Creston Valley Advance, May 01, 2014 by Black Press Media Group

That wood shop looks like fun! Serving the Creston Valley since 1948

Volume 66, No. 18

Thursday, May 1, 2014

$1.10 (includes GST)

Firefighter retires after 49 years BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Harold Standen has fought more fires than he can remember, and after 49 years in Creston Fire Rescue he has decided it’s time to call it quits. Standen started — officially — as a firefighter in 1965. “Even before I joined, if a fire started I was there,” he said. “It doesn’t show up on the records.” His father, Bill, was once a deputy chief and Standen simply followed in his footsteps, as his own three sons would when they reached adulthood. Bill Carter was chief when Standen joined Creston Fire Rescue and he says “there were maybe a dozen” firemen on the force at the time. The term “firemen” would later be supplanted with “firefighters” when women began to join as volunteers. “It just gradually happened,” he said. “I don’t think anyone gave it a second thought.” When Standen joined in 1965 the fire hall was located on 11th Avenue North, directly south of where the Creston and District Credit Union now sits. Trainers used to come in from Vancouver to work with the volunteers.

Brian Lawrence

KNOCK ON WOOD — Adam Robertson Elementary School student Oliver Beaucher and counsellor Gary Smith at work in the school’s wood shop, where students have sessions with Smith and others drop in for fun each Thursday. Story and photos, page 13.

Homelinks staying put for ’14 -’15 BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

The Homelinks supported education program will continue unchanged for 2014-15 and remain in the Creston Education Centre (CEC), School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) trustees decided at the April 22 regular board meeting.

See STANDEN, page 10

TODAY'S WEATHER

This week's weather artist:

Howling Wannabes releasing CD Page 3

Sevren MacVicar, Erickson Elementary School

DISCOVERY REAL ESTATE

More consultation, with the intent to move Homelinks out of CEC, will be undertaken in the coming year. A crowd of more than 40 participated in the meeting via videoconferencing designed to connect with the school district offices in Nelson. Parents and supporters of the program were on hand in both locations to encour-

age trustees to ignore management advice to move the kindergarten-Grade 9 program to Canyon-Lister Elementary School and the senior secondary portion to a building that currently houses the Prince Charles Secondary School alternate school program. See HOMELINKS, page 5

• Second bird fest runs next week /18 • Juvenile sturgeon being released /23 FIND US ONLINE AT

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Thursday, May 1, 2014 Creston Valley Advance

NOW OPEN MONDAYS STARTING JUNE 24 • 250-428-SHOW (7469) CLOSED MONDAYS • 250-428-SHOW (7469)

SHOWTIMES 7:30PM

THE TIVOLI THEATRE PRESENTS...

H eaven is for eal R

Friday May 2 - Thursday May 8

Starring: Greg Kinnear

Coming Attractions: Amazing Spiderman 2, The Other Woman, The Legends of OZ, Godzilla

The board of directors of the Creston Golf Club wish to thank the following for their help and support in making our Members’ Appreciation event so successful: • Dennis Munro and staﬀ • Bob Johnson, Shirley Lloyd and Linda Ellefson: Baillie-Grohman Winery • Al & Marleen Hoag and Brenda Silkie: Skimmerhorn Winery • Dave & Margaret Basaraba and Nadia Basaraba: Wynnwood Cellars Estate Winery • Kathryn Merlo: Mission Hill Winery • Murray Oswald: Columbia Brewery

Hanging Baskets

Perennials Annuals Mother’s

Day Gifts

Bedding Plants Vines & Trellise s

rry s Be she Bu

Frost Hardy Pansies Flat Special

Trees & Shrubs

Bill Pfeifer

A change from the usual canned goods and non-perishable food items, the Creston Valley Gleaners Society food bank was the recipient of $300 in Subway gift cards. Creston Subway owner Mike Pfeifer and his staff donated them to longtime Gleaners volunteer Ina Schultz (right).

he Creston Valley Farmers’ Market kicks of its summer and fall season at its location adjacent to the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce this Saturday from 9 a.m.1 p.m. Market manager Jen Comer, who returns after an absence to have a baby, said vendor interest is stronger than ever. “We are expecting about 25 vendors throughout May, which is higher than last year,” she said. “Our goal this summer is to get to 50 vendors.”

tarting May 17, Riondel has something new for visitors. The Circle of Friends Artisan Shoppe located at 235 Fowler Ave. showcases the works of East Shore artists, arti-

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sans, writers and musicians in a coffee house setting. Each item is a unique treasure. The Circle of Friends is a social enterprise fostering local talent and addressing rural underemployment, branching out of the Riondel Parks and Recreation Society. It’s met with widespread enthusiasm on the East Shore and strong support from the Regional Dsitrict of Central Kootenay

Advance Staff

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Area A Economic Development Commission and local partners. Any project that boosts the economy while fostering creativity is a win/win. If you then find that special something, it’s a win/win/win! The Circle of Friends will be open 10:00 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends in May and June, and seven days a week in July and August. For more information, email circle@bluebell.ca.

Town, RDCK recommend grant requests

You’ll dig our

• Open 7 Days a Week • Large Selection of Trees, Shrubs, Annuals & Perennials • New Pottery in Stock

2915 Hwy #3 - ½ mile east of Creston, BC

It’s spring car cleaning time!

Quality Plants

Mon - Sat 9:30 - 5:00 Sundays 10:00 - 4:00 250-428-2062

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This week’s feature:

Pottery Flowers Se ed s

...and MORE

Visitors to the popular market can expect a wide variety of produce and crafts, all made or grown in the Kootenays. Farmers markets have soared in popularity in recent years as consumers demand increased opportunities to meet and talk to food producers.

WANTED ! PICKERS/SORTERS

Call evenings 250-428-2734 Fax resumes 250-428-0136

The following Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiative Grants have been recommended by the Town of Creston and Regional District of Central Kootenay Areas B and C to the RDCK for approval: First Creston Scouts (Wings 2014): Creston, $1,457; Area B, $1,000; Area C, $900; 904 Kootenay Air Cadets (youth program): Creston, $1,638; Area B, $1,638; Aboriginal education School District No. 8 (SD8 youth powwow) Creston: $1,000; Area B: $1,000; Addiction Recovery in the Kootenays (work initiative program): Creston, $1,500; Area B, $2,000; Area C, $1,900; See RDCK, page 5

LOcaL news

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, May 1, 2014

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 3

us on

Moms Get a Free Gift! s ’ r e h t Mo with ebrate

Cel

Bring Mom to Ricky’s on SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014 and she will receive a handy Cart Token Key Chain with her meal purchase.

Y DA

While quantities last. Mother’s Day only. Minimum purchase $9.99.

