18 ­ The Prince George Citizen ­ Friday, January 23, 2009 Crawling terror! Hordes of voracious caterpillars are destroying crops and prompting terrified villagers to flee their homes in northern Liberia in what is described as the West African country's worst plague in 30 years. 00493562 U.S. approves first stem cell treatment study The Canadian Press NEW YORK -- A U.S. biotech company says it plans to start this summer the world's first study of a treatment based on human embryonic stem cells -- a long-awaited project aimed at spinal cord injury. The company gained federal permission this week to inject eight to 10 patients with cells derived from embryonic cells, said Dr. Thomas Okarma, president and CEO of Geron Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif. The patients will be paraplegics, who can use their arms but can't walk. They will receive a single injection within two weeks of their injury. The study is aimed at testing the safety of the procedure, but doctors will also look for signs of improvement like return of sensation or movement in the legs, Okarma said. Whatever its outcome, the study will mark a new chapter in the contentious history of embryonic stem cell research in the United States -- a field where debate spilled out of the laboratory long ago and into national politics. While some overseas doctors claim to use human embryonic stem cells in their clinics, stem cell experts said they knew of no previous human studies that use such cells. In fact, the company says, the project involves "It's a milestone and it's a breakthrough for the field" because Geron passed the safety hurdles for stem cells that were eligible for federal funding ungetting federal clearance to launch the study, said der former president George W. Bush, although no Ed Baetge, chief scientific officer of Novocell Inc. federal money was used to develop the experimenHis company hopes to begin a similar human study tal treatment or to pay for the human study. for treating diabetes in a few years. Other human cells, called adult stem cells, have been tested before in people In addition, said spinal cord injury reto treat heart problems, for example. searcher Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers UniIn the Geron study, the injections will versity, "a lot of hope of the spinal cord be made in the spine at the site of daminjury community is riding on this trial." Embryonic stem cells can develop into age. The work will be done in four to any cell of the body, and scientists have seven medical centres around the counlong hoped to harness them for creating try, Okarma said. Animal studies suggest that once inreplacement tissues to treat a variety of jected, the cells will mature and repair diseases. But research has been controwhat is essentially a lack of insulation versial because embryos must be destroyed to obtain them. -- Ed Baetge, around damaged nerves, and also pump President Barack Obama has promised chief scientific out substances that nerves need to functo relax the previous administration's reofficer tion and grow. strictions on federal financing for such Apart from assessing safety, investigaresearch. But Obama's ascent to the White House tors will hope to see some signs of improvement in had nothing to do with the U.S. Food and Drug Ad- the patient, Okarma said. The idea is "not to make ministration's granting permission for the new somebody ... get up and dance the next day," he study, Okarma said in a telephone interview Thurs- said, but rather to provide some level of ability that day. can be improved by physical therapy. available at 499435 January Clearance! Many items in the store STORE HOURS 50 off % "It's a milestone and it's a breakthrough for the field." Monday to Saturday 9:30 am to 5:30 pm 1275-4th avenue Phone (250) 563-3438 January 23, 2009 YOUR CITY MATTERS COUNCIL MEETINGS The next regular meetings of Council will be held at 7:00 pm on Mondays, February 2 and 16, 2009 in the Council Chambers of City Hall. A Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled to be held on January 26, 2009. Monday meetings are broadcast live on Shaw Cable 10 and retelevised on Sundays at 9:00 am. Council meeting calendars may be obtained from the City's website or through the Service Centre. Agendas are only available on line at www.city.pg.bc.ca City Manager's Office, 561-7602 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held at the Regular Meeting of Council in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, B.C. on Monday, February 2, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., with regard to an application to transfer Liquor Primary License No. 062837 (License Name: Astoria Inn) 1145 2nd Avenue to 611 Brunswick Street, and to change the hours of liquor service. City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, B.C, 561-7611. WALTER BABICZ CORPORATE OFFICER CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE AND CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE ZONING BYLAW