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WEDNESDAY, January 23, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS Double homicide The deaths of two people in Vanderhoof are now being treated as a double homicide according to North District Major Crimes Unit. The two victims, Blaine Albert Barfoot, 29 and Tara Lee Ann Williams, 40 were found dead inside a home on Silvermill Road in Vanderhoof on Sunday, Jan. 13. The couple was known to live a high-risk lifestyle according to RCMP and the Vanderhoof RCMP have attended the home before for other reasons, said Constable Lesley Smith, media relations officer for the North District RCMP. The North District Major Crime Unit secured the home as a crime scene on Sunday and subsequently launched a criminal investigation, said Smith. Due to the ongoing investigation, the RCMP have not indicated the cause of the deaths, or when Barfoot and Williams died. As part of the investigation, the police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying anyone who may have a recent injury to their arms or hands stated Cst. Lesley Smith, North District Media Relations Officer. RCMP believe the injury may have occurred during this incident and are asking anyone with information to please call the RCMP. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Vanderhoof RCMP at 567-2222 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Bus cuts
The BC Passenger Transportation Board (BCPTB) has approved route reductions for Greyhound bus service to Fort St. James. The reductions will go into effect after a 14-day public notification period once the company posts the new schedule on their website - currently estimated to come into effect in three to four weeks. The changes will see the number of trips for Fort St. James to and from Prince George reduced substantially from six per week to one per week. The tentative schedule so far is for a 9 a.m. departure to Prince George on Friday with a return to Fort St. James departing at 4 p.m., according to Grant Odsen, regional manSpeed skating coach Keith Gordon has also been recognized for his outstanding work in the community with a ager for passenger service for Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In a brief presentation on Thursday, Jan. 17 at the oval, Gordon was pre- Greyhound in B.C.. sented with a certificate by Alison Leach in honour of the recognition. “There’s so much that I could try and say about While there will still be Keith - the years of dedication,” said Leach. “I think you’re a wonderful coach.” “We couldn’t do what we do unless we more frequent trips between have a good club structure,” said Gordon, recognizing the Falcons Speed Skating Club itself. Gordon was the only Vanderhoof and Prince speed skating coach in Canada to receive the medal, and one of only 49 coaches to get it. He will be presented with George, this route will also see the medal itself in a separate ceremony in Fort St. John still to be arranged. L-R: L-R: Matthew Ebert, Aison Desma- reductions along Highway 16, rais, Keith Gordon, Sean Houghton, Aiden Duncan, Emily Sulyma, Nyah Duncan, Austin McKersie. going from a minimum of 22 Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier trips per week to 14, which will still provide one daily trip in both directions between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Odsen said this could provide an opportunity for small business start-ups in Fort St. James or Vanderhoof to connect to the more frequent service out of Vanderhoof. “It might be a good business opportunity for somebody in the community,” said Odsen. He said this type of start-up has happened in parts of Alberta where route reductions took place over a year ago. “There’s been a number of small local carriers who’ve stepped up to fill the void,” said Odsen. He also said the freight service will be maintained, Tom Fletcher Prince George. industry to meet those standards, and at least once an agent is found to operate an outlet, and Black Press Investigators ruled out natural gas, then asking industry to bring forward until then it will continue to go through Vanderhoof. oil and other fuel sources, leaving fine, an implementation plan for each of Greyhound, in their application to the board, cited higher costs for fuel and maintenance, reduced ridership, The B.C. Safety Authority has dry dust produced from milling wood. their facilities by mid-June.” made a series of recommendations WorksafeBC concluded that the likely Babine Forest Products issued a inflexible regulations for market adjustment and unreguaimed at preventing another mill dust ignition source was hot electric motor statement Tuesday, saying it supports lated competition from the Northern Health Authority as explosion like the ones that killed four and gear reducer equipment running the direction of the recommendations. reasons for their need to reduce service. Greyhound has been approved to reduce 15 routes workers in two separate incidents last wood waste conveyors in low, con“Consistent with the BCSA recwinter. fined areas of the mills. ommendations, the new Babine saw- in total across the province well as to eliminate the route The changes are intended to cover Nechako Lakes MLA John Rus- mill will contain state-of-the-art equip- between Victoria and Mt. Washington. The company expects the reductions to reduce their pellet plants and other wood process- tad said the BCSA team has worked ment and systems to collect wood dust ing facilities as well as sawmills. Re- with the industry and employees to at the machine source,” the statement costs by approximately $6.75 million. The Board said it considered more than 200 subsearchers compared the explosion develop new rules, some of which use said. “It will have equipment, buildhazard of different kinds of dust, find- techniques developed in underground ing and floor plans designed to facili- missions of comment on the route reductions from the ing wood “flour” can be a more pow- coal mining. The recommendations tate clean-up and reduce areas where comment period, even accepting some late submissions. While concerns were raised over the reduction of servicerful explosive than coal dust when call for changes to the layout of mills wood dust can accumulate.” it is dry and exposed to an ignition so hot equipment is easier to keep Company officials declined fur- es along Highway 16 and 27 as increasing safety risks source. clean and is separated from sources ther comment, as Crown prosecutors associated with hitchhiking, Greyhound’s response to Two workers died and 20 others of dust. continue their review to see if the in- this concern included the statement “(Greyhound) can were injured when an explosion and “I think this will be very positive cidents warrant charges against the no longer be all things to all people. It is an inter-city fire tore through the Babine Forest for the workers, who I know have been companies or individuals under the bus company, not an inter-community transit service Products sawmill in Burns Lake on very worried about what happened, Workers Compensation Act. Neg- and it is simply impossible for (Greyhound) to design an Jan. 20, 2012. On April 23, a similar both at Babine and at Lakeland,” Rus- ligence and other criminal charges inter-city bus network that will provide the connectivexplosion killed two workers and in- tad said. “The authority is looking to were ruled out after an earlier police ity, schedule frequency and times desired by each of its prospective bus riders.” jured 22 more at Lakeland Mills in do a 60-day consultation period with investigation.
New safety rules set for B.C. sawmills