AHN July 27, 2023

Page 1

Tent pitching and and lean-tos all the rage in Fort St. John

Rows of tents in front, along side, and behind the Fort St. John Salvation Army location; a full make shift residence erected behind the city bottle depot a few blocks away.

Talk about a new-look inhouse community solution to affordable housing. Is a hammock district next?

Bottle deport manager Eric Stutzman says his area squatters or long-time loiterers are harmless.

“Most of them are actually, at least the ones around here are more or less harmless,” says Stutzman, at Fort St John Return It.

“The biggest issue I have is just the mess they leave. They go dumpster diving for bottles and cans, which is good for us because we get the volume from that. But all that extra garbage that is just not cleaned up,

it’s an eye sore,” he adds Indeed – the entire back alley behind the depot is festooned with litter, plugged in appliances, proof of life and tenancy in the back alley.

Lilly Loichinger, Outreach Store Coordinator for the Fort St John Women’s Resource Society says some have fallen on hard times during the pandemic or otherwise.

“I myself, find that a lot of people have been let go or layed off during COVID-19, and they had to find ways to make ends meet in various way,” she says adding that homeless may be a component to any city with growing pains.

“To be honest, I think it’s just the growth of any community will have a growth of the homeless population as well. One of the greatest things we could probably get is just more accessible resources,” adds Loichinger.

PRRD officials last week floated the idea of using the Site C housing and facilities for rehabilitation – of which at least temporary housing would have to be in the mix of conversation. The PRRD will initiate

discussions to find out if there are existing uses slated for the facilities, or future uses already earmarked.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

editor@dcdn.ca

Big Idaho ‘spud’ has eyes peeled for Alaska

Talk about a loaded potato.

What started out as a celebration for the 75th anniversary in 2012 of the Idaho Potato Commission is on its 11th crosscountry tour, which has brought the Big Idaho Potato Truck through the Peace Region on its way to Alaska.

The tour takes around seven months and travels the country between events, promoting certified heart-healthy Idaho potatoes according to the Big Idaho Potato Tour website.

This is the tours first time in Canada as it travels north to Skagway, Alaska for an event on July 22.

“This is the famous Idaho Potato Tour. We travel for seven months spreading Idaho love all over the country,” says Melissa Bradford, who has been a driver for the last five tours.

With part of the marketing campaign for the tour asking if the potato is real, locals had to go down and see for themselves when it made a stop for fuel in Fort St john, early Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a steel structure, with a fiberglass shell and a really good paint job,” says Bradford. “The inside has metal shelving with all of our tour swag, and then the back has lockers with our belongings. Due to us being gone for so long, we pretty much have to bring the kitchen

sink with us.”

The ‘spud’ being transported is actually the second edition, with the first being made out of concrete which now resides in Idaho and has since been transformed into an Airbnb hotel.

“Even just pulling into the

dirt lot here, people’s hands were in the air and their waving and smiling. Whether it’s a rest stop, a grocery store, a school, a church, people get excited when they see the truck.”

Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter. tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A1
FUN • A2 PRRD • A3 APPRECIATION COMPANY TAKES CARE OF THEIR OWN LAND SHARING TLE AND MORE TALKED ABOUT THIS WEEK NEWS • A4 TUMBLER RIDGE! DISCOVER ADVENTURE THIS SUMMER NEWS • A6 TRAFFIC YANKING THE CABLES DOWN. The only newspaper in the world that gives a tinker’s dam about the North Peace. Est. 1944 couldn’t fit into print: AlaskaHighwayNews.ca For all the news we $1.50 INCL. GST THUR S DA Y, JUL Y 2 7 , 20 23 | VOL. 79 NO . 30 Est. 1944 WhenYouAreOut intheField, TimeISMoney. QUALITYPARTS, EXPERTSERVICE! HoursMon-Fri: 8am-5pm Sat: 8am-Noon 9224100Street, FortSt.John,BC (250)785-0463 AfterHours-LeaveMessage Presentsthe People’sChoiceAwards WhowillbeVotedFavouritePerson,PlaceorBusiness? Fillouttheforminthisweek’seditionanddropitoffatouroffice, oronlineatalaskahighwaynews.ca/contests/peoples-choice 9916-98thSt.,FortSt.John•Phone: 250-785-5631 ScanHere toVote! Scan Here SubscribetoSupport LocalJournalism GetOurNewsletterDelivered toYourInbox6DaysaWeek

Local employee Appreciation Day

Employees at the local Canfor mill in Fort St. John were recognized for their hard work and dedication on Sunday at the company’s 1st annual Excellence Works here employee family BBQ.

“Anybody still working, we’re giving them a couple hours to come down here and have lunch with their families,” says Dylan Wiebe, maintenance planner. “Corporate Canfor came up with a budget to try and make it more desirable and make it more of a family

orientated, fun place to work.”

Employees and families were all smiles while they were served a BBQ lunch on the company property, where bouncy castles had been set up to enjoy the beautiful afternoon.

“We are currently the only division of Canfor that is using a committee for the Excellence works here program,” says Karlene Thompson, HR Admin Assistant. “We are trying to find out what the employees want to see improved and work with that information to make it a better place for our current employees and make it a more

appealing place to work to attract new employees.”

Are there any companies local to Fort St John or the surrounding area, that are showing their employees appreciation for their hard work and dedication?

Email tbuck@ahnfsj.ca for local coverage.

Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter. tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

Helicopter accident near near Haig Lake, AB during firefighting kills pilot

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has deployed a team of investigators following an accident involving a Bell 205A helicopter during firefighting operations near Peace River, Alberta.

The occurrence took place approximately 43 nm ENE of Peace River, in a remote location near

TSB officials on scene say they are in the midst of gathering information and assessing the occurrence. The pilot was taken to a nearby airport where he was declared dead, Mounties said in a news release Thursday.

They said the pilot was a 41-year-old from Whitecourt, Alta., but did not release his name. editor@dcdn.ca

A2 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
Haig Lake.
250-785-5631|AlaskaHighwayNews.ca *Forlocalbusinessesonly. *Doesnotincludelegalads,orpublicnotices. 250 * 1/4pageads Wehavesomanywaystohelplocal businesseslikeyoursreachtheright customerswitheye-catchingads andpromotions.Talktoustoday aboutuniqueandexcitingmarketing solutionsintheplacemorepeople turnfortrustedshoppinginformation andoffers. Summer’scoming,andnowisthetimetoplan yourseasonalsalesstrategy. Print+Online PACKAGE DEALS AVAILABLE CALLOREMAIL RYANTODAY! rwallace@ahnfsj.ca andthe

PRRD directors hear Treaty Land Entitlement and Land sharing speakers: “We are not considering private lands...”

