THE www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
Review Vol.17
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Number 49
Thursday, December 3, 2015
$1.15 including GST
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Skating rink ready to go Tara Bowie Review Staff
Stef Laramie
Keremeos Search and Rescue fundraising dinner was sold out Saturday night at the Wrong Turn Tavern. The evening included dinner, draws, entertainment and even some dancing. The money raised will go towards operating and training of the vital search and rescue group.
Scammers relentless in Similkameen Tara Bowie Review Staff
In the last two weeks more than 16 residents reported receiving a scam call from someone claiming they were from the Canada Revenue Agency and one person was conned and is now out thousands of dollars. Const. Ovi Todor said once money is wired off to scammers it is very difficult to get back. “We’re investigating and working with other agencies but it’s very difficult,” he said. “It’s been reported to headquarters and we continue to work on it.” Most money wire transfers agencies have policies that clients are responsible for knowing where the money is going so they aren’t held liable.
Those policies are making it difficult to track who was the recipient of the money and where they are located. Todor said people who receive calls from the CRA scammers will most likely receive similar calls detailing other scams. “Most of the time they are dialing random numbers. They put 250-499 and then four other numbers in sequence usually. Once they speak to somebody they validate the telephone number and then they sell it,” he said. The victims will then start receiving calls from people claiming their granddaughter is in jail or someone is in hospital or they have inherited money for a few examples of other scams that are underway at this time. The Canada Revenue Agency scam
sometimes begins that the person is owed a refund or a benefit plan. The caller asks for personal information such as social insurance number, credit card number, bank account or passport number. Or the call could be about debt owed and threats of police attending their home within an hour if the debt is not paid. Other communications urge taxpayers to visit a fake CRA website where the taxpayer is then asked to verify their identity by entering personal information. Anyone who receives a call from Canada Revenue Agency can verify by calling the CRA back or checking their account online. The CRA never sends emails including links asking people to divulge personal financial information.
If the weather holds out the outdoor ice rink at the Similkameen Recreation Centre will slide into operation this year without any challenges. “This has been the best weather for putting in ice,” facility manager Karl Donoghue said. “We’re right on track for opening.” Last year staff battled a bout of warm weather days before the rink was supposed to open. “We’d finished about 90 per cent. Then it melted so it was a scramble to get it ready for the opening,” he said. Extensive work had to be done to the rink twice last season because of warm temperatures. “That’s the thing about outdoor rinks any weather condition weather it’s sunny, too warm, windy or even too cold has an effect. If it’s too cold actually the ice becomes brittle,” he said. The rink traditionally opens during Light Up weekend. Donoghue only remembers one year that it didn’t open on time. “We had an equipment malfunction and there wasn’t anything we could do about that. It opened only a week late,” he said. The official opening of the rink takes place Sunday from 1p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is sponsored by Pharmasave. Donoghue said a full slate of free skates are expected over the two months and he’s currently working on the schedule which, will be out before the schools break for the holidays. During the break sponsors have also come forward to make sure the rink is open everyday for children and family skates. Other good news at the rink is the number of children signed up for skating lessons. “It’s the highest we’ve seen it in years,” Donoghue said. About 40 children are signed up in the two different age categories from three to six years old and seven and up. Lessons start December 9 and are held on Wednesdays and Sundays. An instructor is coming in from the Glengarry Skating Club and local volunteers will be out on the ice to help teach the youngsters. Donoghue hopes the weather will hold out and the rink can stay operational till its closing date of January 24. “It will be fine now but it’s January that’s the problem,” he said.