Wednesday Sept. 9, 2015 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST Included
Crops ahead of schedule agriculture: Fair entries affected by drought, seasonal change. By Martha Wickett OBSeRveR STAFF
The calendar on the wall might say Sept. 9 today, but it seems to be late September, or perhaps early October, in the plant world. “We’re going to cancel school tours this year,” said Brad deMille of deMille’s Farm Market. “We have to cut down the maze corn; it’s beyond mature. There will be no pumpkins and no corn maze.” He explains the corn was done within two weeks, and the squash and pumpkins are ready now. Asked about the popular pumpkin cannon event, he says he thinks it will have to be cancelled too. debbie evans, who has a degree in agriculture and is co-ordinator at the Salmon Arm Fair, agrees the season has Brad DeMille changed this year, with Farm market an early spring moving owner in to an early fall. Another factor affecting growth in some varieties has been the summer’s provincewide drought. The lack of rain has affected field crops, she says, noting bailed hay entries are down. Other entries affected by the early season are flowers. “Some classes of flowers, there are no entries at all,” she says. “Roses have taken a beating.” The early season has been great for vegetable entries, though, such as tomatoes, which are “unbelievable.” evans has heard people saying their cucumbers and zucchinis are big this year, so she has been hoping they will last till the fair. See Some consumers on page A2
Evan BuhlEr/OBSeRveR
Flying leap
Salmon Arm’s Gage Oddy, one of the defensive players of the game, dives after Maple Ridge’s quarterback Cole Dowart to make a shoestring tackle during the bantam Chargers first game of the season at SASCU Sports Fields at Little Mountain on Saturday, Sept. 5. The home team won 39-6.
Safeway closing in November By Martha Wickett OBSeRveR STAFF
Rumours about Safeway shutting down have circulated before, but this time it’s true. The store in centenoka Park Mall will close its doors on Thursday, nov. 5, probably about 6 p.m., says Keri Scobie, communications manager for Western canada for Sobeys Inc. In 2013, Sobeys Inc. acquired Safeway opera-
This week The Salvation Army Food Bank needs help to replenish its stores. See how to donate on A9. The Salmon Arm Fair opens Friday, with the parade to follow Saturday morning. See A22.
tions in canada. “These are never easy decisions to make when you close a store, particularly with the impact it has on employees...,” she said. “This is really a regular part of our business operations. We continuously are evaluating our options to ensure we have the right store formats in the right market. We look at lots of factors – demographics, location, cost of improve-
ments, historical sales and the competitive landscape.” She said 48 employees will be affected, “some of whom may move to other locations within our store network.” lance Johnson, general manager of the mall, said he wasn’t aware Safeway was closing when the Observer called Tuesday. However, he said, he’s been hearing the rumour over the past 10 years, so he has con-
tingency plans in place. “I don’t think there’s another location in Salmon Arm that can offer what that location offers. I think most retailers throughout canada can see that. Most of these guys would say, ‘let’s go to the number 1 spot in Salmon Arm,’” he said, referring to visibility and highway access. The Safeway store has been operating in Salmon Arm since 1980.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A17-A20 Arts & Events ... A21-A23 Time Out....................A24 Vol. 108, No. 36, 48 pages