PRRD directors are catching a good understanding of northeast land transfer agreements, Treaty Land Entitlements and more.

Representatives from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation are on hand this morning speaking about TLE, land transfers, Site C

agreements, and more.

Dale Morgan, Regional Executive Director, and Tara Forest, Senior Resource Coordination Officer with the Ministry are in the midst of a presentation at the PRRD Thursday morning.

“We want to make sure there is a really good understanding – what they are, why we are doing them,” says Forest to-

day, speaking about northeast lands, including Site C, and more.

“(Land) is being transferred a couple ways,” says Forest.

“Shortfall lands that are owed to them from when the Treaty was signed, plus additional lands purchased by first nations for reconciliation purposes – to make up for lost opportunism of the last 100

years had First Nations had the lands.”

Forest is quick to note – the conversation is not about private land.

“We are talking about Crown lands. Only for Site C and TLE. We are not considering private lands,” Forest says.

“Communication is crucial

going forward,” said PRRD chair Leonard Hiebert - noting misinformation and a lack of information and public consult as been much of the cause of the last two months of full capacity and robust and emotional meetings on the matter.

editor@dcdn.ca

Ministry continuing work on TLE and Site C land agreements

The Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation met with the Peace River Regional District at their July 20 board meeting, reiterating the province’s intentions in regards to land transfers in Northeast BC.

Effectively communicating the process of Treaty Land Entitlement under Treaty 8 and Site C tripartite land agreements were the two key topics discussed at the presentation by ministry representatives Dale Morgan, Regional Executive Director, and Tara Forest, Senior Resource Coordination Officer.

Forest said while some of the information presented isn’t new, TLE and Site C land agreements are a multi-year process, and the ministry wants to build understanding and is willing to engage with members of the public, local government, and other interest groups.

“We want to make sure there is a really good understanding – what they are, why we are doing them,” Forest said.

Land is owed to local First Nations due to historic shortfalls under Treaty 8 due to incomplete census 100 years ago and from adverse impacts with the construction and completion of Site C.

“This is going to settle the specific claim. It’s providing a tangible demonstration of the reconciliation work that the province is doing,” said Forest. “And it’s also providing some substantive land, and that land is being provided not only for cultural reasons, but for a number of reasons.”

First Nations also have the opportunity to select for economic and spiritual reasons in addition to culture, she added.

The provincial mandate remains to only transfer crown lands for TLE and Site C agreements, private lands have never been considered, said Forest.

Parcels will be identified by Treaty 8 First Nations, who then share their selections to the province, with the province obligated to conduct internal research to see if any infrastructure or community areas of interest overlap, such as hydro lines and railways.

One specific example is the Halfway River Trail, located in a selection of land by Pink Mountain - Forest said the ministry wants to ensure future access.

“We have more engagement that we’re going to be doing to relocate that trail and to make sure that access is provided for,” she said. “We also have parcels that have not been identified.”

Letters and emails are still being taken by the ministry for anyone with questions or concerns about the TLE process, in addition to a website with maps available for selected parcels, says Forest, noting the site will be updated as new parcel selections are made.

Area C Director Brad Sperling asked if open houses will continue on further land selections, noting the PRRD are not experts in the matter, nor is it their responsible to present the process to the public.

“I just want insurance that you guys will continue these open houses for the general public as you move forward, even if it’s individual claims,” said Sperling.

Morgan said open houses will continue - despite many the TLE lands moving past the public engagement stage, with land yet to be discussed around the impacts of Site C.

“That’s our plan. As we move along, because we do have a lot of the TLE lands kind of moved past that stage, but there’s the Site C lens - we still have a lot of those to come forward,” he said. “And so, that’s where I think our next sort of trunch of engagement will be, as we get the parcels from the First Nations.”

A large number of selections are still outstanding with several communities, he added, essentially leaving the ministry in a ‘holding pattern’ until those decisions are made. Morgan added that engagement will happen as soon as they can.

“They have a lot of thoughts about what they want and they’re not quite there yet,” he said.

A newcomer to the PRRD board, Area B director Jordan Kealy said he appreciated the ministry’s presentation and asked if they’ll be able to view individual TLE agreements, noting the regional district needs to be able to inform constituents on what’s happening, expressing concern over access to community pastures.

“The reason I ask is just when it comes to the education of the public, it’s best to have it from the experts, and I don’t want people making assumptions on stuff that they don’t know about,” said Kealy. “It’s better just to give them exact facts.”

Morgan said the agreements will be made available, but come in two components - a settlement agreement between Canada, BC, and the First Nations, and a land agreement between the province and the First Nations.

“There’s some sensitivity from a variety of the communities around posting them. The quanta of how much land and where has been well-publicized, so it’s not like a surprise,” said

Morgan. “We are working to get to a space where we can post them.”

Morgan added that backlash from the PRRD’s June 8 committee of the whole meeting over a voluntary treaty land sharing network caused some concern from local First Nations over posting their agreements, fearing similar backlash from the public.

Forest added that the ministry is aware of concerns over community pastures and has connected previously with communities in Rose Prairie and Cecil Lake over Doig River First Nation land selections.

Area E Director Dan Rose said while he’s aware TLE agreements have been finalized, no one has seen the complete agreements yet, expressing that they’re not easy to track online and that he’s unsure you can consider them finalized if resolutions haven’t been found with tenure holders.

“I don’t know how you can finalize agreements without that being done. So, the agreements are finalized, but there’s still tenure - those things haven’t been negotiated yet or settled,” he said. “Don’t know how they’re finalized, and that’s the worrisome part.”

He added that land selection has been the easy part, but work needs to done to bring the language surrounding TLE agreements forward to the public.

“I think you need to get the language out there. So, people can understand that there is a process in how that evolves and how you come to these agreements,” said Rose.

Morgan said they expect to have finalized agreements published by the end of the year, noting the Peace Region isn’t the only place where land transfers are happening under

Treaty 8, and that the ministry intends to fairly compensate or accommodate tenure holders when conflicts and issues arise.

“We are working to get the agreements out and you know, it’s the province’s responsibility and the province that takes the fall for that. And the commitment is there,” said Morgan.

Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the ministry’s approach has been more transparent compared to the past, noting his municipality is interested in assisting First Nations with selections.

“We always ask is there some way we can assist, help, push. They have some land selections up by Tumbler Ridge. Some of their ideas and those land selections, I think is is a benefit to our community,” he said.

Krakowka also expressed concern over current drought conditions and the need to preserve community pastures.

“It’s continuously happening in the Peace, so I think we’ve really got to tread lightly when it comes to those community pastures,” said Krakowka.

