PROFILE: Block Watch coming to Houston
COMMUNITY: Saturday in Houston
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Beanstalk services By Xuyun Zeng
stating that they qualify because they have been classified as a notfor-profit charitable organization, and both the province and Houston provides grants to fund their operations. “The tax exemption will assist us on expanding and improving the services that we provide to the citizens of Houston,” services coordinator Angelique Batley said. “We’re currently working on adding some additional programming to our Houston community services centre and with the $2,400, we’ll also look into adding improvements to the daycare centre itself.” Other community organizations that have an existing tax exemption include churches, a Sikh temple and other community associations.
Houston Today
CANFOR BBQ
Robin Vander Heide/Houston Today
Wheat Lam serving Lakelyn Lawless a smokie at a free BBQ sponsored by Canfor Saturday afternoon at Steelhead Park. Lee’s Garden staff catered the BBQ lunch, with a wide selection of salads, burgers, and smokies. Paul’s Bakery provided the beautiful Canfor cake.
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Council has approved the property tax exemption request of the Beanstalk Daycare and Preschool. Council debated over approving the daycare and decided that the daycare should have a property exemption from 2016 onwards because it complies with the Community Charter, the District’s Bylaws and existing tax exemptions, according to a memo from the town’s finance director. The Houston Community Services Association runs the daycare centre and will approximately $2,400 from next year, which the memo said “is not significant in terms of tax revenues raised by the District.” The Association put forth the request
One fish a day is the current Babine sockeye limit Flavio Nienow Black Press
According to Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam, although the sockeye salmon count at Babine Lake has slightly improved, it is still not enough to allow commercial harvest in the lake. The total return of
Skeena sockeye for the year is estimated at approximately 900,000. Chief Adam explained that there would have to be at least 1.05 million sockeye for commercial harvest to be considered. The 900,000 estimate is drastically lower than the pre-season estimate of over three
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million. According to the Skeena Fisheries Commission (SFC), this year’s Skeena sockeye return has been significantly weaker than expected. All species other than coho and pink salmon are returning at less than historic decadal averages. Fisheries and
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Oceans Canada allows limited recreational fishing for Skeena sockeye below the 1.05 million threshold. At Babine Lake, the limit for recreational fishers is of one sockeye salmon per day. The possession limit, however, is two daily limits. The British Columbia sport fishPkg
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ing regulations state that people may possess only twice the daily limit of all species. This possession limit applies per person whether they or someone else caught the fish. There are currently no restrictions on First Nations fishing in the Skeena River. However, if the overall run pro-
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jections drop below 550,000, this will trigger consultation with First Nations to limit their fisheries. Under Canadian law, Skeena First Nations will maintain priority access over all other Skeena sockeye fishery. “We’re still monitoring the situation closely,” said Chief Adam.
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