Breaking news, video, photo galleries, and more always online at www.wltribune.com
THURSDAY, April 26, 2012
Proudly serving Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin since 1930
Candlelight vigil Friday A candlelight vigil will be held at the Williams Lake Secondary School Friday night to honour the women who were struck by a vehicle while crossing Carson Drive early Sunday morning. The vigil — organized by the Thompson Rivers University student council, BSN nursing program students, and faculty — will be held at 8 p.m. at the WLSS parking lot before proceeding to the Carson Drive memorial site. Candles will be provided. The vigil honours 20-year-old Rayel MacDonald, who died at the scene, and her friend Alysha Mullett, also 20, who sustained lifethreatening injuries but is now in stable condition. Journals for MacDonald and Mullett are available at the TRU library for “thoughts, love, sympathy, hope, and healing for anyone who wishes to share,” says vigil organizers. The women attended TRU’s nursing program together.
Inside the Tribune NEWS Vehicle hits power pole.
A2
SPORTS Locals take home titles.
A12
Weather outlook: Rain then clouds/chance of showers today, high of 14 C. Mix of sun/cloud/ chance of showers today, high of 13 C.
$1.34 inc. HST
Police seek witnesses in collision
woodwork, Teamwork
Monica Lamb-Yorski photo Columneetza secondary woodworking student Chance Thompson and Chilcotin Road elementary school student Chloe LeBlanc work on a birdhouse together Monday. The kindergarten and Grade 1 classes joined Columneetza’s Grade 9/10 woodworking class to create birdhouses to take home.
The Cariboo Chilcotin Traffic Services is seeking the public’s help in identifying a possible witness to the fatal motor vehicle collision on Carson Drive in Williams Lake April 22. The RCMP says the investigation has revealed that an unknown vehicle had travelled through the crash scene seconds before the collision occurred. The police would like to speak with the driver and occupants of that vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Williams Lake RCMP or Crime Stoppers. Rayel MacDonald, 20, and Alysha Mullett, 20, were struck by a truck on Carson Drive in Williams Lake at approximately 2:15 a.m. Sunday. McDonald died at the scene and Mullett was transported to Vancouver General Hospital with life-threatening injuries but is now in stable condition.
Teachers out of grad ceremonies Gaeil Farrar Tribune Staff Writer
COMMUNITY A17 New play hits stage next week.
VOL. 82. No. 33
Last week 73 per cent of teachers in B.C. voted to ratify a new job action plan which includes the withdrawal of participation in extra curricular activities, says Joan Erb, Cariboo-Chilcotin Teachers Association president. “Teachers do not make this decision lightly but we feel there is no other avenue to convince the government that Bill 22 is both
unconstitutional and undemocratic,” Erb says. “Teachers are neither willing to accept the demise of their collective agreement nor their constitutional right to collectively bargain class size and composition. “It is with great regret we withdraw our volunteering but we have nothing else left as leverage.” She says the withdrawal from extra curricular activities starts immediately but she does expect
that some CCTA members will choose to continue with extra curricular activities started. She says teachers are also filling out report cards for the reporting period March 1 to April 15 in keeping with requirements of Bill 22 passed on March 16. “Since Bill 22 passed March 16 there was an expectation that teachers complete a report for April,” Erb says. However, Erb says teachers will neither be participating in the graduation cer-
emonies or volunteering for the Dry Grad activities. Superintendent of Schools Diane Wright says extra-curricular activities where a financial commitment is in place will continue, for example field trips or theatrical productions. “I am working with secondary principals on details, but graduation ceremonies will go ahead with some modifications,” Wright says. “Dry grad goes ahead with parental organization.”
Highway construction continues after delays Monica Lamb-Yorski Tribune Staff Writer Work on the 148 Mile to Likely Road project will continue this construction season with completion in the fall of 2012, says the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The highway project commenced in May 2010, but fell behind schedule, requiring a shutdown for the
winter. “The ministry continues to closely monitor the contractor’s performance against the schedule,” a ministry spokesperson told the Tribune, adding the contractor has been issued financial penalties for not meeting the September 2011 contract completion date. However, quality will not be compromised, the ministry insists. The highway project is the last of
18 projects to be completed under Phase 1 of the Cariboo Connector expansion and is not part of the recently announced funding of $200 million over five years for Phase 2 of the Cariboo Connector, which will add another 30 kilometres of four laning to the corridor. LIberal MLA Donna Barnett says the project’s delay is one of those things that happens from time to time.
“I do know that I want to personally thank the ministry and the public for their patience. People have been great. I drive up and down that highway all the time and people are cautious and obeying the speed limit and taking extra care,” Barnett says. “There’s no excuse for this, other than the contractor did not fulfill his contract. Everyone is concerned and upset, but it will be completed.”