Taylor Mayor Brent Taillefer said the ministry has a lot of work ahead in staying on top of their communication, and feels local governments can assist.

“If we can be a little bit of assistance, I think that we should be on the road together and helping get the message out. But we need the information, and we need it early enough to be able to get it out before something’s already done,” he said.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

TheFortSt.JohnPetroleumAssociationis activelyseekingnewmembers. Thepurposesofthesociety FortStJohnPetroleumAssociation are:

•Tocreateanonprofitfraternalorganizationforeducational, benevolentandsocialpurposes.

•Tocreateamediumthroughwhichthesocietymembersmayexpress themselvesinSocialactivities,EducationalpursuitsandAthletic endeavors.

•Tocontributetothecommunityinsupportingworthwhileprojects asdecideduponfromtimetotimebythesociety.

•Toprovideentertainmentthatisenjoyable,instructiveandbeneficial toitsmembersandfamilies.

•Toencourageaspiritofgoodfellowshipamongthesociety members. Contactus: Unlessotherwisespecifiedallregularmeetingsareheld6:00 pmonthesecondThursdayofthemonth.

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A3
FSJPA/ Games,FamilyActivities,WagonRides, 12thAnnualDuckRaceandlotsmore! Checkthewebsiteformoredetails August18-20,2023 PeaceIslandParkinTaylor 12thAnnualFSJ Oilmen’sFamily CampWeekend 12thAnnualFSJ Oilmen’sFamily CampWeekend scan here for more info Anyquestionsregardingregistrationandtobookcampsites feelfreetocontactChrisClayat(250)264-2729 (leaveamessageifyoucan'tgetthrough)
fsjpa.wildapricot.org
BecomeaMember
FortSt.JohnPetroleumAssociation •Box6122,FortSt.JohnBCV1J4H6

BCHydroisplanningtofillthe SiteCreservoirthisfall

Waterlevelswillriseforfourmonths,uptotwometresaday.The riverwillwidenbytwotothreetimes,onaverage.Duringfillingand foroneyearafter,allboatlauncheswillbeclosed.

Pleaseuseextremecautionduringthistime: •Stayoffthewater.Therecouldbestrongcurrents,waves, submergedhazards,andfloatingwoodydebris.

•Stayawayfromtheshore.Therewillbeincreasederosionand slopeinstability.

BCHydrowillmonitorforsafetyandstability.Pleasestayawayfrom thereservoirduringfillingandforatleastoneyearafter.

LearnmoreatSiteCProject.com/reservoir orcall18772170777.

An apology letter from the PRRD

6116

CANADA’SGARAGE

Hours:7:30AM–6:00PMMondaytoFriday•8:00AM–5:00PMSaturdays

Whenyousignuptoreceivetextmessages

OFFERVALIDJULY13–AUGUST3,2023

Text AUTO to 51922 togetoffersandtipsfrom CanadianTireAutosentrighttoyourphone

1.Discountwillbeappliedbeforeapplicabletaxes,ecofeesandadditionalfees(whereapplicable)atthetimeof purchase.Excludesdiesel.Additionalfeesandchargeswillapplyforvehiclesthatrequiremorethan5Lofoil.Additional oilfilterchargeswillapply.Cannotbecombinedwithanyotheroffer,couponordiscount.Somevehiclerestrictionsmay apply.Seeinstorefordetails.OffervalidJuly13toAugust3,2023.

2.StandardMessage&Dataratesmayapply.YoucanwithdrawyourconsenttoreceivetextmessagesaboutCanadian TireAutooffersatanytimebytextingSTOPto51922ContactusatP.O.Box2000,Welland,ONL3B5S3or1-800-387-8803 orcustomerservice@canadiantire.ca.

3.YouwillreceiveelectronicmessagesaboutCanadianTireAutoproducts,tipsandservicesthatmaybeofinteresttoyou fromCanadianTireCorporation,Limited.Youmayunsubscribeatanytime. *IpsosCAAMReport2020

At the June 8 Committee of the Whole meeting, the topic of a Land Sharing Network was on the agenda for discussion. That meeting had to be ended prematurely and rescheduled to a future date and held at a larger venue. Based on the June 8th meeting, the Regional Board received a letter from Prophet River First Nation, Halfway River First Nation, Doig River First Nation, and West Moberly First Nations, expressing disappointment over the negative tone of the June 8th meeting. We have provided an apology directly to those First Nations and wish to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.

On behalf of the Peace River Regional District and our Board of

Directors, we extend our sincere apology to those who attended for the way the meeting unfolded.

We believe that the level of frustration expressed at the meeting was due in large part to misinformation about the proposed Land Sharing Network, and we recognize that many of the residents attending the meeting, either in person and or online, had genuine concerns about their land ownership rights. We wanted to give them a chance to share input, and apologize for not being prepared to facilitate sharing of those concerns in an environment that was a safe place for all to be able to hear and participate, given the unexpected number of people who took the time to attend.

The PRRD withdrew its support for the Land Sharing Network, and the First Nations involved in the proposed Network have decided not to pursue the project. We are disappointed that an initiative intended to bring our communities closer together by building trust and working relationships has resulted in greater division instead.

This situation demonstrates the importance of open and proactive communication, and we commit to working together with our residents and our neighbours to pursue opportunities to build relationships and address concerns as they arise.

Yours truly,

Scanto Shopour Online Deals

8:00AM–9:00PMMondaytoSaturday•9:00AM–6:00PMSunday

AND WHITE PAPERSNewsletterSponsorship

Getinfrontofanactiveandengagedaudience!

Newsletteradsareaneffectivewaytopositionyouradmessages. AlaskaHighwayNewsemailnewslettersubscribersareopted-into theirfavouritenewsbrand.Withemailopenratesbeingsignificantly higherthandisplayads,thisisahighlyactiveandeffectivemeans ofdigitalreach.

activity, demographics, and how users interact with your content. This is an effective

S47% Average OpenRate

tive

Newslettersaresentout5daysaweekallowingyoutoreachour subscriberswithyouradmessages.

Connect withRyanWallacetostartsponsoringthe AlaskaHighwayNewsNewsletter.