AT THE CRESTON RAMADA Junction of Highway 3 and Highway 3A 250.428.8826 creston.gotorickys.com Reservations recommended

Howling Wannabes celebrating new CD with party, dance BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

The Howling Wannabes have been around for so long the members should consider changing the name to the Howling Ares. Whatever they wanted to be at one time, they most surely are by now. The release of the CD Howling Wannabes III will be celebrated at a party and dance at the Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday. Also performing will be Crimson, featuring singing sisters Brandy Hunt and Brooke Douma, and Stormcrow, with Mike Daybell, Dave Brummet, Rick Potyok and Jan MacDonald. The Wannabes consist of longtime friends Gary Deatherage, David Lyons and Alan Kimmel, along with Jason Deatherage, Jan MacDonald and Rick Potyok. The CD includes musical contributions from guitarists Rod Keen and Dave Furlong. A prolific songwriter, Gary Deatherage wrote nine of the 13 songs on Howling Wannabes III, while Lyons contributed the other four. Deatherage says his songs have been described as cosmic rock, too cosmic, dark country and intellectual folk, and the latest collection is strong and varied. Recorded at Fort Cosmos Studios, a Deatherage family operation, the CD was mixed by

Jason Deatherage, who also partners with his dad in a studio band, Il Cosmic. Alison Masters created the CD cover artwork, a follow-up to a creative partnership that resulted in Gary Deatherage writing music for each piece in her series of paintings, Travel Posters @ the Night Gallery, which were combined for a video by film artist Richard Reeves. “Gary is just brilliant,” Masters said in describing his ability to write music that fit each of the paintings she made for the series. Howling Wannabes III is a true celebration of the abundance of musical talent in Creston. Songs like She Made a Zombie Out of Me, Teach Me To Fly, We Don’t Hear, Getting Married in Texas, Thick Walls and Shuttered Blinds, When the Earth Woke Up and Meeting of Heart and Mind, are invariably tuneful and thought-provoking, inspirations to dance or to mediate. Each track has a fresh and original sound. At the CD release party, the Howling Wannabes will be joined by Crimson, with their sweet acoustic harmonies, and Stormcrow, which keeps the crowds rocking to classic favourites. Doors to the May 3 concert open at 7 p.m. The event is licensed and restricted to adults. Tickets are $10, available at Black Bear Books, Kingfisher Used Books and Creative Fix.

The cover art by Alison Masters for Howling Wannabes III.

Attention all Crafters

Know and Grow Farm at College of the Rockies

Annual Plant Sale

Craft Supply Sale!

Saturday May 3 • Noon to 4pm The Krafty Krony Ladies of Creston are selling off

ELIMINATE ICE DAMAGE

Retroﬁt any 5” Continuous Gutter with Gutter Helmet and receive a

LIFETIME WARRANTY

gutterhelmetkootenays.com For your COMPLIMENTARY ESTIMATE in Creston and area visit our website or call Andrew

250-551-0189

all their crafting items and many of their fabrics We have all new items from many craft categories: • Lamp shade frames and accessories • Fancy fabrics • Embroidery hoops, frames and looms • Embroidery fabrics and threads • Beads large size • Rug hooking suppliesPaints • Glue guns and sticks

Friday May 9 noon - 3pm herbs flowers annuals perennials vegetables

• Zippers • Crochet cotton • Miles and miles of laces and trims • Wool • Flower arranging accessories ... and much, much more

TAPS Building • 404-22 Ave S, Creston

TAPS Famous Pies will be available

Featuring Dan McMurray Heritage Tomatoes

Proceeds from sales support social programs

LOCAL NEWS

4 www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca

STREET CLOSURE Erickson Street will be closed at 16th Avenue South (CP Rail Crossing) from April 28 to May 3 as the Town of Creston is undertaking water main installation. Local traffic detours are in effect 24 hours a day. EAST/WEST HIGHWAY TRAFFIC USE HIGHWAY 3. We apologize for any inconvenience that occurs. Colin Farynowski Manager of Engineering

NOTICE OF GRANTING OF A STATUTORY RIGHT-OF-WAY Pursuant to Section 26(3) of the Community Charter TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Town of Creston has determined that it is in the best interests of the Town to grant a Statutory Right-of-Way of the following land to Rogers Communications Inc.: Block 42, District Lot 9555, Kootenay District (Located at 340 Davis Drive, Creston, BC) (the “Land”) The proposed Statutory Right-of-Way is necessary for the installation, operation and maintenance of telecommunications facilities by Rogers Communications Inc., and a monthly rental fee of $1.00 will be paid for a term of 5 years, beginning on June 1, 2014, subject to renewal for a further three – 5 year terms. The Land is not available to the public for acquisition. Enquiries concerning the Statutory Right-of-Way over the said property may be directed to: Ross Beddoes, Municipal Services Coordinator P0 Box 1339, Creston, BC • V0B 1G0 Telephone: 250.428.2214 ext. 234

CALLI p) NG ALL PRE-S CHOOLERS (3 years & u

FOR A MAG IC SCHOOL BUS RIDE! WHEN:

Wednesday, May 14 • 8:30 am - 12 noon

WHERE:

Pick up at your community school

WHAT:

Ride on a big yellow school bus to three fun places for crafts, stories, snacks and treats – Creston Public Library, Creston and District Community Complex and Family Place/StrongStart are all on the schedule. Parents will receive information on Early Childhood Services, Ages and Stages questionnaire and Getting Ready for Kindergarten.

HOW:

Must be accompanied by an adult (no younger siblings on the bus, please). Have your parent phone your community school to register by May 7 (it’s FREE!). Arrive at your designated school in time to start your Magic School Bus ride (see schedule below)!

Be at your school by: Homelinks

250-428-2217

8:30 am

Canyon-Lister

250-428-4161

8:30 am

ARES

250-428-2051

8:45 am

Erickson

250-428-2363

8:45 am

Sponsored by Creston area schools through Ready Set Learn funding; in cooperation with the fabulous people who provide early childhood services for our children (StrongStart, Success by 6, CAP-C, Public Library, CBAL, Rec Center, Family Place, Interior Health, etc.)

