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u Youth Centre P. 3 u Town Hall P. 2 u Skating in Italy P. 6 u Nak’azdli feeds Fort P. 3 Christmas By Kids P. 7, 8, 9 u
Publications Mail Contract #: 40007759
WEDNESDAY, December 11, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS Highway speed limits, tires reviewed The B.C. government is inviting public input on changes to speed limits on rural highways and winter tire requirements. Transportation Minister Todd Stone said it’s been more than a decade since speed limits were reviewed, and in that time the ministry has invested $14 billion in highway improvements. The review is to make changes based on citizen and expert input about long stretches of highway between communities, Stone said. The review will also look at requiring snow tires with the snowflake or “M&S” (“mud and snow”) tires with sufficient tread on 80 sections of B.C. highways with winter conditions. Tire requirements were last reviewed in 1986. Community meetings begin in Kamloops on Dec. 3 and Kelowna on Dec. 4. The series resumes Jan. 8 in Dawson Creek, Jan. 9 in Vancouver, Jan. 14 in Cranbrook, Jan. 15 in Nanaimo and Jan. 16 in Chilliwack. More information and feedback forms are available at www.gov.bc.ca/safetyandspeedreview/.
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Santa Claus loomed large
Santa Claus was a massive presence in the Santa Claus Parade during Moonlight Madness on Nov. 29. The Newlands float once again blew spectators away, with a huge Santa, sleigh and reindeer making those on the float perfectly proportioned elves. More photos on Page 12. Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier
Tl’azt’en Nation elects Justa Monk chief Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier Justa Monk was elected chief of Tl’azt’en First Nation on Nov. 29. Chief Elect Monk and three councillors elected will be sworn in on Dec. 10, 2013. Paul Felix Sr. was elected as a Tache councillor and Conrad Joseph was re-elected councillor for Tache and Josh Hallman was re-elected councillor for Binche. Monk won the election with 102 votes, Beverly Leon coming in second with 70 votes. Conrad Joseph won his
seat with 87 votes, Paul Felix Sr. with 72, only a handful ahead of Amelia Stark, who brought in 67 votes. Josh Hallman won Binche with 39 votes, against two opponents, Gerald Anatole, who received 13 votes and Rosanna Monk with four. There are also four current councillors for Tl’azt’en who have two years left in their terms: Georgina Alexis, Rachel Roberts, both for Tache, Joe Joseph (Middle River) and Gloria Duncan (Binche). Their terms run out in April of 2016. More on Justa Monk in next week’s Courier.
Grant helps Fort St. James host speed skating A $3,000 Hosting B.C. grant will help Fort St. James with the cost of the 2014 Northern B.C. Regional Short Track Speed Skating Championships. The competition will take place on March 8 and 9 in 2014. “It’s great to be able to host high-calibre sporting events, like the 2014 Northern B.C. Regional Short Track Speed Skating Championships, here in Fort St. James,” said John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes, in a release. “Hosting B.C. grants help make staging these types of competitions more affordable, bringing great sporting events to our region.” Across the Province, 41 events in 24 communities will receive $164,500 in Hosting B.C. funding, which is provided by the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and administered by viaSport. The grants support a wide range of events throughout the province, including alpine skiing, fencing, wheelchair rugby and many others. Hosting B.C. has invested close to $4 million since 2004 in sporting events across the province. Hosting B.C. funds competitive level events that support long-term athlete development plans for B.C.’s Provincial Sport Organizations. Grants typically range from $3,000 to $15,000 depending on the level of competition.