THURSDAY, march 1, 2018 Vol. 74, No. 9
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
$1.50 inc. gst.
alaskahighwaynews.ca
“The Only Newspaper in the World That Gives a Tinker’s Dam About the North Peace.”
northern legendary awarded
poignant monologues impress
CRYSTAL CUP tourney wrap up
business A9
news a12
SPORTS B1
style down the aisle
NAPP to complete Condill demolition matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
When You Are Out in the Field, Time IS Money.
Fort St. John city councillors voted Monday to continue demolition of the Condill Hotel with its current contractor NAPP Enterprises, but stopped short of approving a budget increase for the work pending further negotiations with the company. NAPP is expected to resume the demolition immediately, the city says, after it halted work in January when council ordered a legal review of its procurement practices and a pair of hazardous materials assessments completed as part of the tendering process. Demolition of the 75-year-old hotel has been repeatedly delayed after NAPP said it encountered up to three times more asbestos containing materials than it expected to clean up when it bid on the work. That has led to work stoppages, and two more assessments having been completed to understand the full extent of contamination that needs to be removed before the building is torn down.
QUALITY PARTS, EXPERT SERVICE! HoursMon-Fri: 8am - 5pm Sat: 8am - Noon
9224 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC (250) 785-0463
After Hours - Leave Message eve petford Photo
Ite Omotoye turns heads during a fashion show at the Black History Month Gala at the Stonebridge Hotel on Feb. 24, 2018. The evening featured fashion, cuisine, dancing, a healthy dose of funk music to showcase African and Caribbean culture. For more, turn to A13
CONTACT US
phone 250-785-5631 fax 250-785-3522 email circulation@ahnfsj.ca online alaskahighwaynews.ca facebook AlaskaHighwayNews twitter @AHNnewspaper
Students off to home build in Mexico
See CONDILL on A3
Leon Wokeley to be arraigned on murder charge in April
matt preprost
matt preprost
editor@ahnfsj.ca
editor@ahnfsj.ca
A group of high school students from the North Peace are off to Mexico this weekend to build a new home for a needy family in Baja California. Liam Mavin, Ben Jackson, Taylor Rowe, and Josh Stones depart Saturday with instructor Richard Koop and parent chaperone Lance Hoskyn on the weekmatt prperost Photo long trip with a purpose that Liam Mavin, Ben Jackson, Taylor Rowe, Richard Koop, and Josh Stones. is two-fold: to provide humanitarian aid to a family in rundown toolshed,” Koop “Hopefully I can improve deep poverty, and give them said. my carpentry skills and a chance to experience anThe students will build help people while I’m doing other culture. a new, two bedroom home that,” he said. “They all have really on a concrete slab. The Koop said projects such good attitudes,” Koop said. building materials, estim- as this can bring out the “They’re mature, respons- ated at $5,000, have been best and worst in a team, ible, and showing some skill sponsored by several Fort but that his students each in carpentry as well.” St. John businesses, Koop have different strengths that The group will fly first to said. will play well off each other. San Diego, and then drive The students hope to “The biggest thing is work down the Baja Peninsula to build their carpentry skills toward a common goal,” the area of Vicente Guer- as they build the new house Koop said. rero, four hours south of the over four days. “It’s work toward the betU.S. border. “I don’t think I’ll get to terment of other people. The family that they’ll do this ever again, to go There’s a satisfaction of be helping currently live a down and build a house achieving something worthshack made of pallets and with these guys won’t ever while together that draws plastic, and held together by happen again,” said student people together for a comstraps, Koop said. The home Taylor Rowe. mon purpose. has a dirt floor, and has no It’ll be Liam Mavin’s third “They’ll have some great running water or plumbing. time travelling to Mexico to stories to tell when they get “We would call it a really help build a home. back,” he said.
The man accused of killing a Blueberry River First Nations woman and burning her body in 2014 has an arraignment hearing scheduled for April 4. Leon Wokeley, 42, is with charged with murder, arson, and indignity to human remains in connection with Pamela Napoleon’s death. Wokeley appeared in court Feb. 21 to schedule the arraignment hearing at which an accused pleads guilty or not guilty. Wokeley’s lawyer, Georges Rivard, said he is expecting an additional round of disclosure from the Crown, materials the defence uses to review the case with their client. Rivard said no decision on a plea can be made until he has all of the disclosure to review. A plea can be entered at the arraignment or more information can be requested from the Crown. “Before we can see what’s in the material, it’s very tough to say,” Rivard said. Wokeley was arrested in Fort St. John Oct. 27, 2017, after a three-year investigation into Napoleon’s death. Police say Wokeley and Napoleon knew each other, and were last seen leaving Blueberry River First Nation together on July 8, 2014. Napoleon’s remains were found in a burned down cabin near the community a month a later. Napoleon was 42. Wokeley has not entered a plea, or been found guilty of the charges. The result of the arraignment will determine whether the case will go to trial.
PAVING % 100 Canadian Owned
Residential • Commercial • Industrial Roads • Driveways • Parking Lots
FREE ESTIMATES
250.719.0686
COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL GRAVEL SALES AND DELIVERY Serving Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St. John & Surrounding Areas
33490