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Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • T U E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 3
Pileup snarls highway traffic
Emergency crews work to assist drivers and clear vehicles following a multi-vehicle pileup on the Trans Canada highway Friday morning. GREG KNILL/ PROGRESS
Trustee hopefuls angered by cancellation Katie Bartel The Progress School trustee candidates Harold Schmidt and Rob Stelmaschuk were noticeably absent from the first all-candidates meeting last week. Not because they wanted to be, but because they were not informed of the date change. The event, which was held at Sardis secondary, was initially scheduled for last Thursday, but due to a scheduling conflict with the school, it was changed to the Wednesday a few days prior. None of the candidates were informed of the change. Instead, the District Parents’
Advisory Council, one of the coorganizers, relied on media to get the word out. “I’ve never missed a meeting, I’ve never done that,” said Stelmaschuk. “It really ticks me off; why were we not notified?” Both Stelmaschuk and Schmidt were under the impression the meeting would be held Thursday. They had hoped to introduce themselves to the voters in attendance and show what they could bring to the school board table. Schmidt found out about the missed meeting Wednesday evening after friends had called asking where he was. Stelmaschuk found out Thursday morning from his son who had heard about their
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absence on the radio news. Candidate Corey Neyrinck also didn’t realize the date had been changed, but was called by DPAC president Gord Byers two minutes before the start and arrived 15 minutes late. “It’s pretty haphazard, really unorganized,” said Stelmaschuk. For Schmidt, a retired Chilliwack school teacher who worked with both at-risk and gifted students, last week’s meeting was his only opportunity to attend an all-candidates meeting. Prior to the byelection being called, Schmidt planned a trip to Manitoba for this week to help move family into assisted living. The trip can’t be postponed.
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“There’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I’m disappointed; the organizers should have contacted us.” However, while Gord Byers, DPAC president, was apologetic about the communication error, he said it’s the candidates responsibility to know when meetings are being held. “If you’re going to be a trustee, you’ve got to be able to gather the information and dig,” he said. “You can’t wait for it to be fed to you.” The next all-candidates meeting is Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Chilliwack middle school. For more information, email dpac@sd33.bc.ca kbartel@theprogress.com
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It was an ugly commute for thousands of motorists Friday morning after a 17-vehicle pileup closed the Trans Canada Highway at the Vedder Canal just after 7 a.m. The crash sent 13 people to hospital, some with serious injuries. Miraculously, however, no one was killed. RCMP say the incident began when dense smoke from a fire beneath the bridge obscured the vision of the drivers above. When one motorist braked, the following vehicles – including a Greyhound bus – plowed into her. The crash blocked the westbound lane and left it littered with debris and smashed vehicles. Traffic was stopped in both directions as emergency crews struggled to free drivers from crumpled vehicles. The eastbound lane was closed as a precaution, in case an air ambulance needed to land. However, the helicopter was not required and the lane reopened just after 9 a.m. Drivers heading west, weren’t so lucky. It took emergency crews until 11:30 a.m. to clear the bridge and reopen the highway. Westbound traffic was directed south to Keith Wilson. Traffic was diverted at Lickman Road, or taken off the highway at the Yale Road West overpass. But the going was slow. At one point Keith Wilson was backed up to Unsworth Road; Chadsey Road was at a virtual standstill. One driver said his commute to Abbotsford, 20 minutes away, took three-and-a-half hours. The Vedder Canal bridge has been the scene of serious accidents in the past, including two separate incidents that left three people dead. However, RCMP Inspector Tim Shields said that driver behaviour was the likely culprit in the incident. He urged drivers to leave greater distance between vehicles – particularly in slick conditions – to improve reaction time. The bridge has had several upgrades over the years, including reinforced retaining walls on the bridge deck and improved signage.
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