Merritt Herald, June 07, 2012

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THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS

Merritt RCMP arrest alleged drug traffickers By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD

reporter@merrittherald.com

The Canadian Country Music Association signed an official agreement with the Merritt Walk of Stars and the National Music Centre on Saturday at the Hall of Fame on Quilchena Avenue recognizing Merritt as the home of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Inductees Michelle Wright and Russell deCarle witnessed the signatures (back row). Front left to right: WOS director Chris Langhaug, CCMA executive director Don Green and WOS president Ron Sanders. Jade Swartzberg/Herald

CCMA commits to Merritt Hall of Fame By Jade Swartzberg THE HERALD

newsroom@merrittherald.com

The Canadian Country Music Association is 100 per cent committed to Merritt’s Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, said CCMA Executive Director Don Green in Merritt on Saturday. Green was on hand at the Hall of Fame to sign a document solidifying Merritt’s three-way agreement several years in the making with the CCMA and the National Music Centre in Calgary. Hall of Fame inductees Michelle Wright and Russel deCarle were also present to witness the signatures. “This has been a long-term project, but it’s been worth the extra couple of years,” said Merritt Walk of Stars president Ron Sanders. Last year, the Walk of Stars announced the three-way agree-

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ment that would see Merritt house the Hall of Fame inductee plaques. Prior to that, the Hall of Fame project was delayed when the groups encountered trademark issues, even though Merritt acquired the plaques in 2008. The new agreement merges two programs — the Hall of Fame program and collection of memorabilia, and the Hall of Honour inductee program — and establishes Merritt as the home of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, while the National Music Centre in Calgary will house the Gary Buck memorabilia. Throughout the year, a rotating collection of the memorabilia will be available for viewing in Merritt. “We want this to be an active place, not just a museum,” said Sanders on Saturday, explaining that he would like to see rotating

educational and interactive exhibits as well. The Merritt Walk of Stars Society will dissolve this year and leave its legacies to the Canadian Country Music Heritage Society, which will oversee the Hall of Fame. Sanders will continue as president of the new society. “The path to today’s signing has been long, but we all have the same vision now,” said Green, explaining the CCMA’s mandate to promote Canadian country artists, which the Hall of Fame falls under. Wright, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, said she appreciates knowing there are people who have as much passion for music as she and other entertainers. “I can remember when I first walked into the Hall of Fame back when it was in Calgary,” she said. “Thank you so much. It’s really

touching to see this.” The agreement signed on Saturday is a 25-year contract. Sanders said the Canadian Country Music Heritage Society has received limited federal funding that will allow the group to hire a summer student to staff the Hall of Fame along with volunteers over the summer. The Heritage Society’s longterm plans include a new building to house the Hall of Fame that has a performance venue, said Sanders, describing the current hall as Phase One of the project. “It won’t be for a while, but that has always been the vision,” he said. Later Saturday evening, Wright, deCarle, Wendell Ferguson and up-and-coming country artist Livy Jeanne performed at the Gala, held

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After a slew of complaints from residents about drug dealing on Merritt’s downtown streets, the local RCMP responded last Wednesday and Friday by arresting two people for allegedly trafficking. Awet Abraha, 24, was arrested for allegedly trafficking crack cocaine, and an unnamed 51-yearold female for trafficking marijuana. Police suspect the Vancouver man has lived in Merritt since last fall, but after appearing before a Justice of the Peace he was sent back to his Vancouver address and isn’t allowed back in Merritt, pending his court ruling, Merritt RCMP Const. Tracy Dunsmore said. “We are only allowed to not allow suspected criminals in Merritt occasionally, but because his address is in Vancouver and he has no other reason to be in Merritt other than to sell drugs...” she said. Some of the drugs were seized from a buyer and the rest were on Abraha. “They tried to get rid of the drugs, so how much was [exchanged] before seizing it, we’re not sure,” she added. Merritt’s major crimes section handled the case. The female, whose name isn’t being released prior to appearing in court, was allegedly caught trafficking the marijuana near the Adelphi Hotel on Quilchena Avenue. She is known to police. Abraha is scheduled to appear at the Merritt Court House on July 17 and the female is slotted for Aug. 8. The police are asking anyone with information about drug dealings or grow-ops to call the RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS).

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