TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2015
STUDIO 64
FALL JAZZ SERIES
See LOCAL NEWS page 4
BIG SHOW
THE SHEEPDOGS TO PLAY KEY CITY
See LOCAL NEWS page 5
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ALR boundary review pending Some properties in Area B and E to be excluded from ALR C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
FARGO BY DOUG COURSE
Over 250 entries were received for the 3rd annual Kimberley Larch Festival photo contest. Fifty of those entries made the final judging stage, which took place Thursday Nov 5th at Stonefire Pizza in Kimberley. Prizes included lip balm, eggs, kindling, wine, cycling jerseys and even a night at Sullivan Stone on the ski hill. The contest organized by Randy and Krista Moody began three years ago as a celebration of fall. The larch tree is of local significance for its glorious fall colour. Photographers post pictures on Facebook in various categories including, Just Larch, Recreation, Alpine larch, Kimberley Larch and tasteful nude Larch. Over 115 people attended the gala to vote for the winner in each category. The overall best in the show went to Doug Course with his “Fargo in the Larch”. For more winning photos check out Kimberley Larch Festival on Facebook. (Chris Newel)
Canal Flats looking Search warrant at difficult transition KIMBERLEY RCMP
and arrest for drug trafficking CPL. CHRIS NE WEL For the Bulletin
A 45 year old male was arrested for drug trafficking after a warrant was executed on Rotary Drive in Kimberley on Nov 5. The Cranbrook/ Kimberley Crime Reduction unit had been conducting an investigation on the subject for several months. They were able to obtain sufficient evidence for a search warrant which they executed the evening of Nov 5. Once inside police located cocaine, MDMA, Magic Mushrooms, cash and evidence to support the charge of trafficking. The subject was released for court in Jan 2016 on a number of conditions. Police are recommending charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking.
Canal Flats mill officially closes TRE VOR CR AWLEY
The Village of Canal Flats is about to transition into a new era this week as the Canfor sawmill will officially close on Monday. The mill site, which has been in operation in one form or another since the 1960s, had a shift reduction in May that cut over 80 jobs, before a permanent closure was announced in September. Canal Flats mayor Ute Juras says it’s been a tough time for the mill employees and the community after a monthly meeting of Regional District of East Kootenay directors on Friday. “We had our last day yesterday— most of the guys were finished yesterday, I believe we still have a few guys working today,” Juras said. “Monday is
the official closing date of the mill and that’ll be it. “There’s a sombre tone in the Village right now, we’re very sad and it’s the end of an era for us, but we are moving forward, we do have a working group now moving on, which is a close group, but we’re moving forward and we’re looking at other opportunities.” There was a sense in the Village that the mill was struggling, but Juras said the way it closed so suddenly is what caught everyone off guard. She noted that they thought they had more time to get a strategy together to diversify the local economy. “We’d already been planning on that because it had been looming over our heads. The shock about it is that we thought we had a few more years to plan, so now we just have to speed up the process a little bit,” Juras said. See Page 4
The Agricultural Land Commission is reviewing Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) boundaries in RDEK Areas E and B. In Area E, the ALR is looking at properties from Kimberley to Skookumchuk and St. Mary Lake and parts of Wycliffe. In Area B, the area is roughly described as Jaffray to Grasmere. Public meetings have been scheduled. For Area B, the meeting is called for 7 p.m. on Wednesday November 18, 2015. The meeting will be held at the Jaffray Community Hall. For Area E, the hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday November 19, 2015. The meeting will be held at the Wasa Community Hall. According to the ALC, the purpose of an ALR boundary review is to refine the ALR boundaries in a particular geographic area so that they encompass land that is both capable and suitable for agricultural use. Discussion is already beginning in the community as there is some confusion as to what criteria were used to determine whether a property will be excluded or not. For instance, in the Meadowbrook area, one property has received a letter saying it is being considered for exclusion, while a neighbour received no such letter. Area E Director Jane Walter says that the RDEK really has had no input as to what is being excluded and what is not. “I was quite distressed to read the letter that said
the ALC was working with us, but they weren’t,” Walter said. “We knew it was coming but when we finally got the maps, some properties that we thought were coming out, didn’t, and some properties came out, when we thought they were staying in. “It seems decision making went on size and unfortunately didn’t look at what type of soil or access to water.” There are both pros and cons to being within the ALR. If you are within it, subdividing your property is next to impossible. If your property is pulled out, there are tax issues. “If you are within the ALC, you’ve been getting a tax benefit,” Walter said. “By being pulled out, you will no longer get that benefit.” Walter said she didn’t know the dollar value of that benefit. She does agree that there are some properties that don’t belong in the ALR. “I do have struggles with a one or two acre place being in the ALR. You can’t farm a property that small. Some 10-acre properties, you could be farming.” Her issue, she says, is that she really doesn’t understand how the decisions as to which properties are in and which are out, were made. “There was no driving around and looking that I know of,” she said. The Bulletin has reached out for comment to Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett and a spokesperson for the ALC, and will follow up when those comments are received.