FRIDAY
< Lacrosser seeks bigger field
OCTOBER 11, 2013
Caine Manion trying out for provincial squad | Page 8
Triumph for Canadian literature > Renowned writer Alice Munro wins Nobel Prize | Page 19
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Vol. 61, Issue 199
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
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Crown seeks eight years for Hopley Jail sentence would be followed by 10 years supervision for the man who abducted Kienan Hebert
SALLY MACDONALD Townsman Staff
Randall Hopley should receive a sentence of eight years’ jail plus a 10-year long-term supervision order as well as dangerous offender status, Crown prosecutor Lynal Doerksen
argued Thursday in the sentencing hearing for the 48-year-old man who abducted Kienan Hebert in September 2011. But defense counsel William Thorne said Hopley is not a dangerous offender and should be sentenced to
two years in prison after consideration for the time he has served in custody awaiting sentencing. It was the final day in Hopley’s sentencing hearing Thursday, October 10 in Cranbrook Supreme Court. Justice Heather Holmes
won’t be handing down a sentence this week: she will make her decision on Friday, November 29 in Cranbrook. Doerksen argued that Hopley has a pattern of behaviour involving young boys, starting when he was
15 and continuing until 2011, when Hopley abducted three-year-old Kienan Hebert from his bed in Sparwood, bringing him back four days later.
See HOPLEY, Page 5
Sentencing delayed for carjacker
Nickolas Bullock’s case put over to give counsel more time to prepare S A L LY M AC D O N A L D Townsman Staff
The man charged over a carjacking near Creston last October will be waiting until later this year to learn his sentence. Nickolas Bullock was back in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on Thursday morning where his sentencing hearing continued. The 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty to robbery, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from a peace officer, and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
See BULLOCK, Page 5
DAN MILLS PHOTO
LLAM-ME DELIVER YOUR PAPER FOR YOU: Daily Townsman publisher Karen Johnston took over one of the most difficult rural routes in our circulation area Wednesday, Oct. 9, giving a hard-working carrier a break for the day and meeting some new friends in the process. All Black Press publishers were challenged to deliver a route this week in recognition of National Newspaper Carrier Week, which celebrates the unsung work of the folks who deliver your papers. They really are the backbone of our industry — or the legs, at least!
Teck Coal has been given the go-ahead for an expansion of the Line Creek mine, located 20 kilometres northeast of Sparwood. The provincial government granted a conditional Environmental Assessment Certificate to Teck for the Phase II project. Chris Stannell, senior communication specialist
for Teck, said Phase II will extend the Line Creek Operations for up to 18 years, as the current coal reserves will be exhausted and operation ceased in 2014. The project will maintain the current production of 3.5 million tonnes of metallurgic coal a year. “It’s the next phase of mining at the Line Creek operation that’s required to maintain the existing pro-
duction and employment levels at the mine,” he said, adding it would aid in sustaining approximately 500 jobs in the region. Environment Minister Mary Polak and Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett issued the conditional certificate for the Elk Valley mine. “We were satisfied that granting a certificate is the best way to protect water
quality and also to keep the mines operating and people working,” Bennett said, noting the recent concerns surrounding selenium in the Elk River due to mining activity. “Selenium will not be cleaned up unless the company is operating successfully.” He noted that in terms of water quality, selenium is an emerging parameter of concern, and it will take some
ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
time for Teck to stabilize and reverse the trends of selenium in the watershed. Bennett said that by implementing the conditions of the certificate, combined with the Ministry of Environment order to develop an Elk Valley water quality plan, Teck will improve the conditions in the watershed over time.
Don’t play around with prop guns in front of a bank. That’s the lesson a couple of high school students have learned after their film shoot quickly became the subject of a full-on police takedown Wednesday morning. After a call came in, Cranbrook RCMP promptly responded to a call about a potential armed robbery at a downtown Cranbrook bank. It turned out to be group of Mount Baker Secondary students wielding a realistic prop handgun, but the seven officers who responded had to assume it was not a drill.
See LINE CREEK , Page 5
See POLICE , Page 5
Line Creek expansion granted with conditions ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
Students’ film shoot leads to takedown