GAZETTE
PAGE 5 Quatsino First Nation dedicates expanded wharf and new fuel dock in Coal Harbour.
NORTH ISLAND
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
Publications Mail Agreement No. 391275
46th Year No. 26
EDITORIAL Page 6
THURS., JUNE 28, 2012
LETTERS Page 7
www.northislandgazette.com NORTH ISLAND LIFE Page 12-13
SPORTS Page 15
Newsstand $1.25 + HST CLASSIFIEDS Page 20-23
Thief hits U’mista Centre
Fancy footwork
Kwakiutl dancers perform before a large audience during opening ceremonies for the Aboriginal Day celebration at the Fort Rupert Big House Friday. See more on page 13 and online at northislandgazette. com. J.R. Rardon
J.R. Rardon Gazette editor ALERT BAY—National Aboriginal Day got off to a rocky start at U’mista Cultural Centre last week, when employees opened the doors to find several items of jewelry had been stolen in an overnight break-in . Alert Bay RCMP are seeking information from anybody in the community who may have information on the incident, which occurred overnight late June 20 or early June 21. “We’re looking to review video surveillance and we’ve made inquiries into the community, but right now we don’t have any solid leads,” Alert Bay RCMP Cpl. Mike Carey said Tuesday. The U’mista Cultural
See page 4 ‘RCMP seek info’
Dock worker aids upended kayaker A O’Toole Gazette staff PORT HARDY– A local man reacted quickly to help a struggling kayaker earlier this week. Matthew Kozak, who was working at the PetroCanada fuel dock near the ferry terminal, was locking up the pumps on Wednesday afternoon when he heard a shout. “I looked ‘round and at first I didn’t see anybody,
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but when I went back to the pumps I heard it again,” Kozak explained. “Then I saw a guy on the breakwater waving off to the right. I followed where he was pointing and I saw the guy in the water about a quarter-mile out.” Kozak said there was around a three-foot swell and he could just see a head between the waves. He grabbed his lifejacket and jumped in the dock’s
“I saw a guy on the breakwater ... I followed where he was pointing and saw the guy in the water about a quarter-mile out.” Matthew Kozak
response boat and made for the figure in the water. The kayaker, Steven Fines, had been pitched into the water by the rough
waves and was struggling against the strong current to get back into his kayak, which had taken on water in the spill.
Kozak pulled him into the response boat and the pair were attempting to secure the kayak when the Coast Guard arrived on the scene. The Coast Guard determined Kozak had matters in hand and returned to their station. When Kozak got the pair back to the dock, a waiting ambulance took Fines to the hospital as a precaution after being in the water but he was released after two
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hours with no ill effects. He returned with a gift card to express his gratitude to Kozak. Fines had left for the Masterman Islands earlier in the day with a friend, but a sudden worsening of the weather caused them to cut short their planned route and make for home. Despite
See page 4 ‘Rescuer acts’
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