P:250-785-5631

E:rwallace@ahnfsj.ca

A4 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
We were hanging out with the team at the Tumbler Ridge Museum and the Dino Discovery Centre earlier this month - checking out some of the hidden treasures of the past and dino fossils in the area!
GardenCenter Clearance
SAVE$15 Seedetailsoncouponwhensenttoyourphone CASTROLSYNTHETIC OILCHANGE
250-787-1142 9716OldFortRd,FortStJohn,BC
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A5 DeadlineforEntries: October6,2023,5pm NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE# YouCould WinOneof 3Fabulous Prizes! BESTINAREA Church CommunityEvent School Preschool FundraisingEvent ServiceClub YouthFitness/SportsProgram BESTBUSINESS ApplianceStore ApplianceService&Repair ATV’S/MotorCycles/ Snowmobiles AutoBodyShop AutomotiveDetailing AutoRepairShop AutoPartsStore BeautySalon BestBottledWater BestBuildingSupplies CannabisStore CarpetCleaner CarRental NewCarTruckDealership CarWash CellPhoneDealer Children’sWear CleaningService Computers ConstructionCompany______________________________ ConvenienceStore Daycare DentalClinic DepartmentStore DrivingSchool EquipmentRental EyeGlasses FarmEquipmentDealer FinancialInstitution FinancialAdvisor FitnessClub FlooringStore Florist Furniture GasStation GiftShop GlassDealership GolfProShop HardwareStore HealthFoodStore HeavyTruckDealership HomeEntertainmentRetailer HotTubDealer Hunting/Camping InsuranceAgency ITService Jewellery LandSurveying Landscaping Lawn&GardenProducts LawFirm LingerieStore Locksmith Massage/MassageTherapy Meat MedicalClinic Men’sWear Motel/Hotel MovingCompany MufflerShop Notary Nursery/Greenhouse OfficeSupplies OilfieldCompany OilfieldService/Maintenance Optometrist PaintSupplies PetFood/Supplies PetroleumCardlock Pharmacy/DrugStore PlumbingShop Produce RadioStation RealEstateCompany Roofing ShoeStore Spa SportingGoodsStore Supermarket Biscuits/Rolls Bread SupermarketDeli StorageFacility TanningSalon Tattoo/BodyPiercing TireStore TransmissionRepairShop TravelAgency UsedCarDealership VetClinic WorkWear Women’sWear YogaS tudio BESTPEOPLE Accountant BankTeller Barber Bartender BusDriver Carpenter CarSalesman Cashier Chiropractor CityCounselor CivicLeader ClubPresident Coach/Team CustomerServiceClerk Dentist DentalHygienist Doctor Electricians Estheticians FireFighter Hairdresser HomeCaregiver LocalNewspaperColumnist LocalRadioPersonality Nurse OfficeStaff PaperCarrier PersonalTrainer PetGroomer Pharmacist Photographer Politician Principal RCMPOfficer RealEstateAgent AdministrativeAssistant Salesperson/Retail TeacherElementary TeacherJr.High TeacherSr.High TravelAgent Volunteer Server BESTFOODS/BEVERAGES Appetizers Breakfast Brunch Caesar/Cocktails ChickenWings ChineseFood Coffee ColdestBeerinTown Desserts Doughnuts Dinner EthnicRestaurant FastFood FrenchFries Hamburger’s HappyHour HotDogs IceCream/Yogurt Kid’sMenu Lunch Pizza Pub Kid’sMenu Restaurant Salads Sandwiches Seafood Service Steak Sushi Tacos Vegetarian WineSelection BESTPLACEFOR Bargains CleanestStore CustomerService Golfing OilChange Recycling Working Shopping BESTATHLETE Male Female BESTINTHEARTS Actor/Actress Artist ArtsGroup DanceCompany LocalBand Market/Festival Musician $250 GIFT CERTIFICATE $200 INGIFT CERTIFICATES 9324AlaskaRdN,FortStJohn(250)262-4151 9716OldFortRd,FortStJohn(250)787-1142 $150 GIFTCERTIFICATE donatedby 992097Ave,FortStJohn(250)785-1455 PEOPLE’S CHOICE 2023 VOTEFORYOURFAVORITE! *Minimumof50%ofthecategoriesmustbefilledtobevalid.Usetheofficialform only!DON'TFORGETTOATTACHYOURLISTOFNOMINEES! BALLOTBOXLOCATION - TheAlaskaHighwayNews 9916-98St.,FortSt.John,BC alaskahighwaynews.ca/contests/peoples-choice Winnerwillberequiredtohavephototakenwhenreceivingthe prizetobeusedinmarketingandpromotionalmaterials. SelectYourFavoritesinthisyear's People’sChoice Awards donatedby

Human Rights Commissioner was in Fort St. John Thursday

The province’s Human Rights Commissioner is was in Fort St. John last week discuss hate with area leaders.

On Thursday Kasari Govender, joined decision makers and community leaders in the Energetic City for a conversation about her recently completed Inquiry into hate in the pandemic (the Inquiry).

In March 2023, the final report of the Inquiry, titled “From hate to hope,”

revealed a dramatic spike in hate incidents across BC during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the FSJ event, Commissioner Govender reviewed key findings and recommendations from the report, answer questions and create opportunities for engaged discussion about how communities in the Northeast can and do take an active role in responding to hate.

“As we conducted the Inquiry we heard again and again that there is

great power in local communities to address hate,” said Commissioner Govender in a statement.

“The event created space for local discussion on how to ensure we are able to prevent and respond to hate, particularly in future states of crisis. I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss how we can move forward together.”

editor@dcdn.ca

Look everyone - Trudeau ‘dismayed’ at B.C. port union’s ‘unacceptable’ decision to reject deal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is “dismayed” that an agreement to end the job action at British Columbia’s ports was rejected by the longshore union leadership.

Trudeau said Thursday that the union caucus’s decision to reject a federal mediator’s tentative deal that was agreed to at the bargaining table — putting them back in strike position — is “unacceptable.”

“The impact on workers, on families, on businesses right across the country of this prolonged strike has been significant,” he said in Belleville, Ont.

The stability of work at B.C. ports, key West Coast gateways for imports and exports, has been in flux since the leadership caucus of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada rejected the mediator’s terms on Tuesday, briefly sending workers back to picket lines.

That move was ruled illegal by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which led the union to issue a new 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday, only to rescind that order hours later.

The strike originally started on Canada Day and ran for 13 days, shutting down or severely disrupting operations at more than 30 B.C. port terminals and other sites where union members work, freezing billions of dollars worth of products in place.

Rail company Canadian Pacific Kansas City confirmed late Thursday it is furloughing about 200 workers in Canada due to the “ongoing uncertainty” and “repeated startup and shutdown of freight traffic” caused by the port dispute.

CPKC spokeswoman Rebecca Stephen said in a written statement that the uncertainty has resulted in “customer decisions to curtail rail traffic,” resulting in the furloughs.

“Each additional strike day or day of uncertainty has a compounding impact on the timeline for supply chain recovery which will stretch well into 2024,” Stephen said. “There may be impacts for grain transportation this fall. Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner continues eroding.”

