Significant increases in property assessments will see most Carbonear taxpayers having to dig deeper this year when they receive their tax bills.

In an effort to help lessen the burden of increased taxes council has reduced its mill rate by 0.5 mills on residential and commercial property. The mill rate has been reduced from 9.75 mills (last year's rate) down to 9.25 mills. That amounts to $92.50 for every $10,000 worth of property or $925 on a $100,000 property.

There is no such word in the English language as can't.

Adopting that philosophy, the Carbonear Town Council believes that for too long in the past the standard response to the need to move forward with overdue but costly improvements has been, "we can't."

Refusing to accept the status quo any longer, Deputy Mayor Ches Ash said last week the town's 2010 budget reflects a change in philosophy best reflected by the phrase: "Let's get things done."

	SOUTHWELL PLACE - Homes have already been built on some of the 26 lots in Southwell Place off Forest... »

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Construction was started on 18 new homes in Carbonear last year, while 31 permits were issued for major home renovations, some in excess of $10,000, the deputy mayor of Carbonear told council last week.

Referring to Southwell Place off Forest Road in the town's west end, Ches Ash said the fully developed residential subdivision has 26 lots, the majority of which have already been sold.

	EYESORE - The mayor of Harbour Grace says government should foot the bill for the cost of demolishin... »

The mayor of Harbour Grace is concerned a dilapidated building in his town could end up costing taxpayers an arm and a leg to tear down.

Don Coombs fears the demolition fee may run as high as $68,000 and the town may get stuck with the bill.

The teams didn't keep score, but the players didn't need to know who won or lost to have a good time at the Danny Cleary Novice Jamboree Tournament, held Jan. 22-23 in Harbour Grace.

"They changed the format this year," said Wendy Penney, spokeswoman for CeeBees Minor Hockey, which hosted the tournament at S.W. Moores Memorial Stadium. "It used to be a tournament where we had a championship game and there was a winner declared, but Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador doesn't allow that for Novice-aged kids anymore, so we had to rename it as the Novice Jamboree."

	Olive Thoms, centre, the mother of Bobby and Jerry Thoms, and R.J. Thoms, the boys' nephew, drop the... »

The CeeBees Peewee A team took top spot at the Bobby and Jerry Thoms invitational tournament, held Jan. 22-24 in Harbour Grace.

Hosted by the CeeBees Minor Hockey Association every year, the tournament is held in memory of two Peewee players who drowned off the coast of Labrador 31 years ago when they were 13 years old.

The young man behind the counter at the Zephyrhills Wal-Mart here in Florida smirked when I asked him about an old VHS tape I was looking for. I was hoping to pick up a few old classic western movies for a friend.

"VHS tapes are archival pieces now, sir," he replied. "Even the DVD will soon be history," he added.

The ascension of Elizabeth Marshall to the august halls of the upper chamber last week further illustrates the fact that crossing sabres with the Emperor at Confederation Building is not all that bad for one's long term political health after all.

All those who have dared to differ with Danny have somehow managed to land on their feet - or in this case more accurately, their bums on the plush seats in Ottawa's red chamber.

For some hunters the past moose-hunting season meant another great moose in their deep freeze, lots of pictures and some great yarns to spin about the adventure in the great outdoors.

But for others it may not have been as much fun. For them it was great exercise, lots of stories to tell, plenty of money spent, but not much more to show for miles and days of trekking through the woods, hunting for something that wasn't there in the first place. Yes we do have a lot of moose on the island of Newfoundland. But can someone tell me how many bull moose are killed on our highways compared with female moose?

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Dear editor,

The high and mighty Town Council of Carbonear is at it again.

This council has no regard for the integrity of or value of the written word. This has been demonstrated by their complete disregard of the agreement signed by the council of the day in 1990.

For those who do not know, at that time the Town of Carbonear signed an agreement with the Princess Sheila Seniors Club that the club had the use of the main floor for as long as they were in existence. There were no provisions that referred to others using the building except that no other part of the building would be used for anything without the club's approval.

	Sgt. Boyd Merrill, Placentia-Whitbourne RCMP File photo

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Placentia-Whitbourne District RCMP say there isn't a spike in the number of drunk drivers in the area, police officers are just getting better at catching them.

"We don't think there are more people drinking and then getting behind the wheel of their car, we're just getting better at catching the ones who do," says Sergeant Boyd Merrill. "Our increased enforcement is proving to be very effective. Our members are vigilant; they're out there making sure the roads and highways are safe and are watching out for impaired drivers all the time and best of all, they're catching them."