HISTORY: THE KETTLE VALLEY TRAIN DISASTER
SPORTS: CENTS’ PLAYOFF DREAMS STILL ALIVE
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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
AN EVENING OF
DANCE Ballet Kelowna’s mixed programme Boundless is going on the road — with a stop in Merritt David Dyck THE MERRITT HERALD
“I’m really trying to demystify ballet in a sense,” said Simone Orlando, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Kelowna. “We use ballet for a foundation for our training and all the work that we do, but ballet has really evolved into something quite different — I really want to show in the pieces that we’re bringing to Merritt and other com-
munities across B.C. I want to ensure that what we’re doing is relevant to today.” To that end, there are several different types of dances to be performed at the studio’s Boundless show, taking place at the Merritt Civic Centre on Feb. 9, and some are geared specifically towards youth.
See ‘Performance’ Page 3
POLICY REPORT
Are Persons with Disabilities allowances still too low? Michael Potestio THE MERRITT HERALD
Increasing asset limits for people on disability assistance fails to address the real problem with the system, says a local woman. This single parent — who does not wish to be named given the stigma she feels is associated with those living with a Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation — said the real problem is the fact the
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allowance rates dolled out by the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation are too low. Last December, the provincial government announced that now an individual with a PWD designation may receive up to $100,000 in cash gifts and inheritances without losing eligibility for that assistance. The previous cap was only $5,000. For a couple where both have PWD designation, that number increases from $10,000 to $200,000.
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“That will effect a very, very small amount of people, whereas the rest of us, we’re still living in poverty,” said the woman. She said she’s been on disability assistance for about four years due to severe chronic pain and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks. She used to work full time up until a car accident a few years ago, and now works two days a week as a receptionist in town. As a single mother of one, the government affords her and her daughter an allow-
ance of $1,242 per month. She said her job adds about another $300 on top of that, but with an income of approximately $1,500 per month, it’s difficult to make ends meet. “It comes up in the news, ‘Oh look, we’re doing more stuff to help people who are on disability, and this and that, and we’re helping, we’re helping’ — you’re not helping,” she said. The monthly allowance given to single
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See ‘PWD’ Page 2 Valid at all Kamloops and Merritt Dairy Queen Locations
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