Gagan Singh, an independent trucker not involved in the ILWU-BCMEA dispute, said operations at the Port of Vancouver have returned to normal following the short work stoppage on Tuesday.

“It will take a while to settle down, but in general I think everything is fine,” Singh said, adding that the stoppage earlier this month actually allowed other areas of port operations to clear backlogs created by pre-existing bottlenecks.

Singh estimated that the original 13-day stoppage created an additional four days of overall backlog to the port.

The BCMEA confirmed ILWU workers returned to the job Wednesday afternoon at Vancouver Island ports, Delta-

New Westminster and Prince Rupert, while Vancouver’s inner harbour port was back to operation on Thursday morning.

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in Montreal on Thursday that he was “relieved” the ILWU removed its strike notice.

Earlier this week, Alghabra said in a joint statement with Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan that the federal government was considering “all options” to resolve the dispute after the union rejected the tentative deal. But on Thursday Alghabra said the clear preference is for the parties to reach a deal at the negotiating table.

“That is the ideal outcome,” Alghabra said. “We thought there was a tentative agreement that they reached last Thursday. I still don’t know what happened a couple of days ago … but now they are back at work, and I’m hoping we can proceed.”

B.C. Premier David Eby echoed the sentiment of wanting employers and the union to return to the table. He said the ongoing uncertainty is hurting the workers, the ports and Canada’s economy.

“The deal is so close, and there’s really no reason for the port not to be operating given how close both sides are,” Eby said. “We need a deal.”

The union, which represents about 7,400 port workers, has said that its caucus didn’t think the tentative deal “had the ability to protect our jobs now or into the future,” and it asked to return to the bargaining table. It also promised to appeal the industrial relations board’s ruling.

Trudeau convened a meeting of the government’s incident response group on Wednesday to discuss the situation, in a move reserved for moments of national crisis.

The prime minister said the government needs to make sure people have faith in the collective bargaining process.

“We always know that the best deals are always found through negotiations at the bargaining table and that’s what we’re focused on,” he said.

“But we also know that this strike could not continue and we’re glad to see that the union is reconsidering the good offer that was on the table and the agreement that was … accepted by both union leadership and management.”

A6 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
93 Avenue was temporarily closed Friday morning. Officials say it a truck has snagged a line in the area of the Pomeroy Sport Centre while exit-
bcleg.ca/AgCommittee SelectStandingCommitteeon Agriculture,FishandFood Howdoweimprovesoilhealthandcarbon captureinBC’sagriculturalsector?What technologyandsupportsareneeded? TheAgricultureCommitteeisholding publicmeetingsinNovember. RegistertospeakbySeptember1.Provide writtenorvideoinputbyNovember17. Forfulldetails, visitbcleg.ca/AgCommittee orcall250-356-2933or toll-free1-877-428-8337.
ing the parking lot, which pulled over and broke the power pole. Luckily, BC Hydro was right on scene.
SHARE YOURVIEWS

You’regoingtoloseaccesstolocal newsonFacebookandGoogle.

Dearreaders,

Youraccesstolocal,provincialandnationalnewsisgoingtoberevoked onGoogle,FacebookandInstagram.

Andit’snotbecauseofanythingwe’vedone.

Recently,CanadapassedtheOnlineNewsAct,alsoknownasBillC-18, whichhasledtoastandoffbetweenthegovernment,GoogleandMeta —theparentcompanybehindFacebookandInstagram.

BothGoogleandMetahavesaidtheyplantocuttieswiththe news industryinCanadaasaresult.

ThismeansMetawillblockthepostingandsharingofournewsarticles onFacebookandInstagram.Googlewillalsoremovelinkstooursites andarticlesinGoogleNews,Discoverandsearchresults.They’llalso cancelsignificantcontentlicensingagreementsalreadyinplacewith ourparentcompany,GlacierMedia.

Undoubtedly,thiswillhaveahugeimpactnotsolelyonusbut,more importantly,onpeoplelikeyourselfwhomayusethesep latformsto discoverwhat’shappeninginyourcommunityandtogetcontextto eventshappeninginyourownbackyard.

We’renotplanningongoinganywhere,buthere’showyoucanhelp:

1. SignupforourfreedailynewsletterbyscanningtheQRcode. (Andencourageyourfamilyandfriendstodothesame.)

2. FollowusonTwitter.

3 .Bookmarkourwebsiteasthehomepageonyourdevices.

4. Considerbecomingamemberifyouaren’talready.Yoursupport willhelpuscontinuetocoverl ocalstories,bylocals.

5.Ifyouown/operatealocalbusiness,considersupportinglocalby placingadswith100%Canadian-ownedmediaoutlets,likeus.

Withyourhelp,morepeoplewillbeabletogettheirlocalnewsfroma trustedsource.Intoday’sageofmisinformation,that’smoreimportant thanever.

Thankyou.Weappreciateyou.

Sincerely,

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A7

ProudParents Russell and CourtneyGilbert

MICKY ROBERT DAVID GILBERT

July4,2023

Length: 23inches

Weight: 9lbs0oz

Time: 5:00pm

Fort St. John RCMP find missing 17-year-old

Fort St John RCMP request public assistance in locating missing 17-year-old Anastajia Mae Baker.

LENNI MARIE JONES

ProudParents Brittney and KyleJones

Dropofformailyour FREEbirthannouncementto TheAlaskaHighwayNews, 9916-98St•FortSt.John•V1J3T or email:compose@dcdn.ca

July1,2023

Length: 50cm

Weight: 7lbs3oz

Time: 1:28pm

Celebra�ng Births

Eachpetalisengravedwiththe baby’snameandbirthdate, thenaddedtoafloweronthewall. Yourminimumdona�ontothe FSJHospitalFounda�onof $125perpetal,suportsthe Maternal/PediatricFund.

Ph: 250 261 7563

Email: fsjhf@northernhealth ca

www.fsjhospitalfounda�on.ca

THANKYOUFOR RECYCLINGTHIS NEWSPAPER.

ARIES–MAR21/APR20

Don’trushinandactcombativethisweek,Aries.Takeamoredelicate approachtoconvinceotherstoseethingsyourway.Asthesaying goes,“Youcatchmoreflieswithhoneythanwithvinegar.”

TAURUS–APR21/MAY21

Areyoufeelinglikeyoumaywanttobeawellnesswarrioroflate, Taurus?Startbytakinginventoryofthefoodsinyourhomeandmakingsomehealthierchanges.

GEMINI–MAY22/JUN21

Gemini,ifyouarelookingtomakeafewnewfriends,askotherstoconnectyouwithlike-mindedindividuals.Youneverknowwhoyoumight meetuntilyougiveitatry.

