Up front: Crowd of 200 says stay away from Somenos Marsh Valley: Tour de Rock charity caravan rolls into Cowichan
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Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Family remembers its lost Cowboy
Cowichan man: killed in Coquihalla rollover Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
D Andrew Leong
Khenipsen Road resident Roma Croy points out a 100-plus year old garry oak tree that was unearthed from its roots and resting over the bank above Cowichan Bay behind her house. It fell during Sunday’s wind and rain that cut power to about 5,583 homes between 7 and 9 p.m.
Chemainus labelled one of B.C. tackiest towns
Huffington Post: Community leaders bemused and bewildered by label town shares with Coombs, Langford
Ashley Degraaf
News Leader Pictorial
P
rominent Chemainiacs are having a chuckle at a recent article naming Mural Town as one of B.C.’s Tackiest Towns. But they’re also slightly offended. “What can I say, I think it’s hilarious,” said Chemainus mural visionary Karl Schutz of the article that appeared on Huffington Post’s website Sept. 26. “The fact they mentioned Coombs and Victoria in the same category is a huge compliment. But to call historic paintings tacky is beyond my comprehension.” That’s exactly how North Cowichan mayor and Chemainus resident Jon Lefebure felt.
“Personally, I think it’s rather a strange conclusion. I’m not sure what would make them think that,” he said. “It’s beautiful out here, so it’s not surprising that tourism forms such a big part of the province’s economy,” writes Huffington’s Emma Prestwich. “According to stats from the Tourism Industry Association of B.C., tourism revenue jumped almost 50 % from 1999 to 2009. “But sometimes towns go a little bit too far to bait tourists. While we have a stubborn love for the Coombs Country Market, the Platzl in Kimberley, and the murals in Chemainus, sometimes the endless gift shops, pioneer villages and tour guides in period costume get a bit wearying.” more on page 6
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Andrew Leong
Is this Chemainus street scene tacky? The Huffington Post apparently thinks so.
ustin Descoteau had finally found his dream life as a cowboy, after moving to Kamloops for work. The talented welder, guitarist, outdoorsman and father of four — with a Métis heritage — was born and raised in the DuncanChemainus area, graduated from Cowichan secondary, and recently bonded with the Kamloops First Nation. But hard-working Descoteau’s young life was cut short during Wednesday’s rollover crash along the Coquihalla Highway near Kamloops. He was just 29. His father, Paul, was shaken about the sudden death of his popular, eldest son whom he got working with ironworkers at age 16 in High Level, Alberta. Even back then, his boy quickly became the well-liked Dustin Descoteau: boss of guys 25 years older. father of four “Dustin excelled at anything he did,” said Paul, a crane operator. “Everyone loved him; he attracted everyone. He was a terrible banker though, but we finally got him on track.” Paula Phillips described how her older brother as “always the life of the party, and never held a grudge.” Descoteau worked in Dodd’s Lumber yard at age 14, and later founded Descoteau Fabricating in Duncan. He’d also worked for local West Coast Prefabricating, and Imperial Welding. Paula echoed Paul’s relief their tight family had a last dinner with Descoteau on Tuesday night before he headed on his fateful drive back to work at a camp near Castlegar. “I was able to say ‘Goodbye’ to him Wednesday, the day it happened,” he said. B.C. Coroners Service identified Descoteau as the only occupant of a northbound 2002 Ford F-250 flat-deck pickup truck that drifted to the Coquihalla Highway’s left shoulder. It skidded across two lanes, jumped a concrete barrier, left the highway, and rolled several times down a steep embankment about four kilometres south of the Inks Lake exit at 11 p.m. RCMP said Descoteau was not wearing a seatbelt when ejected from the truck. He was reported deceased at the scene. But it was good times and tributes Paul and Paula preferred to remember. more on page 6
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