Thursday, May 1, 2014 Creston Valley Advance

Male suspect in Erickson Road break-ins arrested BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Police have a male suspect in custody after a third break and entry to the same Erickson Road business in recent weeks. He was caught after the business owner installed security cameras on the property, Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan said on Monday. “We made a number of recommendations to the business owner and his actions had results,” he said. “We were able to identify the suspect from video images and make an arrest.” The suspect remains in custody until a court appearance is arranged. He cannot be identified because charges have not yet been laid by Crown counsel. Police Beat Creston RCMP responded to 64 calls from April 21-27, Gollan said. April 21 •An adult female reported missing from Cook Street was determined to be safe and sound in Calgary. •Minor damage resulted from a two-car collision on Northwest Boulevard. •When police located a vehicle from which two people were reported to be throwing beer cans from on Highway 3A while standing through a sunroof, the vehicle had no beer cans in evidence and did not have a sunroof. •A neighbour accused of making threats on Ninth Avenue South while intoxicated was warned. A short time later, a domestic disturbance at the same address resulted in the male being arrested and held in police cells until sober. He refused to leave police cells when he was released and was taken to hospital for observation under the Mental Health Act. •A Ninth Avenue South resident apologized for the loud music that resulted in a complaint by a neighbour. •An intoxicated Elm Street resident called 911 to report an assault but when police arrived she denied making the call and no assault had occurred. April 22 •A male who failed to appear in court was arrested on a warrant and later released after promising to appear at his next court date. •Police are investigating a complaint about a male harass-

ing a female on Ninth Avenue North. •An assault involving two males on Hillside Street is under investigation. •The company that owns a truck that nearly rear-ended a vehicle on Highway 3 was notified and will take appropriate action. •Two intoxicated males reported in a Cook Street parking lot were not located. •Suspicious phone calls were reported by a Northwest Boulevard resident. April 23 •A white vehicle was witnessed leaving the scene after a pellet was shot through a window on Pine Street. The next day, police found four youths in a similar vehicle after a grass fire was lit near the community complex. There was a pellet rifle in the vehicle and while no one would admit to firing it at a window, the group agreed to work off the damage costs by doing chores for the property owner. •Police were called to investigate an assault complaint involving a grandmother and grandson. •A complaint about unwanted phone calls, emails and Facebook messages was received. •A fire was lit at a Highway 3A residence and responders found what appeared to be a staged marijuana grow-op, an apparent attempt to get the property owner into legal trouble. •A complaint about an erratic vehicle on Highway 3 was received. •The driver of a vehicle accused of nearly hitting some pedestrians on Hillside Street said the pedestrians had walked out onto the road at a location where there is no sidewalk. •A Dogwood Street resident had a vehicle tire slashed at an unknown location. •A male under court conditions not to attend the community complex was arrested on the site and charged with breaching probation orders. •An 11th Avenue South resident learned a lesson the hard way. Drivers whose licences are suspended for Criminal Code infractions are also banned from driving mobility scooters. He was issued a violation ticket. April 24 •A 76-year-old male died suddenly in his home on Sixth Avenue North. Cause of death

is not considered suspicious. •A driver who had consumed alcohol before arriving at the Rykerts border crossing was given a 24-hour driving prohibition. April 25 •Police are investigating a complaint about an erratic driver who was reported to be driving 20 km/h below the speed limit and weaving on Lower Wynndel Road. •While police investigated a complaint about a male cutting down trees on the Porthill Road road allowance they learned he had a permit but was not meeting all of its conditions. The Ministry of Transportation has been notified. •A three-car collision occurred on Erickson Road after a vehicle backed out onto the road from a driveway when unsafe. He collided with an eastbound vehicle and an oncoming driver was unable to avoid the collision. The first driver was charged with driving while under medical restrictions and without due care and attention. April 26 •A 911 call from Sixth Avenue North was attributed a child playing with a phone. •A person who took a quantity of aspirin on Anderson Road was transported to hospital by ambulance. •When police traced the owner of a cheque that was found in a coat on Canyon Street they learned he had left his coat on top of his car and then drove off. The possessions will be sent to his home in Alberta. April 27 •Investigation of a report of young people with flashlights in a backyard revealed that a group of high school students were playing an organized game. They were instructed not to enter private property. •A tracking dog was used to locate a male after he fled from a Pine Street residence after a domestic dispute. He was arrested and later released on conditions. •A person about to make a bank deposit was robbed of the deposits on Canyon Street. A male, well known to police, was arrested a short time later and is being held in custody until a court appearance. •Alcohol was a factor in an argument on 20th Avenue South and no charges will be recommended.

Armed robbery duo arrested Nelson Star The two suspects in Friday's armed robbery of the Nelson and District Credit Union are now facing charges. Charged with one count each

of robbery are Andrew Stevenson and Krista Kalmikoff. Stevenson, born in 1980, was not in court for Monday's preceding, due to the injuries he suffered while trying to escape custody. Kalmikoff, born in 1988,

was in court and will remain in custody until the duo's next scheduled appearance which was set for yesterday at the Nelson Law Courts. The pair were apprehended on Friday.

LOcaL news

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, May 1, 2014

RDCK grants

From page 2 Boswell and District Farmers (Boswell Harbour Breakwater): Creston, $1,800; Area B, $3,000; Area C: $1,000; Spay Neuter Animal Program (pet control campaign): Creston, $2,500; Area B, $2,000; Area C, $1,000; Creston and District Museum (First Year of the Great War): Creston, $1,260; Area C, $1,000; Creston Valley Public Library (Baby Goose): Creston, $1,160; Area C, $450; Creston and District Community Resource Centre (Building a Stronger Community): Creston, $1,286; Area B, $3,000; and (Summer Parent-Tot Drop-in Program): Creston, $4,143; Creston and District Society for Community Living (riding arena): Creston, $3,786; Area B, $1,000; Creston Community Band (band activities): Creston, $1,500; Creston and District 4-H Council: Creston, $400; Area B, $400; Area C, $1,000; Creston Judo Club (2014 Canadian Judo Nationals): Creston, $1,857; Creston Valley 4-H Club (beef, sheep and dairy): Creston, $1,957; Creston Valley Art Walk/Galleries (Creating Connections): Creston, $500; Creston Valley Beef Growers Association (Cattlemen’s Association AGM and convention): Creston, $1,000; Area B, $1,000; Creston Valley Blossom Festival (73rd annual festival events): Creston, $5,000; Area B, $3,000; Area C, $3,000; Creston Valley Community Radio Society (production/equipment): Creston, $664; Area B, $500; Creston Valley Fall Fair Association (2014 fall fair): Creston, $5,000; Area B, $4,000; Area C, $2,000; Creston Valley Figure Skating Club (recreational skating skills program expansion): Creston, $2,429; Area B, $2,000; Creston Valley Food Action Coalition (Harvest Share): Creston, $2,500; Area B, $2,000; and (Hungry for Change): Creston, $2,445; Creston Valley Gymnastics Club (new landing mats): Creston, $3,000; Area B, $1,663; Area C, $1,163;

