Wednesday June 18, 2014 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST Included
Teachers’ job action escalates By Chelsea Grainger OBSeRVeR STAFF
The ongoing job action by teachers, which is now a full-scale strike, continues to make waves across School district #83. On Monday, teachers and their supporters from throughout the district were in Salmon Arm. carrying picket signs and banners, they walked through downtown, stopping at the school district office, as well as that of Shuswap MlA Greg Kyllo, to make themselves heard. The full-scale strike began on Tuesday, with teachers seeking smaller class sizes, more classroom support and a pay raise. Over the weekend, the Bc Teachers Federation (BcTF) dropped their wage demands to eight per cent over five years from the previous 9.75 over four plus annual cost-of-living adjustments. The Bc Public School employer’s Association (BcPSeA) proposed a wage increase of 7.25, up from their initial offer of seven per cent, but a deal could not be reached in time to avert the strike. each side is saying it’s up to the other to decide if a deal can be reached or not. In anticipation of the potential strike, students packed up their belongings on Friday – quite possibly the last school day of the year. Although classes are currently cancelled, School district #83 issued a statement that graduation ceremonies and provincial exams will See strike on page A2
Chelsea GrainGer/OBSeRVeR
Message: Teachers gathered near the school board office on Shuswap Street Monday, chanting, “Kids matter, teachers care.” Full picket lines went up Tuesday.
JaMes Murray/OBSeRVeR
Crime scene: Two men have now been charged with second-degree murder for a shooting that took place on Blind Bay Road in 2011 and resulted in the death of Nicholas Larsen of Sorrento.
Pair arrested for murder
Blind Bay shooting: Police link 2011 homicide to verbal dispute. By Kathy Michaels BlAcK PReSS
Some of the mystery lingering over a 2011 gangland-style killing in Blind Bay was lifted at a Kelowna press conference Monday morning, where Mounties announced a significant break in the case. Williams lake resident Jeremy Wayne davis, 24, and Mission resident Jordan larry Barnes, 27, were arrested last week and each face a charge of second-degree murder for the death of Sorrento man, nicholas cole larsen. “The Southeast district Major crime unit led the investigation which determined that larsen, 24, was shot while travelling in a friend’s vehicle in what appeared to be a targeted attack,” said Insp. Terry Kohlhauser, RcMP Southeast district senior investigating offi-
This week A fire completely destroyed a building near Mellor’s Country Store on Friday. See more on A3. Hundreds of people descended on the wharf for the annual Kids’ Fishing Derby. See A15.
cer, at the Kelowna press as a “big guy with a big conference. heart” was hit several In the investigation into times and succumbed to who killed larsen and his injuries shortly therewhat their motivation may after on a nearby friend’s have been, it was revealed property. that there had been a disKohlhauser said one of pute in Sorrento between the two men arrested this two groups of men a couweek was an acquaintance ple of hours before the of larsen, but didn’t idenNicholas Larsen shooting. tify which one. He also Homicide At some point after that wouldn’t go into the navictim argument, the vehicle in ture of the argument bewhich larsen was riding tween the parties involved. was forced off the road by another also He did say the crime was not gangtravelling on Blind Bay Road, said related, despite appearances otherwise. Kohlhauser. Rumours that the crime was motivated An occupant of the suspect vehicle by the drug trade were also not adthen allegedly opened fire and multiple dressed. bullets riddled the vehicle in which Although the arrest can’t dull the larsen was riding. See Family on page A2 The man who loved ones described
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Time Out..................... A8 Life & Times ............. A12 Sports................A15-A19 Arts & Events ... A20-A22 Vol. 107, No. 25, 44 pages