MONDAY
AUGUST 18, 2014
See this week for images of Cranbrook’s first multicultural festival
< Campfire ban rescinded Local fire rating now at moderate-low | Page 2
Return of the Wax Man >
Wax Mannequin in Cranbrook Tuesday | Page 5
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Vol. 63, Issue 158
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
www.dailytownsman.com
Teachers happy mediator joining in negotiations TRE VOR CR AWLEY Daily Townsman
As summer begins to wind up, the teachers’ union and the provincial government are still in negotiations for a new bargaining agreement following action from both sides last spring. Teachers in Trail headed back to the picket lines last week, however, there are no immediate plans for local educators to do the same, according to Shelley Balfour, president of Cranbrook District Teachers’ Association. “Our job action would begin in the last week of August,” said Balfour. “No plans as of now.
Teachers are still locked out from the schools, they can’t go into the schools—that part is still going on—but we are not picketing any of the local sites at this time.” Teachers generally use the latter half of August to get into classrooms and prepare for a new school year, she added. On Friday, the BC Teachers’ Federation and the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association issued a joint statement indicating that veteran mediator Vince Ready will be engaging both sides in order to get serious negations rolling.
See TEACHERS, Page 4
Lightning strike sparks fires in South Country SUBMIT TED
ARNE PETRYSHEN PHOTO
Odd Aasland stands next to one of his museum-quality works at Aasland Museum of Taxidermy. Odd is retiring and so is hoping to find homes for the many critters that are housed in the building off highway 2B. Story and photos page 3.
For the second time this week, swift response by neighbours and the volunteers of the Baynes Lake Fire Department quickly contained four small fires in the tiny rural community of Kragmont near Baynes Lake. “This afternoon, a lightning bolt hit a fence, creating an arc that lit four separate fires within 300 metres of the original strike,” explains Jaffary / Baynes Lake Fire Chief Dave Boreen.
“Had it not been for the quick action of the neighbours who saw the fire start and the assistance of the truck and firefighters from Baynes Lake, the situation could have been a lot worse.” The four fires were very quickly brought under control, but Boreen says it serves as a reminder to everyone in the region about the continued dry conditions.
See LIGHTNING , Page 4
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