KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK THURSDAY
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | Volume 30 No. 8
WEATHER Cloudy High 6 C Low -1 C
SUN PEAKS SNOW REPORT Mid-mountain: 115 cm Alpine: 147 cm Snow phone: 250-578-7232
OD RATES REMAIN HIGH
LITERACY WEEK BEGINS SATURDAY
40 deaths in Kamloops in 2016
And what a day in store at Henry Grube Centre
A7
B1
School district will revert to one-week spring break in 2018 JESSICA KLYMCHUK
STAFF REPORTER
jklymchuk@kamloopsthisweek.com
EAGER BEAKS BREAK BREAD
DAVE EAGLES/KTW
Tuque-clad tots enjoy feeding a gaggle of Canada geese and mallard ducks with bits of whole grain crackers while on a nature walk with day-care instructor Christina Vermette yesterday on McArthur Island. From left: Philippe, Felix, Melanie and Kalina toss crumbs to the many famished fowl.
Lawsuit against KGHM Ajax ends CAM FORTEMS
STAFF REPORTER
cam@kamloopsthisweek.com
A former manager of KGHM Ajax who was fired last year appears to have settled his lawsuit against the mining company. A consent dismissal was filed in B.C. Supreme Court, bringing an end to the court action with no settlement details. Yves Lacasse, a spokesman for KGHM Ajax, did not respond to a
message asking for comment. Gillespie’s statement of claim alleged the company led him to believe he was to become the overall head of the Ajax project, but the plan ran into problems because he was an American citizen. He also alleged the company failed to properly compensate him when he was fired. Turmoil struck the Kamloops office in late May 2016 when the company, under Gillespie’s
leadership in Kamloops, announced it was letting go of eight full-time employees. Little more than a week later, Gillespie was fired. KGHM denied the allegations, claiming it paid Gillespie four weeks’ severance within the requirements of his contract. Gillespie’s Facebook page said he is employed by Guyana Goldfields, a Canadian company listed on the TSE.
Two-week spring break will be shortlived in the KamloopsThompson school district, with trustees voting Monday night to return to a one-week March break in 2018. Trustees voted 4-3 to not continue the extended break, which began a two-to-three year trial period in the 2014-2015 school year. Trustees Rhonda Kershaw, Cara McKelvey, Kathleen Karpuk and vice-chair Gerald Watson voted against continuing the trial, while trustees Joe Small, Joan Cowden and board chair Meghan Wade voted in favour of maintaining the two-week break. A report from staff reflected consultation with both employees and parents. Superintendent Alison Sidow said the overall recommendation from
SD73 IS IN MINORITY Most school districts in B.C. have a two-week spring break. According to the Ministry of Education, only seven of the 60 districts in the province have a one-week March vacation. Those are Haida Gwaii, Bulkey Valley, Quesnel, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island West, Vancouver Island North and Campbell River. stakeholders was to continue with a twoweek spring break, but the board voted otherwise. “There is no educational evidence that says this is in the educational best interest of students and that’s what I heard last night [Monday],” Wade said.
“There was also a lot of talk and discussion that this is hard on a lot of our families. It’s day care. It’s kids left alone with screens.” Wade said the board was clear four years ago that it wanted programming for more vulnerable students during at least one of the weeks. “That didn’t really pan out due to cost,” she said, adding the board wanted the adjustment to be costneutral. Last year, the board voted to take no action to change the school calendar following a report that polled parents and the teachers’ union, with both in favour of continuing with a two-week March break. Cowden said this year’s report reflected the same beliefs. The KamloopsThompson Teachers’ Association was 94 per cent in favour of the longer break. See TWO WEEKS, A2
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KAMLOOPS LOCATIONS! Downtown - 811 Victoria Street | 250.372.3744 Aberdeen - 1517 Hugh Allan Drive | 250.372.3705 North Shore Grill & Chill - 1075 8th Street | 250.554.4390