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RCMP seeks info about triple murder accused
SEDAZ SPIRIT Business owner nominated for award.
By Alicia Bridges Burns Lake/Interior News
OUR TOWN/A17
SYRUPY SCIENCE The art and science behind birch syrup.
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Burns Lake RCMP has called on the public to help its investigation into a triple homicide on April 27. Police want to hear from anybody who saw Burns Lake man Rueben Buhler between noon on April 26 and 9 a.m. the next day. Buhler could have been driving either a 1998 red and silver Dodge Ram 2500 or a 1992 teal green Ford Mustang convertible. The 54-year-old is facing three charges of second degree murder after the bodies of two men and a woman were found in a Burns Lake home on the 200 block of 5th Avenue in Burns Lake. A bulletin issued by RCMP said no information was too minor and urged anyone who saw Buhler during the noted time period to contact the Burns Lake RCMP detachment on 250-692-7171. Callers who want to remain anonymous can contact Robb Nisbet and the other members of Boarding for Brant hope to not have to jump over to many obstacles on the way to expanding the Smithers skatepark at Heritage Park. Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
NWCC budget cut Black Press
SPECIAL O AWARD Special Olympic award memorializes athlete.
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INSIDE LETTERS A7 COMMUNITY A9 A&E A15 OUR TOWN A17 THREE RIVERS A19 SPORTS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B4
Northwest Community College announced spending cuts of $1.4 million, primarily affecting its university course credit program. No academic courses will be cancelled, but where and how they are offered is to change, said college communications director Sarah Zimmerman. Smithers is affected most, with students taking university credit courses via teleconferencing, and fewer classes mean fewer instructors. “We’ve been working with our unions offering early retirement and severance packages,” she added. The more employees take retirement or severance packages the fewer jobs lost, said Zimmerman. Some instructors are also told they’ll be teaching less. Employee cuts amount to the equivalent of 14.5 full-time positions. Zimmerman said the shortfall is from receiving less money from the province and less tuition because student enrolment has dropped. The cut reduces the college’s base budget to just over $22 million. A large financial loss is from the province cutting a $494,000 grant to provide tuition-free adult basic education. The college will now charge the same tuition for adult basic education as for university level academic courses. Students can also apply to the province for financial assistance, dependent on their income. Despite the cuts, Zimmerman said the college remains a viable educational institution. “There is demand for what we offer – trades, fine arts, health, business programs, university transfer.” The college board will officially vote on the budget next month.
Chris Gareau photo
Group plans doubling size of skatepark By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
About a dozen young skateboarders packed Smithers council chambers last Tuesday to support a delegation championing a $500,000 expansion of the skatepark at Heritage Park. Boarding for Brant, named in memory of Brant Holenstein who died in a farm accident two years ago, wants to expand the skatepark to 10,000 square feet. The current skatepark was built in 1997. Boarding member Robb Nisbet said the old park is holding up well, but things have changed over the last 18 years. “It’s getting a lot more popular and involving a lot more family,” said Nisbet, a skateboarder with four kids of his own. “To make a space that can
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accommodate the fast, more hardcore advanced skaters; and have a place that’s a little safer maybe tucked away to the side that little kids can roll around in,” explained Nisbet on the ultimate goal. Benches, walkways, trees and lighting would be incorporated into the design. The group is not seeking money from the Town of Smithers, but asked to use town resources to help with planning. It has raised $29,000 so far from a Wetzinkwa grant, the most recent Rotary auction, and the Bulkley Freeride Society. Mayor Taylor Bachrach said staff would sit down with the group to see how they can help. “It hits on a bunch of points that council has been really supportive of: youth recreation, affordable recreation; we’re an active community,” said Bachrach. “It was great to see a bunch of young people in the gallery... it’s great to see they did so much groundwork.”
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