Homelinks

From page 1 After what can only be described as massive confusion about motions and amendments, trustees passed separate motions, which combined will see kindergarten-Grade 12 continue status quo for the next year. In both cases, more consultation was directed, and for the senior secondary grades the direction was clear that the program will not continue in CEC beyond 2015. Speakers representing preschool programs operated by other agencies, the StrongStart program that is run by the school district, parents, a teacher and John Solly, who organized and served as principal for the original Homelinks program, all spoke against making substantive changes to a program that has more than 140 registered students and a waiting list. Hermen Koehoorn, whose children are Homelinks students, encouraged trustees to make a decision so parents can make plans for their children, but said a survey of parents indicates that 19 families with at least 40 students will relocate at a cost of $342,000 in lost funding to the school district. “We need some stability,” he said. “It is demoralizing for

Creston Valley Herb Gathering Association (Kootenay Herb Conference): Creston, $786; Area B, $500; Creston Valley Horse Association (Cowboy Up): Creston, $500; Area C, $250; Creston Valley Hospice Society (public forum, end of life preparations): Creston, $775; Creston Valley Junior Hockey Society (Thunder Cats bus repairs, etc.): Creston, $1,250; Area B, $1,250; and (jersey replacement): Creston, $1,000; Creston Valley Music Teachers (Creston Festival of the Arts): Creston, $599; Area B, $1,490; Creston Valley Regional Airport Society (pilot web cameras) Creston, $1,776; Area B, $2,000; Area C, $500; Creston Valley Search and Rescue (avalanche/ lost persons recovery): Creston, $1,000; Area B, $600; Creston Valley Youth Soccer Association (soccer goals at Alex Nilsson Field): Creston, $750; Area B, $750; Area C, $600; East Kootenay Brain Injury Association (support, empower, achieve): Creston, $286; FarmFolk CityFolk Society (Young Agrarians – farm learning): Creston, $500; Footlighters Theatre Society (Centre Stage – Kootenay Zone Theatre Festival): Creston, $900; Area B, $900; and (20th Season, 20142015): Creston, $900; Area B, $900; Area C, $400; Friends of the Ingham Arts Centre (production/equipment): Creston, $857; Area B, $1,000; Health Arts Society (Concerts in Care): Creston, $500; Kootenay Chin Woo Martial Arts (2014 Deep Water Martial Arts): Creston, $414; Area B, $1,000; Nelson CARES Society (Stepping Stones emergency shelter): Creston, $500; Shamattawa, Man. – Area B (Christmas by Creston): Creston, $1,321; Area B, $4,000; SQX Danza (interactive dance awareness): Creston, $939; Area C, $300; Starbelly Jam Society (festival tents): Creston, $243; and Wynndel Community Centre (chair replacement): Creston, $980; Area C, $1,000. The total grants recommended were: Creston, $66,417; Area B, $65,090; and Area C, $29,962.

students and parents to go through this constant turmoil.” The loudest response from the Creston group was reserved for Solly, who said the disconnect between parents and school trustees is alarming. “I can’t find anyone anywhere that sees you as their advocates. What is going on here?” he asked. “There is no need to have an adversarial situation, but you have one. It’s just wrong.” At the outset, Homelinks was “able to forge a partnership that honoured parents’ commitment to home-schooling their children,” he said. “Students who went through Homelinks are now graduating from university, and they say they owe their success to this partnership between parents and the school district. I wish you could be here to feel the animosity in this room. “In earlier years, you had parents that were advocates and who trusted you. Now they don’t. How many of them feel validated now? Zero. I think it’s going to cost you a half-million bucks (in provincial funding losses) to pull off this stunt.” In an essay outlining the history of the Homelinks program (reproduced in full at http:// tinyurl.com/qgol6fm), Solly expresses his concerns about the current situation in Creston:

“Regretfully, at this time I sense, at least within the Creston home-schooling community, the perception that the district is prepared to initiate substantive changes to Homelinks without the support of parents. Even more serious, perhaps, is the perception that these changes are being made more on the basis of administrative convenience or the need to mandate ‘uniformity’ for home-schooling communities throughout the district. If indeed these perceptions are accurate it is my considered opinion the board will see many parents leave Homelinks and enrol their children in programs outside the district.” The Kootenay Lake school district, he said, risks losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in provincial funding if parents pull their children from Homelinks and enrol them in other school district programs. In the debate leading to the final votes on the motion, trustee Annette Hambler-Pruden argued that making moves that will jeopardize the future of the Homelinks program is at odds with what is happening in other parts of the province. “At least six other communities in B.C. want to emulate our Homelinks and you want to put it in jeopardy,” she told trustees.

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 5

PAWS’ April Volunteer of the Month: Lynn Ray Lynn has been involved and working hard on behalf of PAWS for many years. No doubt you have seen her name appear under many other headings from bake sales, concessions, organizing fundraising events from mini golf tournaments to more formal Christmas banquets. Not to mention years served on the Board of Directors. That is but a few of her talents and commitments. We benefit from her office knowledge and skills to keep the office personnel volunteers on the straight and narrow and the paperwork distributed to the right places! With the years of PAWS experience under her belt we often rely upon Lynn to remember events, personalities and pets of the past so as we can continue faithful to our original goals. Lynn also practices what she preaches having adopted two PAWS dogs who would be labelled by some as “special needs” and have required care and attention over the call of ordinary duty. But she and Bill have risen to the call and you can tell from the look in the pet’s eyes how they are loved in response. Although PAWS tries to keep count of the many volunteer hours expended, I am sure those hours dedicated by Lynn for our cause are beyond keeping track of! We all - human and animal alike - thank you so very much!

This ad space donated by the Creston Valley Advance

NOTICE Regional District of Central Kootenay

ERICKSON WATER SERVICE WATER MAIN SHUTDOWN

Thursday, May 8, 2014

WATER SERVICE MAY BE INTERMITTENT OR UNAVAILABLE

between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm

We ask that all water customers please limit their water use, where possible, on this day. Please reserve some water in containers in the event of service disruptions. For further information, please call the local RDCK Water Services ofﬁce at 250-428-2612. Thank you for your cooperation. Jason McDiarmid, Utility Services Manager, Environmental Services, RDCK

Just in time for

Mother’s Day

Buy a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION or renew your current subscription to the Creston Valley Advance by May 9, 2014 and receive a $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE* to Morris Flowers! (*to be redeemed by June 28, 2014 • minimum $25 purchase)

Flower Shop • 1020 Canyon St • Mother’s Day Flowers • Antiques • Plants • Chocolates • Unique Gifts • Send Mom flowers wherever she is

Garden Centre • 1403 Erickson Rd. • Open 7 days a week • Fresh herbs, fruit trees, berries, bushes, Sponsored by: 1018 Canyon St • 250-428-2266 • office@crestonvalleyadvance.ca

6 www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca

Opinion Line

Thursday, May 1, 2014 Creston Valley Advance

P.O. Box 1279 • 1018 Canyon St. • Creston, B.C. • V0B 1G0 Phone: 250-428-2266 • Fax: 1-250-483-1909 www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca Published Thursdays except statutory holidays Alex O. Carruthers, Founder All rights reserved. Contents copyright by the Creston Valley Advance. Any reproduction of material contained in this publication in whole or in part is forbidden without the expressed written consent of the Publisher. Copyright in letters and other materials submitted to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the Publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. It is agreed that The Creston Valley Advance will not be responsible for errors or omissions and is not liable for any amount exceeding the cost of the space used and then only such portion where the errors actually appeared. We reserve the right to edit or reject any submission or advertisement that is contrary to our Publishing guideline.

