Summerland Review Thursday, March 24, 2016
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Fines increasing for forest fire violations Black Press
The pilot of a recreational drone that forced waterbombers from smoke-filled skies around Oliver last summer was never located, but future offenders who impede forest firefighters will face higher fines. Fines for 19 offences under the Wildfire Act, including interfering with wildfire probeing increased to among You’re Invited tection efforts, are www.edwardjones.com the highest in Canada, Forests Minister Steve Thomson said Thursday. The fine for failing to comply with fire restrictions such as campfire bans will increase We have enjoyed from helping $345 toSummerland $1,150. Aresidents new penalty of failing to achieve their financialwith goals over the past year. It comply a stop-work order made because is a pleasure to be a member of this community! of fire risk will carry a maximum penalty of Please join us for a holiday open house to meet $100,000 and one year in prison. and greet friends and neighbours. A proposal to ban people from B.C. parks if they violate campfire restrictions is also being When: Friday, November 29th, 2013 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm considered, but is not included in the changes.
Season’s Greetings
Where:
Edward Jones (by Nester's) #5 - 13604 Victoria Road North, Summerland
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Chantelle G Meriam Chantelle G Meriam, CFP® Financial Advisor Financial Advisor .
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Garbage collection
Photo by Erick Thompson
Volunteers display garbage collected at the seventh Trout Creek Community Association’s roadside clean-up on March 19. About 30 residents fanned out across the Summerland neighbourhood at the semi-annual event. From left are Ray Davis, Connie Davis, Charlotte Burley, Dan Ashton, Robin Barkwill, Paul Barber, Rob Phillips, Erin Trainer and Gord Wall.
School closure appeal submitted to province Parents affected by the closure of Trout Creek Elementary School have submitted an appeal to the provincial Ministry of Education following the decision to close the school. The appeal, dated March 18, was submitted by Mike Pleasance to Education Minister Mike Bernier and Deputy Minister Dave Byng. The appeal document is more than 8,000 words in length. It is in response to the Okanagan Skaha School Board’s March 9 decision to close the elementary school. The board voted to close three schools within the school district’s boundaries. In addition to Trout Creek, West Bench Elementary School and McNicoll Park Middle School in Penticton will close on July 1. Pleasance hopes no schools in Summerland will be closed when the third reading of the bylaw comes up later this month. He hopes Summerland’s two trustees, board chair Linda Van Alphen and Julie Planiden will change their vote for the third reading. “What we’d like is for no schools in Summerland to be closed immediately,” Pleasance said. He added that parents in Summerland have spoken out against the closure options. “We had a very loud and clear
response from the entire community of Summerland, not just the parents of Trout Creek students,” he said. Pleasance said the savings from closing Trout Creek would be $300,000 to $350,000 a year. According to the school district’s calculations, the closure would save $423,882. In addition to Pleasance’s appeal, Summerland residents were invited to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the school closure.
an announcement regarding partnering with the Town of Oliver on a $1 million repair project to an irrigation system. She argued the school closures are not a result of a lack of funding. “They are the result of fewer students, fewer young people and so the answer to making sure that schools stay open, and that more schools are ultimately able to open, is to grow the economy,” said Clark. The premier suggested that the opening of the Okanagan Regional Correctional Cen“We had a very loud and clear tre will attract workers to the region. response from the entire com“Many with I think munity of Summerland, not just families who are going to the parents of Trout Creek stuhelp re-populate some of the empty school spaces dents.” what has been for quite Mike Pleasance in awhile an aging community. To me school districts “The decision will not only have need to make hard decisions I know implications on Trout Creek but our that, but at a provincial level what community as a whole as it will leave Linda Larson and I can do is we our community with few or no seats can grow the economy, we can crefor new students at the elementary ate jobs and that means when more level,” a statement from the meeting people come they will bring their organizers read. children to communities across the The community meeting was held province and that will mean schools Wednesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. at are able to stay open, in some cases re-open and sometimes be estabSummerland Baptist Church. On Monday, Premier Christy Clark lished. That is the thing the provanswered questions about school clos- incial government can do,” said ures while she was in Oliver making Clark.
LEGALLY SPEAKING...
A public service message from Bell, Jacoe & Company Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund
Legal Phrases in Pop Culture A recent article by Jeffrey Miller in the Canadian Bar Association’s magazine the “National” referred to legally minded phrases that people use all the time likely without knowing their exact origins. Here are two: “Round up the usual suspects” - Movie buffs and Humphrey Bogart fans will instantly recognise that as the classic line spoken by Claude Rains as “Louis Renault” the French Vichy Prefect of Police in the movie” Casablanca”. Of course, Louis knew who had committed the crime, but he was in no rush to uncover the real culprit, our hero “Rick”. That line is said to have inspired the idea for a more recent movie called appropriately enough “The Usual Suspects”. A very good movie known for its all-star cast and its surprising final minute reveal. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time” – Many younger people will say that they have heard Snoop Dog or the group Ub40 sing this line. Many older people will wonder who Snoop Dog or Ub40 are! The reality is that the line was first sung by Sammy Davis Jr. in the mid1970s. It was written into a theme song for the TV Cop show “Baretta” starring Robert Blake. The rest of the story is of course that Mr. Blake went on to have quite a checkered legal history.
Patrick A. Bell • LAWYER
Considerate, confidential and affordable legal services for the residents of Summerland and area including:
Wills & Estates Mortgages Commercial law
Bell, Jacoe & Company Box 520, 13211 N. Victoria Rd. (250) 494-6621