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Wednesday, February 18, 2015
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PR LNG pipeline clearing expected by fall By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
ZONE CHAMPIONS Grade 8 girls’ bball win northwest zones.
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GOING FOR GOLD Moricetown teens learn from Olympian.
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Pre-construction clearing for the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project is expected to start before the leaves start falling this autumn. The LNG pipeline route travels just north of the Hazeltons on its way from northeast B.C. to Lelu Island near Prince Rupert. Project president Dean Patry told the crowd gathered at the Smithers District Chamber of Commerce Thursday that prime contractors for the TransCanada pipeline will likely be hired in the second quarter of this year. Community outreach for local subcontractors and employees for the pre-construction is set for the third quarter. Assuming Patry’s hope that permits from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission are given soon, construction camps would be built about every 100 kilometres along the 900-kilometre route. He said part of the deal with contractors includes having a detailed plan to hire locally for the labour, pipefitting, operating engineer, driving, and administrative jobs that will need to be filled. Challenges to the project include First Nation and environmental opposition, and waiting for an investment decision from PETRONAS, the Malaysianbased energy company that would export the liquified natural gas once construction of the pipeline was completed. Construction would take three to five years and is set to begin in 2016. See STRONG OPPOSITION on A2
PILING ON THE PAINT Quinten Remillard, Ashton Wille and Kalum Parker douse their snow volcano in blue and red paint during Muheim Elementary School’s Carnaval De Quebec last Friday. Students spent the day participating in sledge rides and bin races. For more photos, see page A13. Kendra Wong photo
Two Smithers men facing drug charges By Kendra Wong Smithers/Interior News
Two Smithers men have been charged in connection with a major $5-million drug seizure in Calgary earlier last week. On Feb. 12, seven search warrants were executed in Calgary, resulting in the arrest of 12 suspects in connection to
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an organized crime group who were allegedly supplying drugs throughout the province. The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams seized 40 kilograms of cocaine, 11,597 fentanyl pills, 1.2 kg of methamphetamine, 545 grams of heroin, 182 grams of MDMA, 450 grams of marijuana and 60 kg of Phenacetin. A variety of weapons were
also seized along with a total of $600,000 cash and five high-end luxury vehicles. Twelve people are facing 66 charges, including conspiracy, organized crime, drugs, weapons and proceeds of crime; of the suspects thirtyone-year-old Todd Randall Chapman and twenty-sevenyear-old Dennis Galen Ross, of Smithers are facing charges in connection with seizure.
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