Inside
u Cullen visits P. 3 u Wanted P. 10
u Power outage P. 10 u Search and Rescue P. 5
Publications Mail Contract #: 40007759
WEDNESDAY, March 20, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS Watch your speed
PHONE: 996-8482 www.caledoniacourier.com
VOL. 36 NO. 03 $1.34 inc. GST
Slush Cup weekend
On March 12, 2013, an RCMP officer from the Fort St. James detachment was conducting speed enforcement on the Tachie highway, west of the community of Binche. A pickup truck was measured by radar to be traveling in excess of 150 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. The male driver was issued a $483 violation ticket for excessive speed and the pickup truck was towed. Fort St. James RCMP encourage the public to be mindful of posted speed limits to ensure their own safety and the safety of others.
Arts festival The Nechako Valley Festival of the Performing Arts is coming once again to Vanderhoof. Performers from the entire area will put on their best shows for the competition, with the best ones getting the chance to go on to perform at the provincial level.
One of the Rail Jam competitors slides the first rail on Saturday, March 9. The Rail Jam was the Saturday event, for more info and photos of the Sunday events, see Page 12 or the Caledonia Courier Facebook page. Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier
A vision for the community Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier
priorities and objectives council had so far set out for the community in their own visioning Nearly 50 people came sessions. out to participate in the Six breakout groups were community visioning seaformed each of which looked son at Music Maker’s Hall at one of the following topics: on March 12. Health/social factors; infrastrucThe event, organized ture; economic development; by the District of Fort St. environment; culture; and educJames, allowed participants tion. to bring forward ideas for The groups answered three priorities and actions for the questions on their topic: The future of the community. strengths of the community in reThe event included gards to the topic; the top needs Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP of the community in regards to Nathan Cullen, who is tourthe topic; and the top priority acing the northwest to discuss tions or projects of the commu“the future economy of our nity in regards to the topic. region” in different comEach group came up with an munities, so he joined in on Emily Colombo, economic development officer for Fort St. James, facilitates the com- extensive list of suggestions and the community visioning munity visioning. ideas and Economic DevelopCaledonia Courier ment Officer Emily Colombo session to support what the sanne Skidmore-Hewlett, NDP candidate for the will now be compiling all of the information and community was already doing. Cullen said he took home a real feeling of Nechako Lakes. presenting it to mayor and council for further disMayor Rob MacDougall and Councillors Ri- cussion. “love of place and optimism” from the session, and wanting a “fair shake when it comes to re- ley Willick, Joan Burdeniuk and Dave Birdi were “As a newcomer to Fort St. James it was nice also present, as well as Anne Marie Sam, the lo- to see a community that’s trying to improve,” source development.” There was also a representative from Nechako cal school district representative. said Dustin Neufeld, a resident who participated The evening event invited public input on the in the event. Lakes MLA John Rustad’s office, as well as Sus-