Published by the Creston Valley Advance, a division of Black Press Group Ltd. Publications Agreement No. 40069240

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

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CONTACT US Publisher Lorne Eckersley Ext. 206, publisher@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Editor Brian Lawrence Ext. 203, editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Sales Co-ordinator Anita Horton Ext. 204, sales@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Circulation/Office Manager Dianne Audette Ext. 200, office@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Production Department production@crestonvalleyadvance.ca

Letters to the Editor

Letters to opinion line are welcome on any topic of local or general interest. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers; publication does not imply endorsement by this newspaper. Letters should be either e-mailed, double-spaced and typewritten or legibly handwritten, and generally not exceed 500 words. Letters will be edited in the interests of style, clarity, legality, brevity and taste, as necessary. The Advance reserves the right to refuse publication of any submission. All letters must be signed and include place of residence and telephone number. E-mail letters to editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca; drop them off at, or mail them to P.O. Box 1279, 1018 Canyon St., Creston, B.C., V0B 1G0.

The Creston Valley Advance is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and complainant. If talking with the Editor or Publisher of this newspaper does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council within 45 days. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby Street, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 2R2. For further information, go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

Who are these people?

Let’s start with a show of hands. Who among you thought that the Supreme Court would tell the federal government it could go ahead and break the constitution by arbitrarily reforming the Canadian Senate? Ahhh… Just you, Stephen. Just as I thought. How do you feel about a prime minister who doesn’t appear to understand that the constitution enshrined the Senate as a way to protect provinces from being overwhelmed by a federal government’s agenda? The fact that under his direction enormous amounts of money and energy were devoted to asking the Supreme Court to consider the issue should be offensive to any Canadian, regardless of political affiliation. Harper’s response, that the issue is dead and that he won’t even consider entering into a discussion with the provinces, is schoolyard pettiness at its worst. “If I can’t get everything I want I don’t want anything!” Spare me. In another era he would have been sent to stand in a corner while wearing a dunce cap. Not that the constitutional reform issue is the only cause for concern about the Harper government’s behaviour. Consider two other bills, one dealing with electoral reform and the other with restricting farmers’ ability to save and exchange seed. First, the electoral reform. Bill C-23 is an ideological piece of legislation designed to allow the government to restrict the ease of voting by ramping up voter requirements. There appears to be no evidence that abuse is a problem, but hey, evidence and ideology don’t exactly go hand-in-hand, do they? The bill also

restricts Elections Canada in taking actions designed to encourage voting. I suppose that’s because it might encourage the wrong people from voting. Wrong being anyone

opposed to corporations — need from food crops. Costs for farmers will inevitably go up, Slomp said. “Why should people care about that? Either the farmer will go broke, or the food will get more expensive for people who eat,” he said. This is yet another step in allowing a small handful of global corporations to control the world’s food supply. More and more, what we are seeing from “the Government of Canada” as Harper insists on calling it, Lorne Eckersley is legislation designed to benefit his own party and corporate Canada, with precious litwho doesn’t vote Conservative. The tle interest in things that improve Conservatives have caved on some the lot of the country’s citizens. aspects of C-23, but it remains a Now, to change gears, a followlousy piece of legislation. up to last week’s column about Bill C-18 appears to be one of those bills that get quietly and myste- School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) and its handling of Creston’s riously written by industry, then Homelinks program. As I prepared slyly passed on to a minister to be to leave the videoconference of a introduced in the House of Commons. Opponents say it will fur- meeting that was held in Nelson April 22, I said to Homelinks foundther corporatize Canada’s food syser John Solly, whom I had been sittem, as if that might be a benefit to anyone except maybe shareholders of ting next to, “This wasn’t just a train wreck of a meeting, it was a LacMonsanto, Syngenta and Richardson Mégantic train wreck of a meeting.” International, who are members of Earlier, Solly chastised the board the Canadian Seed Trade Association, of trustees for alienating a large which supports C-18. group of parents who are incredibly From the Edmonton Journal: passionate about their children’s “Farmers will lose the right to save education. seeds and use that seed for next years During the debate about whether crop, without having to pay a royalty to to move the kindergarten-Grade 9 the plant breeder’s rights holder,” said portion of Homelinks out of Creston Jan Slomp, a Rimbey, Alta., dairy farmEducation Centre and into Canyon er and president of the National Lister Elementary, and Grades 10-12 Farmer’s Union… He said farmers already pay royalties into a Prince Charles Secondary School facility, our crowded room when they buy certified seed and should witnessed one of the most incompebe free to do what they wish with it tent and inept public meetings I thereafter. Changing the system will have ever witnessed. reduce the quality of breeding, leading to less disease resistance and produce See HOMELINKS, page 9 fewer of the qualities that people — as

This is the Life

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, May 1, 2014

Bill C-23 threatens democracy To the Editor: (Open letter to Kootenay-Columbia MP David Wilks) I am writing to express my deep concern about the Harper government’s Bill C-23, also know as the Fair Elections Act. A fair election is the cornerstone of a democratic state. This bill, in both the manner in which it was crafted and its content, threatens our democracy. First, a democracy needs transparency and accountability. Many of the decisions made to create this bill were done without genuine consultation of current experts in the field. In addition, other political parties were not included in the creation process. On top of this, the general public is being told that this bill, which affects our fundamental right to vote, is too complicated for us to understand. An incredibly important bill created behind closed doors is not transparent, and one that cannot be explained to the very public it represents is not accountable. Second, Elections Canada has a sterling reputation in this country and around the world. For the Conservatives to attack its integrity is reprehensible. Who would want to take away its power to investigate fraudulent activity and put in a gag order to prevent Elections Canada from even revealing it is in the process of such an investigation? Who is afraid of exposing the truth? Doesn’t “tough on crime” include election fraud? Considering the Conservatives’ record of “in and out” overspending scandals, robocall fraud and consistently blocking every Elections Canada investigation into their activity, one would think they would use this bill to allow more power for Elections Canada to maintain the honesty of our elections. Third, the changes to spending on elections puts Canada on the dangerous path to the corrupt American-style elections amounting to “one dollar, one vote”. We don’t want financially powerful corporations funding elections in return for deregulation deals and huge tax breaks. The one per cent have had their way for over 40 years now, and our societal inequality is almost at the level of the Great Depression. In conclusion, the Fair Elections Act is about much more than voter-vouching. Did your own son not fight in Afghanistan for their democratic rights? Please honour his service, that of other veterans, and the citizens of this country by not supporting this undemocratic bill. Thank you. Dan Hula Canyon

