The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

economist sunsuntribune blackout 2003 saturday aug 16 2003 emergency generators remained silent bymikeadler staffwriter think you felt frustrated thursday three hours after all of ontario went dark larry moffat was standing beside emergency generators in markham that could power thousands of homes and he couldnt turn them on this is unprecedented right now mr moffat said with a wave at the 19 trailersized turbines his vaughanbased company toromont industries ltd had lined up along 14th avenue in markham the province recently ordered the natural gasfired machines and seven smaller engines beside toromonts hwy 7 headquarters in concord tostand ready for the rest rolling blackouts likely by mike hayakawa staff writer power was up and running throughout markham friday but that doesnt mean markham has escaped the wrath of the power outage that began thursday after noon and still cripples parts of north america twohour rotating blackouts could still take place in the area said ed benvenuto manager of customer services for markham hydro the people of markham are still asked by the imo independent electricity market operators to conserve energy he warned consumers are being asked to refrain from using air conditioners pool pumps and appliances other than a refrigerator or freezer dont open your refrigerator or freezer any more than you need to he said it should be good for at leastaday as forhow long the rolling black- outs could last benvenuto saidits under the imos control we have a plan in place to iden tify what feeders in the area that we cover if were called to drop the powerload it will take place in resi dential areas first we will try to keep businesses and commercial areas running our intent is to rotate blackouts in residential areas of the year able in 15 minutes to pour power into the grid but when the whole system failed it was not safe to turn on any of the generators at least by thursday evening were ready but until they get some power into the grid to allow these things to operate these things are on standby awaiting their call the toromont vicepresident said at about 7 pm mr moffat expected the machines to be turned on as the grid was pieced back together in sequence but said that decision belonged to ontarios independent electricity market operator not toromont or markham hydro otherwise you have a risk of damaging a whole lot of valuable equipment he said before board ing a motor coach that headed west yesterday the company was finally told to start its generators at 430 am and keep them running they continue to operate mr moffat said staff photomike adler larry moffat wasnt told to turn on the portable generators in markham until 430 am friday more than 12 hours after york region lost power they continue to operate he said lobsterfest the tastiest treat in town when it first opened 16 years ago the corner house restaurant in stouffville introduced a special event called lobsterfest for one week during each month in summer fresh atlantic lobster was flown in and served up fresh the event was an instant hit with local patrons and a tradition was born sixteen years later lobsterfest remains one of the biggest draws of the year at the cornerhouse the busy restaurant hosts many events throughout the year but lobsterfest is the clear favourite people like the fact that lobsters are flown in fresh and cooked here says chef lesbroadbent of the corner house its a lot of fun for our customers and our staff for one week each month from march to october the corner house restaurant features fresh atlantic lobster as part of its daily menu cooked in several different ways including steamed broiled and thermidor succulent lobster tails seafood pastas and vegetable combinations make this menu one to experience this is a popular event so when its lobsterfest season book your table well ahead if you appreciate fine french cajun and italian foods meticulously prepared to perfection the corner house is the place for you a diverse regular menu of tasty entrees includes grilled or blackened fish pepper steak rack of r lamb and gourmet pizzas be sure to try the house favourite brandy snap basket the right ambiance is an important component of any fine dining experience and the corner house has it all posters of jazz musicians and other artworks complement the bright new decor friendly staff is committed to making your dining experience truly memorable the corner house restaurant also offers athome catering services les broadbent and manager jen brown above can help you personalize menu selections as well as desserts and wines to complement the meal give them a call at 9056408494 the next time you plan an athome gourmet dinner party to make reservations at the corner house call 9056408494 iiptjce to the residents of bout west nile virus q3iye- tfiescl iat t hjat 1 liie presence of west nile virus has ipe season in the bird population jligpwtg actively to control west nile virus in pgrtbjfdnd humatiryeillance and mosquito control activities health services continues to monitor the bird and mosquito populations in your area for west nile virus trapsto gather adult mosquitoes for testing have been set up at strategic locations and staff continue tcvtest ditches and temporaryor permanent standing water pbndstqr mosquito larvae with larvicide applied if evidence of mosquito breeding is found ajsb the third phase of larvicide application to storm drain catch basins on public property across yjork regionis underway even though the chances of beingjgitten by an infectedmosquito areare i want to remind yqp about jriethods to protect your health and the health of your family we fjrmjy belilyejthaprevention and protective measures remain the best protection ss aifainslswestnile vlrusthere are simple and common sense precautions thatsn6uidvds bejaken khxs wparclnthina such asdtfna sleeved shirts fulllenath itrbui5rasogkhabcoijarvo sleeved shirts fulllength trousers sp yeartelbthingsuch cjothing and high b sider using ref extra protection against mqsquitoes- ontainlnddeet as directed r t3g iwmfrmiujraqoctivities where and when mosquitoes are most aeti asdusknntlndwn make surescreens on your home are tightfitting and in good repair w88 mosquitoes breed in still water eliminate standing water around your property which may gather in pbbl covers flower pots childrens pools old tires and birdbatbsj mi for more information on west nile virus or any healthrelated concern contact york region health services health connection at 1800361 5653 or visit wwwtegionyorkonca thank you for being a partofurwest nile virus control plan yours truly w wrfl