NO. 7850, 2007 AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 8077, 2009 That Lot 57, District Lot 1427, Cariboo District, Plan 16288 be rezoned from P2: Minor Institutional to Z15: Highland Community Centre, to create a site specific zone for a Community Centre and to rezone the subject property for that specific use, or other uses, pursuant to the Z15: Highland Community Centre, zoning designation. CP photo A U.S. soldier keeps watch from a guard tower overlooking Camp Delta detention center on Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba. Sorry, we're closed Obama signs order to close Guantanamo Bay ASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama began overhauling U.S. treatment of terror suspects Thursday, signing orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, shut down secret overseas CIA prisons, review military war crimes trials and ban the harshest interrogation methods. With his action, Obama started changing how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans -- and overhauling America's image abroad, battered by accusations of the use of torture and the indefinite detention of suspects at the Guantanamo prison in Cuba. "The message that we are sending the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism and we are going to do so vigilantly and we are going to do so effectively and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," the president said. The centrepiece order would close the much-maligned Guantanamo facility within a year, a complicated process with many unanswered questions that was nonetheless a key campaign promise of Obama's. Among those held at the camp is 22-year-old Canadian Omar Khadr. The administration already has suspended several Guantanamo trials, including Khadr's, for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told RadioCanada the U.S. decision to close Guantnamo was "welcome news." But he reiterated the government line that Khadr has been accused of a serious crime and his case must go through the judicial process. In the other actions, Obama: Created a task force to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group would look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing. Required all U.S. personnel to follow the U.S. Army Field Manual while interrogating detainees. The manual explicitly prohibits threats, coercion, physical abuse and waterboarding, a technique that creates the sensation of drowning and has been termed a form of torture by critics. However, a Capitol Hill aide says that the administration also is planning a study of more aggressive interrogation methods that could be added to the Army manual -- which would create a significant loophole to Obama's action Thursday. "We believe that the Army Field Manual reflects the best judgment of our military, that we can abide by a rule that says we don't torture, but that we can still effectively obtain the intelligence that we need," Obama said. He said his action reflects an understanding that "we are willing to observe core standards of conduct, not just when it's easy, but also when it's hard." A task force will study whether other interrogation guidelines -- beyond what's spelled out in the army manual -- are necessary for intelligence professionals in dealing with terror suspects. But an Obama administration official said that provision should not be considered a loophole that will allow controversial "enhanced interrogation techniques" to be reintroduced. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the City of Prince George intends to proceed with the final passage and adoption of "1092 Eastern Street Road Closure Bylaw No. 8163, 2008", at a Regular Council Meeting, scheduled to be held in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, B.C. on Monday, February 2, 2009. 1092 Eastern Street Road Closure Bylaw No. 8163, 2008 Bylaw No. 8163 authorizes the City of Prince George to close a .941 ha portion of unconstructed highway dedicated by Plan PGP36014 and situated adjacent to That Part of Parcel 1, District Lots 745 and 747, Cariboo District, Plan 34384 as shown on Plan PGP35183 Except Plans PGP36014, PGP36015 and BCP10773 and Parcel 1, District Lots 745 and 747, Cariboo District, Plan 34384, Except Plans PGP35183, PGP36014, PGP36015, PGP36075, PGP36481, PGP42972, PGP44172, PGP45387, BCP38207, and BCP38932. The unconstructed highway would be intended to be sold to the adjacent landowner, BCR Properties Ltd., to accommodate a subsequent sale of their property. The sale price will be a proportionate share of approximately 18.4% of the consolidated property's selling price once it has been disposed of by BCR Properties Ltd. All interested parties may inspect a copy of the proposed Bylaw and its Appendices "A", and "B" on January 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, and February 2, 2009, at the office of the Corporate Officer, 5th Floor, City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, B.C., Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., statutory