-ekendd ip Mfo's Independent Pllarmscy EU *Free Dettvery *10% senos co A Metroland Communîty Newspaper Vol. 140 No. 5 Friday, March 26, 1999 36 Pages 750 (GsT included) POPP asked to. look into c cnfession kHalton Regional Police have ù called in the OPP to investigate 15 the confession of Roy Hopkins in the 1995 murder of Fred Sheppard. It was announced in a media release Wednesday that Det. Inspector Don Birreil will bead the probe, which cornes on the heels of a Toronto Star article pub- lished Sunday. Hopkins, a 32-year-old inmate of Warkwortb Penitentiary, bas claimed responsibility for the slaying of 77-year- old Mr. Sheppard of Steelea Avenue. Keith Nigel Madeley, 26, waa convicted last year of the murder and is now serving a life sentence with o hope of parole for 25 years. Hopkins, meanwhile, is incarcer- ated for other crimes. Hopkins said some of the information in the written confession hie gave The Star on the phone and during a jailhouse interview am HOPKINS on page 19 Merchants down but flot out The Jr. A Merchants are stili in the hunt for another lbague champi- onship. Despite losing the conference finals to the Brarnabea Blues, Milton remains alive after they picked up the wild card spot earlier this week. This enables them to battis Coilngwood in the semnifinals. Ses the sports section for full de".~ Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Swinging.into sprîng Jsnn Adams seena le b. havlng as much fun as ber one-ysar-old son Dalton, as the lwo lako In a spring day at Victoria Park W.dnesday. Ijeoni hearing underway.. Catholic achool trustee boe Deoni - wbo faces fraud charges - was ordered to stand trial in Ontario Court (provincial division) in Milton yester- day. Following a preliminary hearing, it was determinied that enough evidence exista for thie case te o 0te tnal, Details of the pre-trial hearing can- not be dis- closed due Jo. Deoni to a publication ban. Mr. Deoni, who was acclaimed in 1997 to the position of Milton school trustee (English) for the Catbolic District School Board, was charged last March with fraud over $5,000 following a two- month Halton Regional Police investigation. A trial date will be set on April 6. Ambulances services Pérovince will dish out haif By IRENE GENTLE The Champion They mnay have left the Mississauga- Ambulance, both Laidlaw Inc. drivers seat, but the iflat optton was ~-fotcreate a smooth t province iias dcide u o th service slides fro0 to exit the vehicle corn- to regional contro pletely after ail. region's chief medi In a surprise move that some- Of health Dr. Bob N counicillors and regional staff "We feel this is t tagged a pre-election gambit, option to ensure a 5 the provincial govemrment bas sition," he saidL decided to take back baîf the The staff direct financial burden of public also buy time for t health and land ambulances. look more thorot Tbe province bas also given other options in the regions acroas Ontario the Dr. Nosal. option to delay taking over fuît That didn't wash control of ambulance services *ses AMBULANC untilJanuary 1,2001. Until early tbtis week, rgions were expecte te take over the <a.l reins by the beginning of next 'e annoucement came on flound thehels f tesehealth and social services committee meet- ing in which delegation after blendi delegation urged the region to veer away fromn a staff direction to renegotiate the contracts of VVLLLe' Halton's two current ambu- By IRENE GENTI lance providers. It didn't work. The commit- The Champion tee voted to approve the staff Milton resid recommendation. likely retain t The issue will go to counicil well water soi for final approval next Week. Haiton Region Under the Ambulance Act, the region was told to inform on blending t the Ministry of Health how to be ail wet. they intend to deliver the ser- In a surprise r vice by September of this year. region recentlya To meet that deadline, will likely backt Halton, along wimh Durham and controversial pis York regions, bired consultants botb existing an EBI Group wimh Partnering and Milton residents Procurement Inc. to analyze lake and well wate delivery options. The about face 0f mhose options, Halton staff the region unco' recommended renegotiating pected difficultiet contracta witb current the two sources. providers, the volunteer Halton "Fromn the poir Huils Ambulance Services and e se. NEW o Halton trun by meant to insition as suministty 1, said the cal officer Dsal. te lest risk miooth tran ion would te region to ughly into future, said with somte E page 16 "'ms in. ing LE lents will heir pure uirce after 's theories Limred out eversal, the nnounced it tway fromt a n to service d upcoming vitb a mix of tccun'ed after vered unex- s in blending It of view of i page 19