CANCER–JUN22/JUL22

Cancer,ifadelicateissuehasbeentroublingyou,reachouttosomeoneyoucantrustandbegintotalkthingsthrough.Youwilllikelyfeel betterjustgettingthingsout.

LEO–JUL23/AUG23

Leo,areyoureadytotakeyourprojecttothenextlevel?Brainstorm withacoworkeraboutthebestwaytogetaheadandmakeamark withthisendeavor.

VIRGO–AUG24/SEPT22

Itcouldbetimeforamoveandyoujustaren’treadytoadmitit,Virgo. Youmayhavegottencomfortableinoneplace,butamovecould provetherightdecision.

LIBRA–SEPT23/OCT23

Libra,therearealotofideasswimmingaroundinyourhead.Youmay needtoputsomethingsdownonpapertoseewhatreallymightbe worthdoinginthedaystocome.

SCORPIO–OCT24/NOV22

Connectwithafriendorevenyourpartnerforanintimatedinnerthis week.You’vebeenmovingindifferentcirclesandit’stimetogeton thesamepage.

SAGITTARIUS–NOV23/DEC21

Invitepeopletostopbyandcheeryouup,Sagittarius.You’vebeen goingthrougharoughpatchandthere’snothinglikehappyfacesand newperspectivestobringaboutasmile.

CAPRICORN–DEC22/JAN20

Capricorn,besuretocheckyourbankaccountprettyregularly;otherwise,youmaylosetrackofspendingandgetyourselfintoafinancial messthatcouldbetoughtogetoutof.

AQUARIUS–JAN21/FEB18

Aquarius,youmaybeyourownworstenemythisweek,especiallyasit pertainstothinkingthatsomeonemaybetryingtocausetroublewith youatwork.Getthefactsbeforeacting.

PISCES–FEB19/MAR20

Pisces,thereisaprocesstoeverything.Remainpatientandstaythe coursenomatterhowexcitedyouare.Restassuredthatthingswill workoutifyoucanhanginthere.

FAMOUSBIRTHDAYS

JULY23 DanielRadcliffe,Actor(34)

JULY24 BindiIrwin,Activist(25)

JULY25 MegDonnelly,Actress(23)

JULY26 SandraBullock,Actress(59)

JULY27 MayaRudolph,Actress(51)

JULY28 CherLloyd,Singer(30)

JULY29 DakPrescott,Athlete(30)

On Saturday, July 15, RCMP received a report Baker was missing. Through police investigation it was determined Baker was last seen on Sunday, July 16, in the

afternoon, in the area of 100th Street and 99th Avenue in Fort St John.

Fort St John RCMP continue to investigate and request the public’s assistance in locating Anasajia in order to confirm her well being.

Police investigate home invasion death

RCMP initially reported the July 19 incident as occurring on Tuesday, June 18.

July 18 saw RCMP respond to the complaint of a home invasion in the 2100 Block of Upland Street in Prince George which has resulted in the death of a 22-year-old woman.

Prince George Serious Crime Unit, Forensic Services and BC Coroner service are involved. Police believe this was a targeted event and do not believe there to be a further risk to the general public.

“There is no further information available at this time.”

This is the second home similar incident in less than 24 hours. On Monday, Prince George RCMP responded to a report of a woman dead in a home in the 1500-block of Victoria Street.

Anyone with any information on this is asked to call the RCMP at (250) 561-3300.

editor@dcdn.ca

Rob Gibson

Alanna Kelly

Police say Verity Bolton, the mother associated with a provincewide Amber Alert for two missing children, is also believed to be travelling with her father and boyfriend.

Surrey RCMP held a news conference Thursday to update the public on the search for Aurora Bolton, 8, and Joshuah Bolton, 10. Police issued an Amber Alert for the children Wednesday after they were reported missing by their father.

The two children left Surrey, B.C. in the care of their mother on June 28 for a planned camping trip in Kelowna. That camping reservation in Kelowna ended up being cancelled, and the children were not returned to their father as expected on July 17. They were reported missing the following day.

The latest information places Verity Bolton in a Kamloops grocery store on July 15. Based on a review of video surveillance, the children were not seen in the store. At that time, Verity Bolton was dressed all in all black, wearing a black baseball cap and black sunglasses.

Cpl. Vanessa Munn with Surrey RCMP said Thursday afternoon it is believed Verity Bolton is likely travelling with her father, Robert Bolton, 74, and her boyfriend, Abraxas Glazov, 53. Police could not provide details about either man.

The last time the two children were seen was on July 7 in Merritt, while they were passing through the community, in the company of their mother and two men.

RCMP on Thursday morning released images of a dirty dark blue 2012 Dodge Ram 2500, with B.C. licence plate SJ2708, that was pulling a white bumper pull horse trailer. Investigators believe Verity Bolton, two men and children are travelling with that vehicle.

Police say the group is also believed to be in possession of an additional, large travel trailer. Photos of that trailer are not available yet but will be released.

“The Surrey RCMP Serious Crime Unit has assumed conduct of the investigation and is actively liaising with Kamloops RCMP,” said Munn, noting “it is possible” they’re still in Kamloops. “Investigators are following up on all tips

received and continue to pursue all possible investigative avenues to bring Aurora and Joshua home safely.”

Aurora and Joshuah’s immediate family shared a statement through the police.

“Our family would like to thank the RCMP for their ceaseless efforts as well as the public, who are sharing the Amber Alert and have been calling in with tips. Our entire family is devastated by recent events. We ask everyone if they could continue to be vigilant in looking for Josh and Aurora, who we miss greatly and hope they will be returned home safe very soon. Our family is respectfully asking for privacy at this time.”

Munn said Thursday they remain incredibly concerned for the wellbeing of the children and the mother’s ability to care for them.

She said there is no indication that they have left B.C. at this time. Investigators have received a “large” number of tips and sightings that they are working through.

Anyone who sees Verity Bolton or the two children should call 911 immediately.

A8 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
Celebrate a new arrival by adding baby’s name and birth date to a petal on the Baby Bouquet wall at the FSJ Hospital
‘Our entire family is devastated’: Amber Alert mom believed to be travelling with father, boyfriend

Proposal to convert Site C workcamps to drug treatment facility

A proposal to convert Site C workcamp facilities into drug treatment and rehab facilities will be discussed today at the PRRD.

A motion expected to be introduced by Dawson Creek mayor Darcy Dober – offers to start discussion with BC Hydro, Local First Nations, North Wind Wellness Centre, Northern Health, the First Nations Health Authority and the Province to begin.