Workers must always be paid To the Editor: Talking to a fellow we know in town yesterday, I was appalled to hear that he had been phoned to do some pruning and garden work. He completed the work and went to collect his cheque but was told that the hus-

OpiniOn Line

band would write the cheque the next day. The next day there was another excuse, and another. I think those people who have the gall to expect work to be done for nothing should have to live the winter through with these people who do snow shovelling, pruning and garden work. When there is little snow to shovel and because they are selfemployed, there is no unemployment paid. Many of them are too shy, modest or don’t feel they can ask for money so they chew gum to help their hunger pains. They live in fear of losing their apartment or dwelling because they can’t pay the rent. They may walk miles to get to a small paying job, with aching limbs, no energy and cold. These people who do odd jobs aren’t drunks, drug addicts or lazy people; they all have a story, a wrong decision, hard times or a marriage breakup that took away their savings, their selfesteem and pride or their health. Don’t say they should go out and get a proper job; they are injured and depressed, maybe ill. They are doing the very best they can, and if they look dishevelled it’s because they are depressed and feeling overwhelmed and scared, and are struggling to function normally and be self-sufficient. It could happen to many of us if we are sensitive and not emotionally strong. If you lost your wife or your job and couldn’t find work, you could be out on the street (as is happening in big cities to people with good education). So those who have employed someone to help out then thought they could get away without paying, shame on you! I hope you have the chance to know what it is like to be trying to live in a cold house because you can’t pay the FortisBC bill so you have to turn the temperature right down, and you can’t sleep at night because you’re so cold from hunger and lack of heat. Yes, neighbours and friends do what they can to help, but they can’t provide everything to make life comfortable with food on the table every night, hot water and so on. As a town, Creston is a wonderful place and people are very kind and helpful where they see a need. Please be aware that there are people who fall through the cracks, who are quiet and almost invisible but are struggling to stay alive and turn their life around. Recognize that they need to live and eat too! Christine Munkerud Lister

Creative days were 24 hours To the Editor: (Re: “Earth More than 6,000 Years Old”, April 10) Mr. Jorgensen is correct that “day” and “period of time” can be same word in Hebrew. However, just like in English, the original Hebrew word has a variety of uses in describing time. How do we know which of several possible shades of meaning is correct in the Genesis account of creation? How do we know the intended meaning of the English word “day” in our conversations now? We understand by knowing the context. It is all-important in English for accurate communication. It is the same for Hebrew. In Genesis 1 we are given the necessary context, many times over. This is

the important phrase: “And the evening and the morning were the first (second, third, fourth and so on) day.” An evening and morning are a 24-hour day. This is not describing thousands or millions of years. This is how we know that creation happened in six literal 24-hour days. “Evening” is sunset. “Morning” is sunrise. The Bible gives no evidence that we should regard these terms in Genesis 1 as symbols or metaphors for other time periods or for creation’s state of readiness. Each 24-hour day of creation was filled by Jesus Christ designing and creating. His design is that each 24-hour day begins in the evening, somewhat different from our later alterations. There’s no biblical reason to assume that Earth’s condition of being “without form, and void” was not produced, and included, in the opening moments of the creation week. Its not any more difficult for God to create a planetary foundation 6,000 years ago than it would be six trillion years ago. The Bible does not teach that the entire universe was created during the same week the earth was made. Creation week describes the creation of this world and its neighborhood. Genesis 1:16 adds the fact that God made the rest of the universe “also”, whenever He chose to do it. However, the main purpose of the fourth day of this world’s creation was the “two great lights”, the sun and moon. We do not lose Christians, young or old, through teaching what God says. We lose them because of various strong pressures to disbelieve and abandon what He says. Many choose to align with those pressures, rather than God’s word. Jesus could have created this world as easily in six nanoseconds as in six days. Time is not limiting to Him. But we are limited, and He often chooses to use time in ways we can understand. He wants us to understand Him, and He likes to set up ways and means by which He can relate to us, and we to Him — setting apart the seventh day, for example. He likes to do this simply because He loves us, and He knows we depend on Him. Ken Lemky Creston

Docs must have been humiliated To the Editor: Finally after many months, I was forced to “impose” on my doctor and visit for a prescription renewal. I am about as informed as any person out there as to the misfortune that our team of three doctors won in the lottery of life, or on the wheel of fortune. Yes, Elemuo, Hopkins and Guthrie. One was lured by this highly civilized and developed country all the way from the Dark Continent. Hopkins uprooted her family and bade farewell to her folks in England. Of course, I do not own a book of clairvoyance and do not see what documents they signed, but I am still sure they entrusted their future life in what they believed the fairest country of them all! I did, too, some 46 years ago, and to this day had few regrets. So to my great shock, disbelief, horror and disgust, I read blatant lies, even sympathies offered by certain individuals defending what boils down to a ruthless, gutless, wily business deal. See DOCTORS, page 8

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Complex preparing for pickleball, convention

I was in the curling arena the other day following the Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments conference (another successful large three-day conference event

tennis and ping-pong, it uses oversized paddles to hit a waffle ball over a lower-height net. Playable by all ages, this game has grown in popularity since its mid-1960s invention in the Puget Sound area of Washington, and whether you believe it was named after the inventor’s dog, Pickles, or a reference to a pickle boat, it doesn’t really matter. The game itself is a blast, can be as challenging as you make it Neil Ostafichuk and you really have to come and try it out. So, as my grandma held at the Creston and District used to say, “How much costing?” Community Complex, utilizing If you already have a membership almost every room, and organized to the community complex, nothby Town of Creston staff and a ing, plus we provide the paddles few other key people) and I and nets. No membership, no wornoticed we had added another ries — at $3 for adults and $2 for pickleball court on the curling seniors or youth, that’s cheap enterfloor making a total of three — tainment, plus as a bonus you get to count ‘em, three — surfaces for immerse yourself in our mantra, playing this rising-in-popularity “Get active.” Right now it runs sport. from 7 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and I know I have given you the Thursdays, and 6:30-8 p.m. on background on pickleball before Wednesdays. but let’s recap for old times’ sake. But wait! There’s more! A kind Sort of a cross between badminton, soul within the current pickleball

