Morning gStar
The
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 P R O U D L Y
S E R V I N G
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N O R T H
O K A N A G A N
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C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
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Y E A R S
It’s Our People who Make
VERNON DODGE
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Vernon
Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Curt Jensen
250-545-2261
DLR #5204
SHEEPDOGS | Saskatoon retro rock band cranked it up to 11 in Vernon Monday night [A10]
4607 27 TH STREET, VERNON • VERNONDODGE.COM
Closure plan prompts action
ON A MISSION
Salmon Arm’s Silver Creek Elementary School is also being considered for cloIn 25 years in local government, sure. Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper has “We encourage the board to broaden never received more phone calls, visits or their consultation to ensure all communie-mails regarding one topic than the pro- ty stakeholders have had an opportunity posed closure of the city’s historic “Brick to provide their input as requred,” said School,” Armstrong Elementary. Pieper. “Better decisions are made when The North Okanagan-Shuswap school all options are identified.” board voted earlier this month to conThe school district, states the city’s sider amalgamating the current four letter, has informed the community that schools into two kindergarreorganizing the student populaten to Grade 7 elementary tion and closing AES would result schools and one 8-12 secin a financial saving of $392 per ondary school, and clospupil in Armsrong. ing Armstrong Elementary “We encourage the board to School for September 2016. broaden their analysis to include The school board has potential education revenue initiated a 60-day pubstreams that can positively impact lic consultation period in the bottom line and remove the Chris Pieper regards to the proposal. need for a school closure,” said City council had received Pieper. criticism from residents for being mainly Coun. Steven Drapala is vice-principal silent on the issue until Pieper released at Armstrong’s Pleasant Valley Secondary a letter on behalf of his colleague’s at School. He cautioned school trustees to Monday’s regular council meeting. consider all options. “We have a community that’s extreme“But not making a decision could have ly passionate, extremely emotional and potentially very serious program implicaextremely concerned about the school,” tions for next year if the school board said Pieper, who attended the Brick puts off a decision on a school closure School himself and watched his three kids this year,” said Drapala, adding that if go through its hallowed halls. saving money doesn’t come from a school “I value AES as much as anyone. It was closure, it’ll come through programming a great school for me, great school for my cuts. kids and a great school for the commuThe city has acknowledged the trustnity, as well as its grounds.” ees are being asked to make a very difArmstrong trustees Bob Fowler ficult decision. and Kelly Rowe, along with Falkland/ “The loss of a school in a community Ranchero/Deep Creek trustee Debbie carries with it a significant impact,” said Evans voted against the proposal, made as Pieper. “Not only to the students, but also the school district faces an ongoing chal- to the community at large.” lenge of trying to balance its budget. The neighbouring Township of The planned closure of AES would Spallumcheen has also sent a letter to the save the district almost $627,000. school board, asking them to consider all “City council supports our trustees options before going ahead with a closure. and the one from Falkland in voting not “Schools are necessary for the mainteto close any of the schools in Armstrong,” nance and growth of healthy communisaid Pieper. ties,” said Mayor Janice Brown. Council is urging the trustees to take “Please consider all input and options, their time in considering the closure. including creative ideas put forward by It has asked the board to extend the the community, which may enable the 60-day public consultation period and four Armstrong/Spallumcheen schools to defer making closure decisions during the be maintained in their current configuracurrent school year. tion.” ROGER KNOX
Morning Star Staff
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
Lisa Elder (left), Terri Baiko and Gwen Britch walk up 30th Avenue in Vernon as they take part in the Coldest Night of the Year walk in support of the Upper Room Mission Saturday night.
Collision claims victim Morning Star Staff
One woman has died following a two-vehicle crash north of Enderby Tuesday morning. Vernon RCMP state that shortly before 7 a.m., a southbound pick-up on Highway 97A with a male driver and a northbound car driven by a
woman collided at the intersection of Fenton Road, close to North Enderby Timber. Both vehicles ended up in the east-side ditch. The woman driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck and his male passenger were transported to Vernon Jubilee
Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An RCMP collision analyst was at the scene and traffic was reduced to single-lane alternating for several hours. The investigation is ongoing with assistance from the B.C. Coroners Service. No names have been released.
2016 CR-V LX
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