Earlier this summer, BC Hydro hosted a Regional Community Liaison Committee Meeting and Tour on June 7. The first part

of the tour consisted of a walkthrough of the main ATCO lodge and a presentation on the site’s decommissioning plans.

The North Wind Wellness Centre (NWWC) currently serves the region, operating an Indigenousfocused 10-bed health and wellness centre in Farmington. They want to expand their program to another site in Pouce Coupe for a 60-unit facility as the first phase and eventually build an expanded facility; Addictions Recovery Community Housing (ARCH).

“Since the tour, I have

spoken to the Minister of Health, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, BC Hydro, North Wind Wellness Centre, and Northern Health and raised the idea of the possibility of moving the expanded NWWC program to the BC Hydro lands or having access to some of their decommissioned buildings,” says Dober in report to the PRRD on today’s agenda.

editor@dcdn.ca

Fort Nelson First Nation honouring fallen firefighter

Fort Nelson First Nation will fly their flag at half-mast in honour of firefighter Adam Yeadon, who lost his life battling wildfires in the Northwest Territories.

Only 25, the young firefighter died after being injured over the weekend, battling a blaze near his home community of Fort Liard. Yeadon was a member of the Acho Dene Koe band (ADKN).

Fort Nelson First Nation made the announcement on social media, expressing their condolences on behalf of the chief and council.

“We are so incredibly saddened by the loss of this brave firefighter. Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the firefighter’s family and friends in the community of ADKN and the NWT Fire Crew,” reads an image in the post.

“Out of respect to this firefighter and his family, we have lowered our flag to half-mast to honour him.”

His death was confirmed by officials on Sunday, and the injury took place on Saturday just 37 kilometres north of the BC border where an intense wildfire season is being fought. Yeadon leaves behind four siblings and was described as a caring person, passionate about his chosen profession.

He’s the second person to lose their life battling wildfires this summer, with BC mourning the loss of 19-year-old Devyn Gale in Revelstoke, where she was struck by a falling tree.

More than 80 wildfires are burning in the Northwest Territories, while BC is dealing with nearly 400. Yeadon’s death is the first firefighting fatality since 1971, when four firefighters perished in an aircraft accident and another two by falling trees.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

Boil water advisory over for Hudson’s Hope

A boil water notice has been rescinded for the District of Hudson’s Hope. Residents were notified of the changes on July 14 in a public service announcement, with the district noting that Northern Health has lifted the advisory.

In the PSA, the district further noted that the temporary water treatment plant has met all regulatory requirements for safe drinking water, and that residents and businesses can resume their normal water consumption.

BC sets requirements for single-use plastics

The Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation is inclusive to shopping bags, oxo-degradable plastics and food service packaging made from polystyrene foam, PVDC, PVC, disposable food service accessories, and compostable or biodegradable plastics.

“As part of our government’s CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, the regulation strengthens our efforts to prevent plastic waste and pollution, and ensure a better future for the people of B.C. through a healthier environment,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

“Focusing on hard-to-recycle single-use and plastic items will help move B.C. to a cir-

cular economy where waste and pollution are eliminated, products and materials are kept in the economy through re-use, and natural systems are regenerated.”

In December 2023, these requirements will begin to come into force, which gives 6 months to educate the public and businesses on the new requirements and allows enough time for businesses to use up existing inventory.

“Reducing our consumption of fossil fuel-based single-use products is imperative to human and planetary health. Recycling is important, but we need to prevent plastic from becoming waste in the first place. Regulating single-use and plastic items province wide, and harmonizing that

regulation with those of senior government, will help B.C. evolve to a more circular economy,” says Lyndsay Poaps, executive director of Recycling Council of British Columbia

21 municipalities have established bylaws to restrict single use plastics in their communities since 2019 when the province launched the CleanBC Action Plan.

In December 2022, the importing and manufacturing of six plastic items (drinking straws, checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks, ring carriers and food service ware) was prohibited by the federal government, and sales of these items will be banned as of December 20.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

The district also advised that residents turn on all taps and flush their water lines for 5 to 10 minutes, check ice makers in refrigerators, drain and refill hot water tanks, and run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.

The district is also encouraging residents to restrict unnecessary water use in light of the drought conditions currently plaguing Northeast BC.

In a further social media post, the district asked residents to return empty water bottles, noting that they will no longer be providing bottled water following the rescinded notice.

Residents can return the empty bottles at the public works shop on Monday or Tuesday until 7pm or they can drop them off at the ship during regular working hours, Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4pm.

Alternately, they can be dropped off at the district office from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Any further inquiries can be directed to the district office at 250-783-9901.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj.ca

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A9
TW Buck Reporter/Photographer

Sentencing adjourned for vet facing sexual offence charges

A sentence hearing has been delayed for a Fort St. John veterinarian facing charges of sexual assault, unlawfully recording intimate images, and voyeurism.

The matter will be sent to a judicial case manager on July 27 to set a new date for sentencing.

Testimony was given against Justin Sewell in Fort St. John Provincial Court last week, with defence initiating adjournment on July 13. The matter had been expected to conclude.

It’s alleged the offences took place in Charlie Lake in 2007, over a decade and a half ago. Sewell pled guilty to the offences last November.

Details from the hearing are

under a publication ban to protect victims and witnesses from being identified.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

Car 60 program a success, say Fort St John RCMP

in mental health in combination with the Northern Health database - tailoring care to the needs of patients.

“You can see patient histories, and medications, and all those things that help make informed decisions, along with her experience that we have access to,” said Hanson. “So, it’s been a success, I just really want to be able to scale it up.”

Fort St. John RCMP responded to 349 calls for mental health in 2021, and 297 in 2022.

get in those areas, the better it will be for everybody,” said Hanson.

It’s not the first time Hanson has been involved with Car 60, who headed a unit in Prince George before coming to the Peace.

“The reality is that police will always be called, but we’re not always the best solution – so we’re trying something new,” Hanson told Alaska Highway News last June.

A year since its launch last June, Fort St. John RCMP detachment commander Insp. Tony Hanson said Car 60 is a success, and they’re continuing to work with Northern Health

to find options to expand the program.

The next step would be to add another mental health professional to the team, says Hanson, noting it doesn’t necessarily have to be a nurse.

“We’ve had some conver-

sations with Northern Health managers in this department and they’re looking to try to get additional staff,” said Hanson.

Hanson spoke highly of the program’s current clinician, Meaghan Mallough, and said she’s done phenomenal work utilizing her background

Putting medical decisions in more appropriate hands and speeding up access to the ER are just two areas which Car 60 greatly helps, said Hanson, reiterating that police were never intended to be social workers or medical practitioners.

