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Review Vol.17
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Number 18
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Head-on collision sends three to hospital Tara Bowie Review Staff
A longtime Hedley fire department member said the head-on collision on Saturday morning was the worst he’s seen that didn’t involve a death. “This is one of the worst disasters I’ve worked on that didn’t involve a fatal at the scene,” Hedley fire department spokesperson Graham Gore said. The head-on collision occurred about a kilometre west of Hedley and sent three people to hospital. The van, which was travelling west at the time of the collision, crossed the centre lines and crashed into the pickup truck. The van then veered out of control and went down an embankment on the south side of the highway. Gore said the van had a variety of tools in the back that were loose and caused injury to the lone male driver of the vehicle as it violently crashed and rolled down the embankment. When the call first came in it was thought one of the vehicles were on fire but that didn’t turn out to be the case.
“We did put a line down, a hose just in case but it wasn’t needed,” Gore said. RCMP Sgt. Barry Kennedy said an initial police investigation revealed the driver of the minivan fell asleep behind the wheel around 7:40 a.m. The drivers of both the van and the truck had to be extricated from their vehicles. Princeton fire cut the driver of the pickup truck out of his vehicle while Keremeos fire extricated the driver of the van. The driver of the van suffered serious injuries including broken bones and internal bleeding, Kennedy said. The driver was airlifted to Kelowna hospital where he remains. The road had to be closed to allow the air ambulance, which was coming from Kamloops, to land. Kennedy was unsure of the driver’s health status at the time of the interview. The driver and passenger of the pickup truck were taken to Penticton hospital with minor injuries. The driver stayed overnight in hospital for monitoring.
Mark Brett
A head-on collision on Highway 3 near Hedley sent three to hospital and closed both lanes of traffic for more than five hours Saturday.
It had been raining and light snow had occurred just before the collision, but road conditions were good, Kennedy said. He reminded motorists to use caution especially in the early hours and throughout the night.
“Although summer has arrived the overnight temperatures drop below zero and the roads become slippery and icy and bad conditions can still exist,” he said. The Hedley fire department was at the scene of the crash
first followed by ambulance. The Keremeos and Princeton fire detachments arrived at close to the same time. The highway was closed in both directions until about 1 p.m.
Review Staff
18th will mark the 77th year of an organized rodeo in the valley. This year some changes are taking place at what is dubbed “the largest amateur rodeo in the Okanagan.” Saturday afternoon is now going to showcase team roping and barrel racing instead of bull riding. “Unfortunately we have lost money in the past with the bull riders. The last two years some of our Sunday dollars we raised went to pay for the bull riders on Saturday,” she said. Because of the change in itinerary the Elks are offering a special rate to get in the gate Saturday of just $5 a person. Sunday events remain sanctioned by the BC Rodeo Association.
“We get cowboys from all over the place for the rodeo event,” she said. Events on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will start at 1 p.m. and usually wrap up around 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. but it’s never set in stone what time the event will be complete. There will be a dance Saturday night at the Victory Hall with live country music, the dance is intended to provide entertainment for the public in the evening. It is with regret that the BBQ will not be happening at Memorial Park this year. The Cattlemen’s Association had taken responsibility for the BBQ for many years with all proceeds going to the Elks.
Elks rodeo to rope-in crowds May long weekend
Submitted
The Elks Rodeo is set to ride again this year May 16, 17, 18. There are a few changes to this year’s lineup. Details in story.
Elks members and the community at large will tip their hats to two long term volunteers as the first full-year of Elks Rodeo planning and the event itself takes place without their support and guidance. Joe Reichert secretary / treasurer of the Elks and Murray Monroe manager of Valu Plus died weeks apart last May just before the annual Elks Rodeo. “They meant so much to the rodeo and the rodeo meant so much to them,” Reggie Reichert, Joe Reichert’s wife said. There’s a big emptiness with the two of them gone and both will be remember and missed. The weekend of May 16, 17 and
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