NO GROW ZONE | Enderby prohibits production of medicinal marijuana in community [A6]
Morning gStar
The
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014
P R O U D L Y
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
Lightweight & Efficient Chainsaw MRSP $329.99
29999
$
435
w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m
O K A N A G A N
C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
2 5
Y E A R S
3202 29TH Street, Vernon • 250-545-0627
Carnival to rescue city from winter blues Tickets for many Winter Carnival events are still available. “Suds and Cider and the Sweetheart’s Chocolate Dreams snowshoe tour are sold out, and there are limited tickets left for events like Medieval Madness and Irish Pub Night,” said Williamson. Tickets are available at the Carnival office, 3401-35th Avenue, or online at www.vernonwintercarnival.com. Unfortunately, several events have been cancelled. Those include the Ukrainian Food Festival, the Interclub Speed Skate, and the Vernon Singles Club’s Super Social Carnival Dance. Lots of Carnival events are free and for the entire family. “That’s our emphasis: family, fun, free,” said Williamson. Winter Carnival Family Day takes place Saturday, Feb. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Polson Park. The free event includes games, bonfire, entertainment, food and fun for the entire family. One of the more popular events helps wrap up Carnival on Sunday, Feb. 16, the Toonie and a Tin Skate at Kal Tire Place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $2 per person, or $5 per family, plus a tin of food for the food bank. Information on all Winter Carnival events can be found in the official brochure, available at numerous outlets throughout Vernon, or online at the carnival website. Don’t forget to wear your Carnival button or the Carnival Cops could throw you in the hoosegow.
ROGER KNOX Morning Star Staff
Vernon’s annual 10 days of winter fun and frivolity is ready to fly. With its theme Carnival of Superheroes, the 54th annual Vernon Winter Carnival kicks off Thursday with the proclamation and coronation of Queen Silver Star at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the program starting at 7 p.m. Opening weekend of Carnival includes the Carnival Countdown starting at 5 p.m. Friday at Polson Park. “It’s the official opening ceremony,” said Carnival executive director Diana Williamson. “The VIPs will be introduced, people can meet the new queen and her princesses, and then we’ll start the countdown to starting the hot air balloon glow at 5:30 p.m. That will last about an hour.” The hot air balloons return for the annual balloon fiesta throughout the opening weekend, with the skies expected to be filled with the popular flight mode. More than 110 entries will gather on 27th Street Saturday for the annual Vernon Winter Carnival parade which, as always, starts at noon. The parade heads south on 27th Street and turns right onto 30th Avenue. The floats, bands and comic entries will parade west on 30th before turning right onto 31st Street and heading to the finish at the Civic Arena.
MORNING STAR FILE PHOTO
The Vernon Winter Carnival parade will feature more than 110 entries making their way down 27th Street Saturday at noon. For more Carnival events visit vernonwintercarnival.com Also part of opening weekend is the B.C. Snow Sculpture competition at Silver Star Mountain Resort. Teams begin sculpting away at 10 a.m. Friday and continue through to 10 a.m. Sunday. The winners, who will represent B.C. at the national competition in Quebec, will be announced at 11 a.m. Sunday.
One of Carnival’s oldest, longest running events – the Feather Fanciers Show, Antique and Collectible Sale – goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Vernon Rec Centre. Among the birds on display will be the superheroes of birds during the World Wars – the carrier pigeon, which were used to transport mes-
sages to and from the front lines. Among the new events for the 54th annual Vernon Winter Carnival is the Olympic Superhero Party Extravaganza, set for Thursday, Feb. 13, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the rec centre. The $25 ticket price includes the blockbuster movie The Avengers on a big blow-up screen.
‘Royal’ member of Vernon family remembered
North Okanagan residents came out in force to bid Patrick Nicol farewell Monday. About 1,000 people attended a memorial service for the Vernon councillor and regional district chairperson at Trinity United Church and via satellite feed at the Schubert Centre and Kal Tire Place “If Vernon had royalty, Patrick would be Patrick Nicol a member of our royal
family,” said Mayor Rob Sawatzky of Nicol who died Jan. 15 after a long fight with cancer. “And he would have achieved that status not by heredity, which is a dubious qualification as has been demonstrated by the antics of some of the royal families we love to watch, but by merit, by dint of the decades of hard work and dedication for the betterment of his community that was the cornerstone of his life here.” There were many officials in attendance, including Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster, Union of B.C. Municipalities president Rhona Martin and representatives from
Vernon, Enderby, Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Coldstream and Lumby councils, as well as the Regional District of North Okanagan board. Besides Sawatzky, the other speakers included Annette Sharkey of the Social Planning Council, broadcaster Cory Kimm, friends Judy Barnard and Ruby and Nenette Sharma and Nicol’s brother John. Music dominated the service as it was a big part of Nicol’s life in radio. Among the songs played were Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Bright Side of the Road and because Nicol was a Beatles’ fan, a special rendition of Let It Be by Lee Dinwoodie, a friend
THANK YOU VERNON!
IT’S BACK! WATKIN MOTOR’S ANNUAL 2014 FOCUS SE
55
RETURNS!
MPG HWY
for making Ford CANADA’S #1 AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER FOR 4 YEARS RUNNING!
SALE
Stk# 4FC09
and Vernon musician. Sawatzky was Nicol’s physician, and he spoke about the day he realized Nicol was facing health challenges. “I advised him that I wanted to admit him to hospital that day to get some diagnostic testing,” said Sawatzky. “He refused because, and I quote, ‘I’m too busy with organizing Canada Day celebrations and I have a number of meetings and too many people are counting on me. We’ll have to arrange something in a couple of weeks.’ That story epitomizes, I think, how Patrick thought his life should be lived and his priorities in life.”
$
BIWEEKLY
21,068 $122 *
OR
**
0%
FINANCING & LEASING
*SALE PRICES INCLUDE ALL REBATES ASSIGNED TO DEALER (INCLUDING COSTCO REBATE) AND ARE PLUS TAXES & FEES ($25 TIRE LEVY & $395 DOC FEE). **BIWEEKLY PAYMENTS INCLUDE ALL REBATES ASSIGNED TO DEALER (INCLUDING COSTCO REBATES). PAYMENTS ARE PLUS TAXES & FEES AND ARE BASED ON 72 MONTH FINANCING AT 6.09% APR. ALL FINANCING BASED ON APPROVED CREDIT.
WATKIN MOTORS
DLR. #6076
Morning Star Staff
4602 - 27 ST, VERNON | SALES • LEASING • PARTS • SERVICE 250-545-0611 • 1-800-736-1944 • WATKINMOTORS.COM