Hooterville Ferry talks evictions
Mud lands volcano QCS village contract page page
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Skidegate’s 15 minutes Breast Cancer Awareness
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Coho Derby results Whooping cough
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OBservER OBSERVER
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Friday, May23, 1, 2015 Friday, October
Shortage ofrattles Earthquake beds but fails to mental health startle nerves workers resolved By Marple By Stacey Stacey Marple Haida Haida Gwaii Gwaii Observer Observer
The morning April 24, The early urgent call forofa Friday new mental health Haida Gwaii was hit by an Earthquake of 6.1 worker for children and youth on Haida magnitude. No tsunami warnings were issued Gwaii has been met. A new worker has after the earthquake. The epicentre of the stepped in to fill the gap in service that quake approximately 167 km south Haida was Gwaii has faced since spring thisof the Village of Queen Charlotte. year. Some Haida Gwaii reported Angusresidents Wilson, of superintendent of School objects shaking and windows rattling, but no District 50, along serious damage or injuries were reported. with fellow educaAs the islands of Haida Gwaii all have tors wrote a letter unique geological to the Ministry ofqualities, the effects of an earthquake can vary from island to island. Child and Family Every community Development, reported feeling the quake in different ways. Queen urging officials to Charlotte Village which has base didn’t feel the quake as much findaarock solution. as “A the number residentsofof the northern parts of Graham island. Tlell and north is mostly a sand based incidents have area and feels almost every quake that happens. occurred on Haida Shirley Wilson Gwaii or in our of Skidegate reported feeling thecommuearthquake. “I was sitting in my extended bed when I heard nity over the last the house creak.” After the initial creak she felt her bed start rocking - Gayle Duteil year that demand and noticed her ornaments rocking. “The a more compreornaments rocked for a while after the quake hensive approach stopped,” Ms. told the Observer. “My to supporting Wilson our son and brother who were in the house youth,” Mr. Wilson wrotealso in his letter. didn’t feel the earthquake at all.” Principal Verena Gibbs Tahayghen Barry Pages of written Masset, adirector of the earElementary had letter herself Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District lier in the year urging the ministry to help, said he felt the quake but because it was fairly stating that “based on my observations, the short wasn’t too concerned.the However, he need he on-island, particularly north end, added, is a reminder to every one to be exceeds“This the amount of support available.” prepared.” Mr. Wilson told the Observer there are Earthquakes are nothingthat newservice to Haida two teacher counsellors the Gwaii. The quake comes just weeks a youth and children of Haida Gwaii.after Their study identi ed Haida Gwaii as ground zero resources are stretched trying to cover all for the next major seismic event on with the west schools on Haida Gwaii, but now the coast. new CYMH worker it’s expected the gap This earthquake will berecent sufficiently filled.doesn’t qualify as theThe bigrecent one scientists predict, as Columbia it was smaller Union of British than even some of the aftershocks the 7.7 Municipalities Conference saw aafter resolution magnitude earthquake in 2012. requesting the province to develop a long The multi-faceted same weekendstrategy that Haida Gwaiipeople got term, to help hit by this 6.1 tremor, Nepal was devastated suffering from mental health and addiction by a 7.8 magnitude event. issues. Earthquakes between a 6.0 and a 6.9 are See on Page 5 considered a strong on theHEALTH Richter scale.
“The police and criminal justice system have become the default care provider....”
Stacey Marple photo
photo Students of Queen Charlotte Secondary took part in the B.C. Shake Out Oct. 15. A provincial wide drillSubmitted for earthquake Committee members of the Pulling Together Haida Gwaii Event demonstrate their teamwork abilities at the carving shed in the preparedness. . Kay Centre. The group will be holding a fund raiser May 2. See full story on Page 3
Search and rescue suspended aftercamp Day 3 Logging threatens adventure By Marple By Stacey Quinn Bender Haida Observer Haida Gwaii Gwaii Observer Mount Moresby Adventure The search for Kumdis Ilsandcamp resihas active since the 2000s’ dent,been Brent Hendren, wasearly suspended but is now facing its biggest threat last weekend following one of Haida yet. Like many other areas on Haida Gwaii’s largest search and rescue Gwaii, home of thethan adventure camp operations in more 25 years. at “I Mosquito lake on Moresby know for a fact that if heIsland was is under threat logging. alive outthe there we of would have found Joanne Hager, the would camp, him. There’s nodirector chanceofwe says logging willThe affect the future havethe missed him. community of the camp’s educational aspects. should know we did everything we “It would could really to affect programpossibly findour him,” said ming. perSAR cent manager of our outdoor Chris Ninety Ashurst, with education all happens in that forest,” Archipelago Ground Search and Ms. Hager “It isunit precious us, Rescue andsaid. deputy leadertowith
Prince Rupert’s
“Ninety peracent “I know for fact of if our that heoutdoor was alive education out thereall wehappens would in that forest.” have found him.” - Joanne Hager - Chris Ashurst
educational wise.” The proposed logging area is actually used to teach the youth and Massett Marine Rescue. children about the logging industry. Mr. Hendren, 27, was last seen The forest also is home to the trails rowing out to his Kumdis Island the camp useswith to access streams and cabin rental supplies Sunday
waterfalls for the and morning, April 18. of Hestudy missedfish dinner other of nature in the plans aspects with friends later thatarea. night. Ms.following Hager saysTuesday she understands The Masset the appeal to log athemissing area, but urges RCMP received persons decision makersled to consider it’s other report, which to the discovery values as well. “It is high value timber Mr. Hendren’s boat abandoned and which can besouth easily of accessed. are overturned Watun We River not against logging,” she says, adding near Pure Lake Provincial Park. the“Itislands schools’ outdoorthat education is strongly believed Brent and forestry programs alsocapsized use the drowned when his rowboat camp forKumdis educational purposes. west of Island,” Mr. Ashurst If the logging of the forest beside the said. “This is based on information camp goes through, the area of will from witnesses, the location thenever capbe thevessel, same educationally or landscape sized and the distribution of his wise, Ms.effects Hageralong says. the shoreline. personal See CAMP on Page2
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