ages FRIDAY May 10, 1996 Bear shot dead near NV school BY ANNA MARIE D'ANGELO Naws Reporter GLENN Mageau !ooked into his backyard on Wednesday morning and saw a docile bear quietly chomping on a root at the back of his property. Less than one hour later, the bear was shot dead by « conservation officer. “I'm so P.O.'d. It is just so silly these guys pulling out their gun at a litle bear” Mageau said later in the moming. But conservation officer Bob Butcher said the bear had to be killed. It was roaming through people's yards getting increasingly agitated as police tried to head it towards the Mosquito Creek greenbelt. At one point, the bear made it across the Trans-Canada Highway in the Westview Drive area. “It was getting out of hand.” said Butcher. The bear was shot by conservation ‘efficer Dennis Pemble when it was with- ina short run of Larson elementary short- ly before 8 a.m. The elementary school is near Westview Drive and West 27th Street. about one block north of the Trans- Canada Highway. Police say the bear was first spotted near Mahon Avenue and 2 [st Street at 6 a.m. Butcher said the preferred way of han- dling the bear was to make it go up a tree before shooting it with a tranquilizer dart. Several minutes go by before a bear feels the full effect of a successful hit from tranquilizer gun. ; Butcher said the bear could not be left roaming around in the residential area, especially near the school, before a tran- quilizer dart took effect. He said the bear was exhausted and agitated after he was chased over the free- way. “He was on the run going through people's fences and hedges.” said Butcher. Butcher said they had received “lots” of 9-1-1 calls about the bear after 6 a.m. See Killing page 3 KAYLA Pope (left), Bryan Burgess, Alexandra Heath and Brendon Pope check out © the "smoke chamber.” It’s included in the fun activities planned for youngsters at | Saturday’s Annual North Shore Firefighters Hose Ree! Festival at Mahon Park. > NEWS photo Paul McGrath REBECCA Anderson’s early appearance meant Simon and Susan had to deliver their. daughter in their mini-van. ae NEWS photo Mike Waketleld Little hosers Weather Saturday: Sun & cloud High 15°C, tow 6°C. Teacher money pact trouble for NV Fired trustee says agreement hurts BY JAN NOBLE News Reporter A transitional teachers’ pact that extends current. contracts two years may mean bad financial news for deficit-rid- den North Vancouver School District 44, said a former trustee. The agreement calls for a 2% wage hike to June 1998, But more importantly for the school district. the agreement retains much of the existing teachers’ con- tracts until then. Underfunding and a back-breaking class-size agreement in the North Vancouver teachers” contract will con- tribute to an ongoing revenue and expen- diture squeeze at the district, said former chairman Guy Heywood. He said the extension of clauses in the district's teach- ers’ agreement may be good for teachers, “That it skews the district’s expendi- tures toward teachers and aide salaries is bad.” he said. He added that without adjustments in funding or spending con- straints, Wednesday's bridging of the con- tract will hurt the district. Heywood said the one-size-fits-all approach does not address the out-of-step contract in North Vancouver. While Heywood was a trustee the board tried to invoke a financial distress clause to modify the agreement. But both the initial arbitration and appeal failed. North Vancouver Teachers’ Association mn See Teachers page 3 iush delivery made BY IAN NOBLE News Reporter A Dodge Caravan was not the Andersons’ first choice of delivery room for their much-anticipated daughter. But the middle bench of their recently purchased mini-van had to do for the Parliament Crescent fimit- ly Monday night. Not to be toe gory, said father Simon. but mother Susan's water broke at 6:30 p.m. and she realized lt tle Rebecca was well on her way. Instead of heading to the originally intended dest- nation — Women's Hospital in Vancouver — the North Vancouver couple decided that the closer Lions Gate Hospital would be a better choice. They didnt even make it that far, “tts funny.” said Simon. “As we were leaving | was saying fet's hurry, | don’t want to deliver this baby.” While the Andersons dropped their three young boys off at their friend’s house two blocks away on Canterbury Crescent, Susan realized Rebecea’s head had already entered the workd. “twas thinking bow could [keep it in until } got to hospital.” said Susan, She couldn't. After momentary panic, Simon stecled himself for Sev Firefighters page §