holidays excepted. Written objections or petitions, if any, should be delivered to the Corporate Officer no later than 12:00 noon on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. For further information, please contact City of Prince George, Real Estate Services, at 250 561-7678. This is the second of two advertisements respecting this matter. Dated this the 23rd day of January, 2009. WALTER BABICZ CORPORATE OFFICER CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE The permit would allow a transfer of Liquor Primary License Application No. 062837 from Joe's Place (1145 2nd Ave) to Shooters Pub and Grill (611 Brunswick Street). Additionally, the application would change the hours of liquor service from 9:00 am to 3:00 am Monday to Sunday to APPLICANT: School District No. 57 11:00 am to 3:00 am Monday to Sunday. Applicant: L & M Engineering Ltd. for LOCATION: 155 McDermid Dr. Cher Ben Holdings Ltd. and 676746 BC Ltd. Civic Address: 611 Brunswick Street Legal Description: Lots 19 & 20, Blk. 43, District Lot 343, Cariboo District, Plan 1268; and Lots 9 & 10, Blk. 173, District Lot 343, Cariboo District, Plan 1268; and Parcel A of Lot 8, Blk. 173, District Lot 343, Cariboo District Plan 1268 At the Hearing, City Council will hear the applicant and persons considering themselves to be affected by the proposed application, prior to considering a resolution to be submitted to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch for its further consideration. A copy of the application for a Local Government Resolution and related documents may be inspected at the office of the undersigned on January 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 and February 2, 2009, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Written submissions delivered to the Corporate Officer by noon on Tuesday, 27, 2009, will be included in the Council Agenda so that Council may consider them before the meeting. Those received thereafter will be forwarded to Council on the day of the Hearing. W A copy of the proposed bylaw and related documents may be inspected at the office of the undersigned on January 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, and February 2, 2009, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. At the Hearing, all persons who deem their interest in property to be affected by the proposed bylaw shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard on matters pertinent to the bylaw. Written submissions delivered For further information on the to the Corporate Officer by noon on Application, please contact City of Prince Tuesday, January 27, 2009, will be included George Development Services, 2nd Floor, in the council agenda package. Those received thereafter will be forwarded to Council on the day of the Hearing. 2009 DOG LICENSES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to the provisions of Section 26(3) of the Community Charter, that the City of Prince George intends to sell the municipally owned property at 1488-20th Avenue, Prince George, BC, legally described as PID 027-271-412 Lot A DL 343 Cariboo District Plan BCP33260. This property is to be sold to the Northern Health Authority at a purchase price of $1,496,000.00. IAN WELLS REAL ESTATE SERVICES January 15, 2009 City of Prince George dog tags are on sale now at City Hall, SPCA, Petcetera, Total Pet, Dog Gone Bakery Pawsitively Gifted and Ospika Pet & Farm Supplies. For Dog Licenses from December 1, 2008 to January 31, 2009, the price is $20.00 for spayed/neutered dogs and $50.00 for non spayed/non neutered dogs. Effective February 1 2009, the price increases to $25.00/$60.00. Dangerous Dog price is $100.00/$250.00. For further information, please contact the City of Prince George Current Planning and Development Division, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, B.C., 561-7611. WALTER BABICZ CORPORATE OFFICER CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE BLOCK TALK FREE · Learn how you can create a safer neighbourhood through Block Watch. · Learn how to make your home more safe and secure. · Meet your Community Policing representatives. · Book a free home security evaluation. Free Draw & Goodie Bags Tues. Jan. 27th, 7:00 - 8:30 pm; South Fort George Family Resource Centre; 1200 LaSalle Ave. Brought to you by Prince George Community Policing JOB POSTINGS Assistant License Inspector Competition #09/09 Closing Date: January 30, 2009 Freedom of Information Clerk Competition #09/08 Closing Date: Jan. 30, 2009 Visit our website at: www.city.pg.bc.ca Fax 561-7719 or Email: servicecentre@city.pg.bc.ca wisenheimer \WHY-zun-hye-mer\ DEFINITION: smart aleck "Everybody's a comedian," quipped Lisa when some wisenheimer interrupted her speech with a clever comment. Locally Sponsored by PG Native Friendship Centre (noun) Downtown Prince George 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 Tel. (250) 561-7600 · Fax (250) 612-5605 www.city.pg.bc.ca · ServiceCentre@city.pg.bc.ca 00602171 00651904