2 - Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, August 28, 2002 ^ ûocna Sen ing East C/arington and beyond since /'V," (*CNA NO Weekly Times Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 G.S.T. = $32.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 Issues Annually at the Office of Publication 'We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. " Orono Weekly Times 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@speedline.ca • Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Orono Weekly Times. Letters must be signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail or classified ad appears for the first time, please check carefully. Notice of an error must be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such items. ' Grow house effect Even the most liberal minded citizens among us would agree that the shady figures who set up large scale marijuana grow houses are several criminal steps beyond the kind of lawbreaker who coaxes along a few pot plants in his closet for personal consumption. consumption. A grow house like the one on Division Street in Orono can produce as many as five bumper crops per year, generating hefty tax-free profits for organized crime. This weed is destined for the export market. Canadians are increasingly sensitive about our reputation internationally. If we fail to chase these operations out of our communities, and if we refuse to get tough with the kingpins funding them, then Canada may soon be best known as a major drug producer, embarrassingly embarrassingly lumped in with other notorious exporters of illegal substances. That is not an identity we should accept. Our Durham Regional Police, have their share of frustrations trying to secure warrants, arrests and convictions. It is astonishing astonishing that they have successfully shut down so many homes, but, don't assume that some don't slip through their detection nets. For each of the hundred or so houses the authorities have closed down in Durham to date, we may assume there are others still undetected or certainly in the planning stages. By now, crime bosses have calculated that a certain percentage percentage of their empire will be lost as the law moves in. They are probably buying up new properties right now and tempting new recruits to the wrong side of the law to replace the unlucky ones who got caught. With the huge profits they can flaunt, how can we imagine they would have trouble successfully filling the holes in personnel. And consider too, that if marijuana were suddenly legal, those big profits associated with the risky business of production would evaporate. Be sure that those greedy crime bosses would simply shift production to alternate money-making drugs, ones that are truly more poisonous. And finally, before you shrug off the grow house phenomenon as victimless, think of the crooks behind it next time you write a cheque for your hydro bill. It is estimated that a typical customized customized grow house will "steal" up to $2,000 worth of hydro per month by tapping into the energy source before it reaches the meter. Don't be soft on these thieves. It is you they are robbing. iummiyÉii jdLklLJLjuk #nüai- Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, (I hope this matter will be of concern to the many people of Clarington and all surrounding surrounding areas.) The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 178 Bowmanville has a special committee that ensures all flags flying over our local cenotaphs are all in good repair and proudly flying to show our pride in our great country of Canada. It also shows our respect and pride for those who gave their lives to maintain the wonderful freedom that so many of us take for granted every day. Most people do respect the flag and are very proud of Canada and would never deface or remove any flag from a flagpole, especially at a War Memorial Cenotaph. Several weeks ago in Newtonville at their Cenotaph, the flag WAS REMOVED and a torn, faded and tattered flag was put up in its place. This is disgraceful to think anyone would find that act amusing. Since flags are not that expensive you would think that surely the person/persons could have just purchased one and not showed such disrespect for those who died and the veterans veterans still remaining. Just a note on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion that anyone flying a flag whether it is at their home, cottage or at their place of work, they should always be sure that it is in perfect shape with no tatters, tatters, tears or even in a faded condition. It is an act of disrespect disrespect to your country to fly any flag that is in a state of disrepair of any kind. If anyone reading this letter knows of the whereabouts of the Newtonvil|e Cenotaph flag, we would appreciate having it returned to Branch 178 Bowmanville with no questions asked. Surely the person/persons who did this act must feel some shame for what they have done to the memory of the servicemen and women who died so that we could live. In Comradeship, Cecile D. Bowers Secretary, Branch 178 (daughter of a veteran and very proud of it) Dear Marg: We are conducting research and writing a book on the history history of the Bowmanville Foundry (which celebrates its centennial this year) and some aspects of the history of Fittings Ltd., and Ontario Malleable Iron Co., both former former Oshawa companies. We would like to include photographs and relevant documents documents or information we can gather from such items as,pay stubs, newspaper articles, advertisements, sales invoices, invoices, letters or other archival materials and would appreciate appreciate hearing from anyone with information. Helen MacDonald and Helen Schmid R. R. #1 Newtonville, ON LOA 1 JO 905-983-9667