The Citizen, 1996-02-21, Page 2611414610 MY.
By John Schedler
Leading off the week's new releases is To Wong Foo, Thanks For
Everything, Julie Newmar *** (MCA/Universal), the saga of three New
York drag queens (Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, John Leguizamo)
whose car breaks down in a rural Nebraska town. Before long this
flamboyant trio has managed to not only solve most of the local's
problems, but their own as well. While the plot is predictable the film is
quite funny and surprisingly charming. (Rated PG)
I also enjoyed The Stars Fell On Henrietta *** Warner), a depression-
era drama about a down on his luck oilman (Robert Duvall) who tries to
convince a poor farmer (Adian Quinn) to set up a drilling rig on his land.
Produced by Clint Eastwood, this film failed at the box office, but the nice
thing about home video is another chance to discover small and enjoyable
films like this one. (Rated PG)
Among the other new and unpreviewed titles is Copycat (Warner), a
thriller that focuses on two women stalked by a serial killer. The film stars
Sigoumey Weaver, Holly Hunter and Harry Connick Jr. (Rated 18A)
The cyber space trend continues with Hackers (MGM/UA) another
techno thriller this time about a group of computer hackers framed by a
master criminal. Director Ian Softley (Backbeat) describes the film "as
sexy, urbane, and anti-authoritarian". (Rated PG)
Also worth checking into are several new laserdisc releases from the
Voyager Company. The most intriguing of these, for me at least, is
Martha Graham: Dance on Film **** (Criterion Collection) Hailed as
one of the great artistic forces of the 20th century. Martha Graham
influenced dance worldwide and this two disc set offers a wonderful
record of her art. Included in this package are two complete Graham
performances, Night Journey (1960) and my favourite Appalachian Spring
(1959), which is one of her best-loved works along with A Dancer's World
(1957), a look at Graham's methodology,-narrated by Martha herself.
Then there are the bonus features which make Voyager's laserdisc
releases among the best on the market. Included here are audio
commentary by filmmaker Nathan Kroll, his production team, Dance
Magazine educational editor Marian Horosko, dancer Pearl Lang and an
interview with composer Aaron Copland. Outstanding! Now if someone
would only do likewise for Agnes DeMille.
Other recent releases from Voyager include Laurence Olivier's Henry V
**** (1945) a sumptuous technicolour adaptation of Shakespeare's play.;
Current hot shot Hong Kong action director John Woo Broken Arrow is
represented in the Criterion Collection with The Killer, his violent action
thriller of a super-cool pitman and tough cop.
Your comments are welcome. Our E-mail address is
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rises once again
Large awards by the courts for
victims of accidents in which
municipalities are judged to be at
fault continue to drive up the cost
of insurance for the Village of
Brussels.
Randy Fisher of Frank Cowan
Insurance told village councillors,
Feb. 12, that there has been little
change in the cost of most areas of
their insurance coverage except in
the liability area. As a result of sev-
eral large awards for negligence of
municipalities, liability insurance
costs have skyrocketed. It will
mean the village will pay $3,800
more this year for insurance, an
overall increase of 12 per cent.
Fisher said that since the award
of $9 million to an athlete paral-
ysed in an accident in a hockey
arena in LaSalle, there have been
two further liability claims for $10
and $13 million respectively. So far
there has been no settlement or
court awards in these cases.
In the meantime, he said, the City
of Thunder Bay has sent a report to
the provincial government asking
for changes in the law that will pre-
vent such huge awards. "You may
want to endorse the Thunder Bay
initiative," he said.
Council settles drainage concern
The way has apparently been
opened for completion of the clo-
sure of Walnut St. after concerns
over a drain in the area were
resolved at the Feb. 12 meeting of
Brussels council.
Merle Hoegy of Brussels Agro-
mart and Jim Ryan of Ryan Con-
struction discussed plans for a drain
along the side of the Agromart
property that connects to a village-
owned drain. Hoegy said he
planned to have Ryan clean out 550
feet of the drain along the side and
back of his property. Adjoining
property owners Jim and Leona
Armstrong will also make improve-
ments on their property.
The village had contacted Ryan
to clean out its portion of the drain
but didn't want to proceed unless
the whole drain was to be
improved. The provision of
drainage, plus the erection of a new
fence, was an objective of adjoin-
ing landowner Gordon Workman
before renouncing claim to a por-
tion of the street allowance, thus
permitting closure of Walnut St.
and transfer of the property to
Brussels Agromart. (Workman
declared a conflict of interest and
stepped down from his reeve's chair
at the meeting, leaving the room
during the discussion.)
Hoegy asked for an agreement
absolving his company from liabili-
ty and further maintenance of the
drain.
Legal proceedings to close the
street are now expected to proceed.
Area prepares for famine
Young people from the area,
including students from F.E. Madill
Secondary School and across
Ontario are joining World Vision
Canada's 30 Hour Famine to help
end poverty and suffering around
the world. Participants will go
without food for 30 hours on Feb.
23 and 24, while raising money to
support World Visions' relief and --
development programs.
Last year, 100,000 Canadians
took part in the 30 Hour Famine
and raised $1.87 million. Funds
will support development programs
such as agricultural programs in
Mozambique, AIDS awareness
programs in Uganda and programs
assisting needy kids here in
Canada; -
The 30 Hour Famine also gives
y/oung people a chance to identify
with millions of people around the
world who face hunger daily. Parti-
cipating groups are encouraged to
plan educational activities or
discussion times to learn about the
root causes of hunger and poverty.
World Vision is a Christian
humanitarian relief and develop-
ment organization which works in
more than 100 countries, and more
than 5,000 projects.
PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1996
Brussels council says no to resident's request
After lengthy debate at their Feb.
12 meeting, Brussels village coun-
cillors decided they would continue
to charge a sewage charge for the
empty apartment of a main street
businessman.
Kang Yoon appeared before
council to argue that since the
upstairs apartment at his store was
no longer used, he should not have
to pay a sewage charge for it. He
was currently paying one sewage
charge for his store and one for the
apartment but felt since the only
washroom being used is that in the
store, he shouldn't have to pay two
charges.
Yoon said that until several years
ago he had been charged only for
one sewage connection but some-
where along the way the billing had
changed.
Councillors explained that they
had changed the policy to try to be
consistent. Other businesses that
have an apartment above a store
pay two charges too, they said.
There is on charge per unit, Reeve
Gordon Workman said.
"Now I'm completely out of my
apartment I'm using a very, very
minimal amount of water," Yoon
argued. The toilet can't be used
without water, he said so, "If I'm
not using the water, why should I
have to pay?"
"If we shut off everybody with an
empty apartment, who will pay for
the system?" Reeve Workman
asked. He pointed out that it costs
$130,000 a year to run the sewage
treatment system.
Yoon argued that this was not the
same as having an apartment empty
in an apartment building. He did
not intend to rent the apartment so
this was not a commercial enter-
prise, he argued.
But Clerk-Treasurer Donna
White said there were 20-30 situa-
tions of empty units around the vil-
lage and all are charged the
monthly sewage charge to help pay
for the upkeep of the system.
Yoon left unconvinced by coun-
cillors' arguments and they were
equally unconvinced by his. Short-
ly afterward they decided the
charge would remain in place. Village insurance
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