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April 4, 2017
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Townsman Page 6
Cranbrook
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1946
Vol. 71, Issue 40
Visit my NEW website: www.michellerybachuk.net Michelle Rybachuk
250.421.9239 East Kootenay Realty
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INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED
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inCLUDES G.S.T.
www.cranbrooktownsman.com
Barry Coulter photos
A record crowd of more than 260 turned out for the 26th annual Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards, Saturday, April 1, at St. Eugene Resort. Awards were handed out in 12 categories, including Professional Services Excellence (won by Kootenay Therapy Centre, at left, with Keegan Fowell and Suzanne Thompson) and Tourism Excellence (won by St. Eugene Golf Resort and Casino — table pictured at right). See story, full list of awards and special photo feature, Page 3.
Suspicious death remains under investigation For the Townsman
Cranbrook RCMP, along with Major Crime Units from Vancouver and Kelowna, continue to investigate after a 73-yearold woman was found deceased in the common room of a residential assistance home. On March 30, Cranbrook RCMP were called to the scene of a sudden death in the 300 Block of 3rd Street North. Investigation revealed that the victim had died sometime overnight. “Police continue to comb through evidence and speak with people in the area,” said Cst. Katie Forgeron. “At this time we do not believe the public is at risk.” Cranbrook RCMP is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact them at 250-489-3471.
Red tape halts small mine tours Tre vor Cr awley
A Cranbrook placer gold miner is upset that government red tape is preventing a tourism business at his mineral claim up the Wildhorse Creek drainage. Stephen Lathem with the Nip & Tuck Gold mine, says that new permitting regulations have all but shut down summer tours of his small gold mining operation. Lathem has been running the tours of the site since 2009 after acquiring a permit from BC Tourism to do so. However, in 2013, new regulations came into effect that had stricter definitions of adventure tourism, prohibiting tours of his mine
site. According to Lathem, part of the problem is cross-ministry regulations; tours of mine sites are permitted under legislation by the Ministry of Mines, however, the new tourism permitting regulations, which fall under adventure tourism, are administered by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. He’s been ordered to cease and desist tours of the operation and is concerned he won’t be able to navigate through all the government bureaucracy for the summer tourism season.
See RED TAPE, Page 4
Deer cull opponent sues Invermere mayor Ste ve Hubrecht Columbia Valley Pioneer
Long-standing division in Invermere over how to deal with urban deer has now reached a new, much more personal level with Invermere mayor and Columbia River-Revelstoke NDP candidate Gerry Taft being sued for defamation. The lawsuit was filed months ago by Invermere resident and BC Deer Protection Society member Devin Kazakoff and is scheduled to be heard by the B.C. Supreme Court in Cranbrook in about two weeks time. In the lawsuit, Mr. Kazakoff references an online comment by Mr. Taft, made in January 2016, in which Mr. Taft labelled Mr. Kazakoff “a convict-
ed felon” in relation to Mr. Kazakoff pleading guilty in 2015 to charges of tampering with deer traps in Kimberley in 2014. The Pioneer contacted Mr. Kazakoff several times seeking comment on the matter, but did not receive a reply. He had, however, earlier confirmed to the Vancouver Sun that the case is ongoing and that he can’t discuss details. For damaging the traps, Mr. Kazakoff was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay fines, but did not get a permanent criminal record for the vandalism.
See DEER CULL, Page 4
TREE CARE
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