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enthusiasts has volunteered to provide free lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-9:30 a.m., so the only way this would get any better is if we paid you to come and play! (Which isn’t going to happen...) We would like to see this sport grow to the extent is has in other areas; in fact I was at a tradeshow at the recent BC Recreation and Parks Association convention and overheard a couple of recreation professionals from similar-sized municipalities in B.C. discussing getting custom pickle ball flooring from a B.C.

manufacturer because of the interest in their communities. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s good for you. From the “I Did Not Know That” file, I see there is an article in the most recent issue of Beef in BC magazine about the upcoming BC Cattlemen Association annual general meeting with a picture of our front entrance splashed across the page. I did know most of that, other than that there exists a Beef in BC magazine. Probably not as mainstream as Maclean’s or Star Weekly, I did find it quite interesting with lots of well

Mortgage brokers offer choice

The next time you’re looking for a mortgage for that new house or you’re up for renewal on your existing mortgage, think about using a mortgage broker — their services are free and they offer you an abundance of choices. Many people are still unfamiliar with what exactly mortgage brokers do. They often think that you go to a broker when the bank says no and you don’t have any other choice. When the reality is that brokers have access to many “A” lenders with the very best rates.

Mortgage Corner Dean Bala

Brokers have access to a vast array of lenders — over 90 institutions, including some of the big banks — which enable these professionals to negotiate the best possible mortgage products and rates on your behalf. Your broker acts as an agent between you and these institutions, ensuring you get the best products, rates and service. Although brokers have access to this many lenders, the reality is that most have around five that they work with on a regular basis. The advantage of this is that a strong relationship can be built with each lender, without being limited to just one. That way, if your particular situation

Doctors

From page 8 I am aware this may make me subject to an attack, or, worse yet, a legal action. Well, heap it on, fork it over, attack me and have me roasted — spare no effort. I have nothing to lose and will on the burning pyre shout, “Shame on us all!” Did one of you 1,000 patients of Dr. Elemuo not feel ashamed, violated and humiliated, as much as the doctor himself, working out of a janitor’s closet? Where is the national TV? Where are

written, informative articles obviously targeting the folks that will come to our next large scale three-day convention (again using pretty much all the space in the complex). We are excited about hosting another convention as each event provides more experience and spreads the word about the facility and region, providing revenue-generating opportunities not only for the complex but the town and surrounding area as a whole. Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.

doesn’t happen to fit into one lenders “box”, you have other options without having to fill out another application or have another credit bureau pulled. In many ways, dealing with a broker is very similar to dealing with a bank. You will get asked many of the same questions, fill out a similar application, and be asked to provide similar documents. Where the two differ mainly is that the bank is going to take that application and submit it to their underwriting department. A broker is going to review the information and find the best fit for it. Finding this might include who has the best rate at that time, who offers the best prepayment options, who has better customer service, who has a particular mortgage product or any number of things that may be important to a particular borrower. It just depends on what is most important to the client. The broker then submits the deal to the chosen lender’s underwriting department for approval. Mortgage brokers do their homework on available mortgage products and keep themselves abreast of any new products, or changes to existing products, to ensure they find the best mortgage to fit your specific needs. The top reasons for using a broker are: •choice — access to multiple financial institutions; •rates — because brokers can choose from a number of lenders, they can usually offer the best rates; •costs — using a mortgage broker costs you nothing; •knowledge — brokers are trained and licensed through the B.C. government; and •flexibility — clients can choose whether to deal in person, on the phone or by email, whichever is most convenient for them. So if you are looking to purchase a new home, or refinance your current home, consider using a mortgage broker. All mortgage brokers are subject to the same training and licensing guidelines under the Financial Institution Commission of British Columbia, so you know you are in capable hands. Dean Bala is a mortgage broker and Realtor working out of the Creston Valley Realty office in Creston. For more information, he can be reached at 250 4023903 or dean_bala@yahoo.com.

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the head honcho occupying the Health Ministry? To you, Dr. Elemuo (my family doctor), I offer sincere regret, apology and sympathy that you have to endure this humiliation. As far as I know, it is not you who drives home in a Lincoln, nor am I aware that you have a few other business deals that you will try to devour tonight and flush them down with fancy liquid that travelled across the ocean from France. You are too busy making the morning rounds to see a few of your patients in the hospital, reviewing, referring

and, after work, attending to minor surgeries around 5 p.m. Every drop of sweat and hour of your day is for the good of this community. It took us, the despairing and destitute folks, a long time to get you here. What has transpired, and the conditions you and the other doctors have to presently endure is beyond tragic. On behalf of all the patients, I salute you and your stamina. On behalf of all the decent residents of this tiny town, I sincerely apologize to you and your family. Frank Belavy West Creston

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, May 1, 2014

Opinion Line

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 9

B.C. needs protection from environmental threat BY DAVID BLACK

I am the majority owner of Black Press, the company that owns this newspaper. This is the first of two columns addressing what I see as the greatest threat to the B.C. environment in our lifetime. I am a reasonably sensible and conservative businessman, not an alarmist. All of the information in this column can be confirmed from public sources. The oil industry wants to export Alberta bitumen to Asia via tankers. Under no circumstances should we allow that to happen. A bitumen spill at sea could destroy our coastline, together with the fish and wildlife that depend on it, for hundreds of years. Bitumen, even if it is diluted, does not float in sea water if there is sediment present. This has been proven many times, most recently in a thorough Environment Canada study published on Nov. 30. Page 51 of the study provides graphic evidence of sunken bitumen. Given that there is an abundance of sediment along the B.C. coast, the bitumen will sink rapidly and there will be little chance of recovering any of it if there is a spill. By Northern Gateway’s own admission the likelihood of a bitumen spill at sea is over 10 per cent over the next 50 years. Others say that it is much higher. We are in agreement with the position taken by the coastal First Nations that even the slightest risk of

David Black a spill of bitumen at sea is unacceptable. The grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989 is often held up as an example of how bad an oil spill at sea can be; however, a spill of bitumen at sea would be much worse. The Exxon Valdez carried light crude and lost 250,000 barrels, one eighth of a tanker load. The light oil floated and could be removed from the beaches. Even so, after four years of work with up to 11,000 workers and 1,400 boats involved, less than

Protection needed in W. Creston To the Editor: How close we came to losing our bridge to a wildfire on the south end of Nicks Island Road a very short time ago! A similar incident in the not too distant past was dealt with promptly and effectively by members of the West Creston Fire Protection Society, along with their spouses. They spent hours to extinguish the flames and many more hours to look after hot spots. They all had our safety and security at heart! The latest episode was looked after by the Ministry of Forests

Homelinks

From page 6 The discussion was confused and ill-informed, information was lacking or non-existent and I am willing to bet that some trustees voted against their own wishes, so confusing was the debate. If ever a meeting could have used a parliamentarian, this was it. Somewhere, Robert, who penned the Rules of

