TUESDAY JUNE 30, 2015
It’s Canada Day up Canada Way
Kid Going Global TaketoA the Course Ice look to replace July 6 - 31
There will be no newspaper published Wednesday, July 1. Publication will resume Thursday, July 2
Bozon, Valiev at on the Rec 9 CHL import draft Kids Golf Free! Page 8
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Vol. 64, Issue 124
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BC Justice Minister talks restorative justice, rural issues Suzanne Anton visits Cranbrook to gather feedback TRE VOR CR AWLEY
Justice Minister Suzanne Anton is in Cranbrook to meet with various local politicians and community leaders to gather feedback on issues in rural communities. Anton met with city councillors on Monday morning, before meeting with other groups such as Restorative Justice board members, the RCMP detachment and the local bar association. “I’m visiting to say hello and find out what the issues are to different organizations in Cranbrook that relate to the Ministry of Justice,” said Anton, who was appointed to cabinet two years ago and also serves as the Attorney General. “It’s very friendly, very interesting to me and also very informative to me.”
Four board members of the local Restorative Justice program met with Anton and Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett to talk about the challenges of delivering program services. “Restorative Justice does a very good job putting together victims of crimes with the perpetrators. Most are minor offences and ones where the matter can be resolved in an informal way without going to a formal court process,” Anton said. “Certainly, restorative justice programs around the province keep people out of the court system and it’s their role to put victims into the equation so that the offender can meet the victim and they can work together on restorative solutions.”
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Fire danger high to extreme in EK C AROLYN GRANT
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
Sunday Wild and Reno Jack kicked off the 2015 Summer Sounds concert series in Rotary Park on Saturday, June 27. Up next is Joshua Burning, performing Wednesday, July 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Jan Van Gold on Saturday, July 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The fire danger rating is high in the entire East Kootenay and extreme in areas around Jaffray and Fernie, the Southeast Fire Centre reports. At present, there is a four-man initial attack crew on one fire near Wardner, says Sanny Bernard from the Southeast Fire Centre. “However, we did have a lot of lightning with no rain over Sunday night and it could take time for those lightning fires to show up. We could be looking at the effect of that dry lightning into this week.” Which brings us to Canada Day. Bernard wants to emphasize that fireworks are currently banned, so private fireworks celebrations cannot happen. “Cities that don’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Fire Centre can apply for their own permit with the cooperation of their fire chief,” Bernard said. “That is independent of us.”
The City of Cranbrook was intending to go ahead with their Canada fireworks at press time. The question looming of course, is whether there will be a campfire ban imposed in the coming days. And that is partially up to residents themselves, Bernard says. “It has been really dry and we haven’t gotten the normal amount of rain in June. Putting on a campfire ban is based on fire load and also on the number of incidents of non-compliance. The public will be notified if a ban is put on. “Right now campfires are allowed if they are kept small, never left untended and are completely extinguished before leaving. That means turned with a hand tool and at least eight litres of water. The ashes should be cool to touch before you leave the fire. “Our wardens found five abandoned campfires over the weekend and that’s too many.”