Inside
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CONVICT GETS APPEAL P. 3 EDITORIAL P. 4
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GARDEN ART SHOW P. 7 JUNIOR GOLF TOURNAMENT P. 8
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Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Vanderhoof men charged for Prince George’s first murder in 2015
Anna Pye (left) and Fabia Rombach enjoyed distinct art styles at the Garden Art Show & Tea on Aug.15. VIVIAN CHUI photo
See GARDEN ART SHOW, page 7
The suspects were familiar to the police for activity in the region and southwards down to Merritt Vivian Chui Omineca Express
Region’s living wage now known Minimum hourly earning needed to live in Vanderhoof, Fort St. James, and Quesnel is calculated for the first time Vivian Chui Omineca Express We now know how much a family needs to earn per hour to cover basic expenses in Vanderhoof and surrounding communities, according to a local credit union. Calculated for the first time in north central B.C. by Integris Credit Union based on the Living Wage for Families Campaign’s equations, the area’s living wage — the hourly amount that covers basic living costs such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation — in 2015 is $16.82/hour. “It’s a scenario that tries to encompass as much
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y Calenda
as possible,” said Cori Ramsay, the project’s spearhead. The equation includes food data from B.C.’s dietitians, the region’s rent and transportation costs according to Canadian government data, as well as daycare costs and post-secondary education for families with children. Originally calculated for Prince George, the amount can be applied to Fort St. James, Vanderhoof, and Quesnel, Ramsay noted, upon consultation with the Living Wage for Families Campaign staff. “A lot of smaller communities are having trouble doing these equations, just because there’s not enough data,” she said. “For example, the CMHC might not do housing assessment for Vanderhoof.” Despite the lack of specific data for certain communities, the figure would not be far off, Ramsay said.
Integris’ Cori Ramsay, with a background in social work stuides, led the project.
See PAY MATCHES NEED, page 3
SUBMITTED photo
unit 2015 Comm F O O H R E Introducing Vanderhoof’s Own -D VAN
Three Vanderhoof men are now facing charges for Prince George’s first murder of the year. Jordan McLeod from Prince George was killed on Upper Fraser Road on Jan.16, 2015, according to the city’s RCMP. Sebastian Martin was arrested earlier last week on the Saik’uz Reserve south of Vanderhoof, while brothers Darren and Kurtis Sundman have been in police custody since February for other matters, said Cpl. Wade Harvey from the RCMP’s detachment in Vanderhoof. Harvey noted that while the three were known to the police before, the Sundman brothers have been previously charged for activity in Vanderhoof, Prince George, Quesnel, and even as far south as Merritt. “This was a very comprehensive investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions,” said Sgt. Todd Wilson, Serious Crime Unit Commander of Prince George RCMP. “Along with the Detachment General Investigative Services and our Major Crime Unit, we were assisted by RCMP Officers from Vanderhoof, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Merritt, the North District Major Crime Unit, BC Provincial Interview Team, Prince George General Duty Members, and the Prince George Police Dog Service Unit, which spent countless hours in assisting us while we were looking for Jordan.” On Jan.19, McLeod was reported missing. Three days later, his body was found by a man dog-walking northwest of the city by Kaykay Forest Service Road and past the end of Nukko Lake Road.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
featuring A CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN VANDERHOOF Vanderhoof’s Community Calendar will be a celebration of what makes Vanderhoof and area special. Calendar Features: Printed on high quality book stock High gloss, full process colour cover If you would like to advertise with us please call: 250-567-9258 Omineca you by the Brought to
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