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LOCAL NEWS
The days of wine and votes After several months of residents, winery owners and the city’s MLAs putting the corkscrews to city council, councillors on July 12 reversed a controversial decision to prohibit wine sales at the Sahali Save-OnFoods. The request was blocked after private liquor store owners in the area argued SaveOn’s request would hurt their businesses and likely lead to extended alcohol sales in city grocery stores. Councillors were concerned wine sales could lead to increased alcohol consumption and addictions issues. Local winery owners said selling their products in Save-On would giver their businesses additional visibility and help expand the industry. In a reversal of their first vote, councillors agreed to allow the store to sell B.C. VQA wines only. Coun. Denis Walsh remained opposed to the move, arguing Save-On should build an additional store inside its walls if it wanted to sell alcohol. So far, Save-On remains the only grocery store in Kamloops stocking vino.
Pokemon Go craze hits Kamloops
With the release of Pokemon Go in July, Kamloopsians joined
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the craze, flocking to Riverside Park and other locations to catch monsters on their smartphones. Using augmented reality technology, the app allows players to hunt and catch the creatures from the popular Japanese video game and cartoon series and use them to battle rival players. Even before its official release in Canada, clusters of Pokemon enthusiasts could be found roaming city hot spots looking to bag a Pikachu or a Pidgey. Other enterprising fans used the craze to try to earn a few bucks. After discovering the game drained smartphone batteries, Shane Ziggy rented a generator for a week and set up a cellphone charging station. Other business owners set up lures to attract more Pokemon to their locations or became stops where players could virtually collect more supplies for the game.
Lafarge will shut its doors in city
It was another blow to Kamloops’ heavy industry sector as Lafarge Canada Inc. announced on Oct. 20 it would close its cement plant for the foreseeable future. The closure, which plant manager Eric Isenor attributed to
the stories that shaped
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Compiled by KTW reporter Andrea Klassen and photographer Dave Eagles
low oil prices and poor economic conditions in Western Canada, will put as many as 36 people out of work. “Until this year, we had been [at capacity],” Isenor said. “This year we’re really feeling the downturn in Alberta.” Lafarge has not dismantled the plant, with Isenor calling the shutdown an “extended hiatus of production” rather than a full mothballing.
Milobar to carry B.C. Liberal flag
On Nov. 19, Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar emerged victorious in the nomination race to succeed MLA Terry Lake as B.C. Liberal candidate in Kamloops-North Thompson. Milobar was challenging North Shore Business Improvement Association executive director Steven Puhallo and Tobiano founder Mike Grenier for the right to carry the party flag in the May 9 provincial election. While party officials would not release official voting results, a source told KTW Milobar won on the first ballot with 53 per cent of votes cast.
About 60 per cent of the riding’s 880 members cast ballots at one of four locations: McArthur Island in Kamloops, Sun Peaks, Barriere and Clearwater. “It’s been a hardfought nomination,” Milobar told reporters after the announcement by the party. “It’s been very respectful and teambuilding for the whole party and riding.” With Milobar’s nomination, all three parties in the legislature have named candidates for both city ridings. Milobar will face the NDP’s Barb Nederpel and the Green’s Dan Hines. Also running is Peter Kerek of the B.C. Communist Party. Milobar said nothing will change shortterm in his approach as city mayor. “There’s a city budget we’re working on,” he said. “That’s not interrelated with the province in any way, shape or form.” He said he expects to “step away” from the mayor’s job at some point before the writ is dropped on April 11 for the May 9 election.
“That’s historically what happens,” he said.
Teenager killed in hit and run
Jennifer Gatey’s life came to a tragic end on the evening of Nov. 6 when she was struck by a vehicle and killed while walking to the bus stop on Pacific Way, just south of Aberdeen Drive. It was the day before the South Kamloops Secondary student was due to celebrate her 17th birthday. Police investigated a dark-coloured jeep at a Dufferin home a few days after the collision and are awaiting forensic results. Jennifer’s father, Cameron, remembers her as shy, but fun-loving, a girl who enjoyed playing guitar and piano, skiing and spending quality time on the golf course with her dad. Gatey’s family is setting up a scholarship in her memory through the Urban Systems Foundation. Donations can be made at urbansystems.ca/citizenship/ foundation/urbansystems-foundationdonate-now.
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