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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
Kersey takes home top prize at talent finals By Jade Swartzberg THE HERALD
newsroom@merrittherald.com
GROWING UP TO BE COWBOYS Gavin (4) and Carson (5) Mouland take in some action at Sunday’s Pro Rodeo. See page 19 for more rodeo coverage. Ian Webster/Herald
Seib’s court appearance delayed again By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD
reporter@merrittherald.com
Merritt’s former top cop Stuart Seib’s first court appearance was pushed back for the fourth time Tuesday because his special prosecutor is attending a six-week trial, court heard. The decision means the earliest Seib will appear in court is on Nov. 7, his next scheduled appearance. Seib was charged in January
with stealing and using cocaine from a police evidence locker. He is also charged with breach of trust, dating back to June 2010. Defense lawyer Cliff Thorstenson, acting as agent for Port Coquitlam-based attorney Neville McDougal, said special prosecutor Sheryl Wagner is tied up this month and next, and isn’t able to make time for the arraignment hearing. “There are ongoing discussions
between council in this matter,” Thorstenson said. At the hearing, the charges will be read and Seib could make a plea. July 4, the last time Seib was to appear, court was told he is undergoing drug treatment at a clinic. At the time, defense lawyer Shawn Buckley, who was acting as agent for McDougal, said negotiations were underway to resolve the case without a trial.
“Mr. McDougall is waiting for Crown to make a decision on that,” Buckley said at the time. Seib has officially resigned from the RCMP and won’t face internal discipline. He took over the Merritt detachment in November 2011 after serving seven years in Clearwater, for a total of 18 years with the RCMP. The first appearance was supposed to be on Feb. 21 this year.
After six local shows, nearly 20 contestants and 286 votes cast at the finals on Friday, organizers named Shaylene Kersey as the winner of the Clash of the Talents and Mayor Susan Roline handed her $1,700 cash. Kersey, who consistently wowed the audience with her vocals (sometimes accompanied by her guitar), beat local country group Six More Strings by only one vote while musical siblings Cameron and Evan Snee placed third. The runners up won $850, and $450 in cash respectively. The City of Merritt-sponsored talent contest — a first time for the community — aimed to showcase local talent and featured nearly 20 local contestants who sang, played the guitar or whistled. Organized by locals Anthony and Christine Abraria, Clash of the Talents was split into three rounds prior to the finals with contestants advancing based on votes by those in attendance. Nearly 330 people attended the final show at the Merritt Civic Centre, an increase from the 220 who attended the semi-finals and the 130 who attended the first round in Spirit Square in July. “Basically, our intention was to entertain people in town and to see contestants grow in terms of self confidence,” said Anthony. “The biggest indicator of success was the impact [the contest] had on the contestants and people in town. People were going out of their way to validate what we were doing.” The Abrarias say they have received a lot of feedback from the public and are considering suggestions as they
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