THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015
Volume 41, Issue 35
www.starjournal.net
PM0040030872
Barriere Emergency Room hour changes
2014
North Thompson Star/Journal
CCNA
Careless driving, smoking penalties on the way ..... page 2
Smoke fills North Thompson
STAR/JOURNAL photo: Jill Hayward
Heavy smoke from Washington wildfires prompted a health advisory from Interior Health over the weekend and into Monday for the North and South Thompson Regions. This photo was taken Saturday at Highway 5 and the North Thompson River in Louis Creek. Find more about smoky-skies on page 19.
Isobel Mackenzie, Seniors Advocate for B.C.
Office of the Seniors Advocate releases annual report ..... page 6
Kinder Morgan’s pipeline plans have helicopterskiing company nervous ..... page 10
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Interior Health is advising users of the Barriere Health Centre Emergency Room that the hours of operation will be changing in order to align health services to better meet the needs of the community, physicians and staff. As of Aug. 31, the Emergency Room and Health Centre will operate Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays. During the hours the Emergency Room is closed, residents should take note of the following: • In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1. • For non-urgent matters, residents may wish to use the emergency department or walk-in clinics in Kamloops or Clearwater. • If individuals are unsure about what services they require, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1. For more information, contact the Barriere Health Clinic at 250-672-9731.
BC Liquor Stores accepting donations to help wildfire victims North Thompson Star/Journal As wildfires continue to destroy property and force residents from their homes in Rock Creek and Oliver, BC Liquor Store customers can now support Red Cross relief efforts for fire victims by donating in stores throughout the province. To help those impacted by wildfires, the Red Cross asked BC Liquor Stores to join their relief efforts. This includes providing evacuees with immediate needs such as blankets, food and water, reuniting residents with family members, and as-
sisting with longer-term needs such as replacing equipment to return to work and helping with rent. Customers can make donations of $2 or $5 - or multiples thereof - at checkouts in 196 BC Liquor Stores province wide. “This is a tremendously stressful and difficult time for those impacted by the wildfires in the southern interior. Recovering from a disaster is usually a long and expensive journey, so we are very thankful for the support of the BC Liquor Distribution Branch and all its stores and customers who help their neighbours when they’re hit by a disaster,“ commented Kimberley Nem-
rava, Red Cross provincial director for B.C. and Yukon. BC Liquor Stores customers and employees have supported Red Cross disaster relief for humanitarian crises at home and abroad since 2003, when stores first collected donations to support victims affected by catastrophic wildfires raging that summer in the province, in cluding right here in the Louis Creek and Barriere area. Coralee Oakes, Minister Responsible for Liquor says, “Our thoughts are with our neighbours in Rock Creek and Oliver who are being devastated by these fires. Families have been separated and many
people are seeing their hard-earned homes and businesses destroyed. I applaud the Red Cross, BC Liquor Stores and our fellow British Columbians for coming together to make sure the people impacted by these fires have the support they need to navigate this tragedy and rebuild their lives.” An unusually warm summer has left B.C. forests extremely dry, and officials are concerned there is potential for more aggressive wildfire activity in these communities and others throughout the province. As of Aug. 16, 2015, the province had battled more than 1,600 wildfires this year.
S E R V I N G T H E N O RT H T H O M P S O N VA L L E Y F R O M H E F F L E Y C R E E K TO B L U E R I V E R
Terry Lake MLA Kamloops - North Thompson
618-B Tranquille Rd. Kamloops BC, V2B 3H6 Phone 250-554-5413 Fax 250-554-5417 email: terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca
www.terrylakemla.bc.ca