PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 9 NO. 11
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
FREE
Young girl escapes attempted abduction
News Teachers vote in favour of strike Page A3
BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
“Police ... ask that they remain vigilant when out and about.”
Community Pineridge second in national competition Page A11
WITH ARMS HELD HIGH Martina Perry / The Northern View
The Watoto Children’s Choir brought their uplifting stories and songs to Prince Rupert with two shows on Sunday afternoon.
Sports Big end for Mariner Bonspiel winner Page A13
Fight begins to save Exstew access CN to block private crossing April 1unless road ownership clarified BY MARTINA PERRY PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
Haida Gwaii Edenshaw show goes national Page B1
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1944 8th Ave East $148,500
Prince Rupert RCMP are asking parents to be vigilant after the attempted abduction of an 11-year-old girl on Thursday night. After playing at a friend’s house in the Drake Crescent area on the evening of March 6, the girl began walking up Drake Crescent toward Prince Rupert Blvd. When she reached - Const. Matt Ericson the intersection, a man grabbed her from behind and began to pull her into nearby bushes. Fortunately for the girl, the suspect tripped and fell, which allowed her to break free and run away. See ABDUCTION on Page A2
Access to the Exstew River Recreation Site is in jeopardy, with CN planning to put up a locked gate on the road leading to the area if an agreement isn’t reached before the end of the month. CN erected a sign beside its private crossing, which intersects with the dirt road leading to the popular recreation site, warning the public of CN’s plans to close the crossing as of April 1. Emily Hamer, CN’s regional manager of public and government affairs, said the company is “currently speaking with interested parties” to see if another group will take over responsibility
“[Coast Tsimshian Resources] has no economic reason to keep the road permit open. ” - Dave Jackson of the crossing. “The crossing at the Exstew road is a private crossing that intersects with a forest service road, which is under the jurisdiction of the province. At this time CN is clarifying who will take responsibility for the maintenance of the private railway crossing,” said Hamer. The dirt roadway leading to the site is
currently under the responsibility of Coast Tsimshian Resources (CTR), a forest company owned by the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation band. Although CTR holds the road permit for the area, it doesn’t currently have any active cutting permits. A statement from CTR said the company has continued to maintain the road for the benefit of recreational users, with maintenance of the rail crossing in question being done “by others”. “CTR has no economic reason to keep the road permit open, but for goodwill we have maintained portions of the road for the past four years to allowed continued public access to the Forest Service camp ground,” said Dave Jackson of CTR. See EXSTEW on Page A2
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