10 per cent of it was recovered. Roughly 200,000 birds and many kinds of other wildlife were killed. Approximately 1,300 miles of shoreline were affected and the fishery has yet to fully recover. Bitumen is very different. It would harden up on shore and much of it would sink to the bottom, making it unrecoverable and killing virtually everything with which it came in contact. Imagine if we lost a full tanker load. Some say that with GPSbased navigation and double hulls, spills such as Exxon Valdez are not possible today. They are wrong. Double hulls do not prevent hull fracture if there is a collision at speed, only if there is a gentle scrape. As for the GPS claim, most marine accidents are caused by human inattention, not by a lack of knowledge about position. All ships carried systems to indicate their location before GPS came along. The Exxon Valdez crew could have glanced at their instruments to determine their location but they didn’t; neither did the crew on the Queen of the North. Marine disasters regularly occur and a quick search of the Internet shows human error is most often the problem. Undoubtedly there will be many more marine accidents in future. Our grandchildren will not thank us if we willingly risk the destruction of the B.C. coast on our watch. Fortunately, there is a solution that is beneficial for all concerned: All we have to do is build a refinery at Kitimat. The refinery will convert the bitu-

people, who did an equally good job once they arrived. I ask all of the West Creston naysayers and especially the authors of some very nasty letters if they sat up and took notice! They attempted to tear the community apart by going public with their concerns, instead of taking the honourable face-to-face route, and there were those who did not have the intestinal fortitude to identify themselves. One of those so-called authors happens to often express his biased and hypocritical opinion in the Advance by offering little more than unprofessional drivel whenever he attempts to write. A bit of appreciation and less ridicule may be in order from an individual who obviously came to this country seeking a better life. George Esch West Creston Order, is spinning in his grave. Last week I wrote that I was watching the handling of the Homelinks issue as an indicator of whether school boards serve any valid purpose. One meeting is too small a sample to draw a final conclusion, but I do know I wouldn’t vote for anyone sitting around the board table on that afternoon. The level of discussion was appalling. Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.

men to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, which float and evaporate if they are spilled. Often little or no spill remediation is required. These refined fuels simply do not cause the habitat destruction of conventional or synthetic crude oil, or anywhere near the devastation caused by bitumen. The second part of this column will run in the next issue. It will discuss the enormous value-added benefits and environmental advantages of a modern green refinery. The pipeline from Alberta and the tanker fleet to export the refined fuels will also be considered. Let me declare my biases. I am for creating thousands of good

permanent jobs in B.C. I am for creating billions of new tax dollars for government coffers. I am for reducing the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions. I am for building an oil pipeline that will never leak. I am for building a modern tanker fleet that carries only refined fuels that float and evaporate if spilled. I am against shipping bitumen in tankers. If you agree that we should not put bitumen in tankers, please contact your local MP and say so. The Canadian government makes a decision on this this month. David Black is the chair and founder of Black Press, the largest private newspaper publisher in Canada.

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Thursday, May 1, 2014 Creston Valley Advance

Creston Skating Club

Annual General Meeting Monday, May 5 at 6:00 pm Sunshine Room at the Creston & District Community Complex

Lorne Eckersley

(From left) Creston Fire Rescue Chief Mike Moore and Creston Mayor Ron Toyota recently presented retiring firefighter Harold Standen with a silver horn.

Standen retires

From page 1 Standen became a Town of Creston public works employee, driving the garbage truck and other vehicles, so he was always on standby to respond to fires. “They told me that after I finished my garbage route I should just go the fire hall so they knew where I was,” he recalled. He kept busy maintaining equipment and servicing oxygen tanks. Fire departments are renowned for keeping fire trucks spotless and gleaming, but that

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doesn’t mean they are immune to problems. “We had a Model B Ford and one time it wouldn’t start. We had to push it down the road to get going,” he laughed. He spent most of his career as deputy chief, working under many different fire chiefs. Each had his own way of doing things, and Standen simply adapted as the years passed. His first big fire, he said, was a Royal Bank blaze on a New Year’s Eve. “I was at a dance and I ran down in my suit,” he said. “The water froze it solid. “Then there was the old rec centre. Fire went through that building like you wouldn’t believe.” A memory that stays with him is the fire that destroyed Prince Charles Secondary School early one morning in 1980. “My boys were going there at the time,” he said. Grad decorations set atop a heater in an adjacent building caught fire, which quickly spread to the main building. “Teachers entered through the front door and you know what happens then—the fire drew quickly right through the building and it was out of control.” He laughed when reminded about the Advance photo that caught principal Bill Goodchild exiting from the school, carrying a huge bass drum as volunteers scrambled to save band instruments. The biggest blaze, Standen said, might have been on the winter night when Sunset Seed Co. caught fire. “We could never have stopped that fire in a million years,” he said, shaking his head at the memory. Over the course of his career, Standen said he witnessed many changes. Firefighters used to have dedicated landline phones in their homes.

“When a call came in, everyone could pick up the phone and hear where the fire was. I could even ring the siren from my house. Then we used to pack pagers, but it’s all cellphones now.” Much of the appeal that kept him on the job for almost a halfcentury was the social aspect. “The friendships were amazing. And there was the ladies’ auxiliary — they did a lot of work behind the scenes.” Until recent years, more skills competitions against other towns were held and volunteers spent more time at the fire hall. “We used to play pool and poker after training but now after practice they’re gone,” he says of a young generation of firefighters. “Times change.” Standen has boxes of trophies and plaques that have accumulated over the years, but he said the legacy that makes him most proud is that his sons followed in his path. Larry, Wayne and Don were all volunteer firefighters. Two were captains and one worked in the ambulance service. Larry is now a paramedic in Fruitvale, Wayne is an advanced life support specialist and Don had a long career as a firefighter in Creston. Of his own career, Standen shrugs off the accomplishments. “I like to help people out,” he said. “But there is something we learned early — buildings can be replaced but people can’t. Safety comes first.” The Town of Creston honoured Standen with a retirement dinner, and at the April 15 council meeting he was presented with a silver horn, symbolic of the long history that volunteer firefighters have around the world. And, while he might not be responding to any more fires, he doesn’t plan to disappear entirely from the scene. “I said before I left, ‘I’ll be around to check on you guys!’ ”

TV Listings

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, May 1, 2014

Your TV Guide Legend

SERVING THE CRESTON VALLEY SINCE 1948

TV RATINGS:

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NR = Not Rated G = General Audiences PG = Parental Guidance Suggested

8 AM

8:30

9 AM

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Jasmine Lothien

Professional Counsellor D.V.A.T.I., B.C.A.T.R.

250-402-3262

Free Meditation Workshops

SATURDAY AFTERNOON / MAY 3