majority of 38 million blind people in the world live in poorer countries and could have their sight restored by a simple eye operation the aim of the christian blind mis sion is to prevent and cure blindness around the world the mission performs 270000 sight- restoration surgeries each year and aims to reach one million cataract operations by the year 2000 ach tree originals winter clearance grand opening of new location february 13 14 20 21 27 28 march 6 7 fridays 11 am 7 pm saturdays 10 am 5 pm d 3 3 cd q 3d p n 1 o o s b 3 oj q robinson 3n 23 3 cd free si parking 1 m t co co co to 1 hwy 7 east centre 70b main street n markham 4728387 mwmtwmwlpapmwwmt 9 s 81 si cd imp icd crc getting married put your best look forward for that special day 5e6t look foqwaqev professional makeup services for all occasions for your convenience we will come to you i our professional makeup artists have over 10 years of experience in photography television and wedding makeup book your makeup artist today and put your best look forward for an appointment call julie wiktowy professional makeup artist 4164991967 61 ml if i k a v i fit transportation committee iir public information meetings to discuss i markhams transportation needs i vwl markham council and staff are planning public information meetings in your neighbourhood to hear your concerns qutthe transportation needs in markham wejarebjfinging together the departments and agencies nwhratgare- responsible for transportation planning and operations in markham and we want to hear from vou wssm about local issues such as congestiorijfraffie infiltration development traffic calmingahdpjttlan 14 come out and meetwith us when they are gone they are gone we ar clearing out out 1997 urnaces fireplaces and air conditioners save ms let us know whatjsimpoitant tqyou io council and staff available from7pmoi9ftjni sfr meeting locations m s553i wards 1 2 i3gm thornlea secondarjtschbol cafeteriaj 8075 bayvieivavenue buy rent finance call now for full details 6 consumers gas heating air conditioning anantborlzed markham 9054794440 ij1 wards 4 5 monday february j cthursdayfebruary 1 2 1 markham village frcfj centre i village lounge y30hyw7 swards 3 6 monday february 23 anthony roman civic centre 101 to centre blvd emmmarden wards 7 8 thursday fefearl n nr armadale commumtyjcentre denison room jsjj 2401 denison street s transportation- committee chair reeionaljcouncilldrgord landdn easy payments on your consumers gas bill 1 markham too of excellence