“Police are not medical practitioners, we’re not social workers, and we shouldn’t be. So, the more systems we can

DC RCMP investigate vigilante attacks

Rob Brown Managing Editor

RCMP say a man is now in hospital after being targeted by a group of Dawson Creek vigilantes.

On July 12, at around 9:45pm Dawson Creek RCMP received a report that a man was being targeted and attacked by vigilantes near a local business on the Dangerous Goods Route.

The next morning at around 6:45am, Dawson Creek RCMP received another report of a man being assaulted at the intersection of 225 and Highway 97 South in Arras.

Investigators determined that the victim in both incidents was the same 20-year-old man. The victim was transported to hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

Pictured -Cst. Brandi Richards and Car 60’s mental health clinician Meaghan Mallough. Fresh out of Depot, Cst. Richards says she’s decided to volunteer her time as an officer to the program as part her community commitment requirements.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

Police are actively investigating those incidents and the nature of those attacks on the victim. Initial information indicates that the victim was targeted as a result of unsubstantiated rumorus posted on social media.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dawson Creek RCMP at 250-784-3700.

editor@dcdn.ca

City of Dawson Creek looking to replicate Yukon sign post forest

The City of Dawson Creek is looking into options to create a sticker park in Mile Zero, following a suggestion from councillor Gregg Apolonio.

Recommended reads for you:

Boil water advisory rescinded for Hudson’s Hope

PRRD looking into repurposing of Site C workcamp

Apolonio presented the idea to city council at their July 17 meeting, after noticing that a buildup of stickers has started to accumulate on the “Welcome To The World Famous Alaska Highway” sign - a much loved spot for tourists and residents.

Preserving the landmark and serving the interests of sticker enthusiasts, Apolonio said it would be worth creating a sticker post park for the public to place stickers or memorabilia, much like the famous Sign

“This space would be a haven for sticker collectors or aficionados, or even onlookers,” said Apolonio, noting the sign needs some upkeep.

The forest in Watson Lake was started in 1942 by a homesick American soldier, who was working on the construction of the Alaska Highway. Since then, over 80,000 unique signs have been added to the sitevisitors are encouraged leave signs and messages.

Councillor Kyle MacDonald said he’s also in favour of Apolonio’s vision for a sign post forest, as inspired by Watson Lake.

“I would personally like to something a little bit better than just metal and metal signs,” he said.

Dawson Creek Mayor Darcy Dober said he envisions any sticker board concept to

be simple, but with room to be added on as space fills up.

“I think they’re just sticking it to metal right now. You just want something that would hold up in the weather, but I don’t think it would take much,” said Dober.

“I’m not in mind picturing spending a whole bunch on it - just something that, you know, maybe start it with something and see if grows and continues, and if it becomes something bigger.”

City council agreed to leave the current stickers in place at

the NAR Park, directing staff to research options for a potential sticker post or board.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

A10 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
Tom Summer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Post Forest at Watson Lake in the Yukon.

TODAY’SPUZZLE PREVIOUSPUZZLES ANSWERS

own 27.Marryagain 29.Blaster’sneed 30.Venisonsource 31.Lawn 34.Dawntodusk 37.Brunchdish 39.Couple 41.Inquisitiveone 43.Ignore 44.Bunny’skin 45.Semis 46.Clutter 49.Deepanger 50.Pocketflap 52.Pigeon’s comment

HOWTOPLAY: Fillinthegridsothateveryrow, everycolumnandevery3x3box containsthenumbers1through9 onlyonce.Each3x3boxisoutlinedwithadarkerline.You alreadyhaveafewnumbersto getyoustarted.Remember: youmustnotrepeatthenumbers1through9inthesame line,columnor3x3box 48.Soaringtoy 51.Frosty 54.Strongdesire 55.Ages 56.____goodto betrue 57.Birdabode 58.Yanks’foes 59.Longtimespan DOWN 1.Featherstole 2.Motel 3.Refusestobuy 4.Relaxed 5.Solemnlyric poem 6.Gainedvictory 7.Lap 8.Counsel 9.Demolish 10.Horsehair 11.Santa’svehicle 19.Putintoservice 21.Dinercustomer 22.Corrode 23.“____ina Lifetime” 24.Miles____hour 25.Takeasone’s

53.Overthere, poetically

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A11 ADVERTISEMENT ARTICLES COMMUNITY COMMUNITYPAPER DELIVERY EDITOR EXPOSURE FEATURE INFORMATION JOURNALIST LEARN LOCAL NEWS NEWSPAPER ONLINE OPINION PAGES PRINTED READING REGIONAL REPORT RESOURCE SUBSCRIPTION TABLOID NRNBROFOPINIONC OAETDODETNIRPOT ICWPAENAASTIMNS TNSLABXLSTNMEAI ARPAGPLPIWUMQRL MAACESYOONERUTA REPORTTTISENEIN OLELIONTIDUINCR FGRINTYTENRRVLU NOITPIRCSBUSEEO IIEAWEDITORMSSJ BUGZVZWORDSEMAR CEHDELIVERYPUOZ SLANOIGERZLESLC GNIDAERRESOURCE TODAYSPUZZLE
PREVIOUSPUZZLESANSWERS ACROSS 1.Baby’ssmock 4.Depressions 8.Munitions 12.Yoko____ 13.Falsegod 14.Double 15.“____Which WayYouCan” 16.Dishlist 17.Tarzan’sswing 18.Mug 20.Restrained 22.Dates 24.Daddies 26.Camein 28.Roosevelt’s nickname 32.Portray 33.Gnawaway 35.Wordofassent 36.Plantagain 38.Cohort 40.Substantial 42.____off (prevent) 43.Tearsup 46.Dad’sbetter half 47.Sleet’skin
PLUS TAX
*ExcludesEggBLTMcMuffin andChickenBLTMcMuffin .Notvalidwithanyotheroffer. Foralimitedtimeonly.AtparticipatingMcDonald’srestaurantsinCanada.Productvariesbyrestaurant. © 2023McDonald’s
McMuffin® & MediumPremium RoastCoffee*

City of Fort St. John, Cultural Society on same page with new Cultural Services agreement and lease

The City of Fort St. John city council and the North Peace Cultural Society’s board of directors have agreed to a new Cultural Services Agreement and lease for the North Peace Cultural Centre.

Recommended reads for you: Ministry continuing work on TLE and Site C land agreements PRRD cites misinformation

about proposed Land Sharing Network in apology Following the framework and guidance laid out by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last year, we are thrilled to announce that a new Cultural Services Agreement and lease of the North Peace Cultural Centre has been solidified between the City and the North Peace Cultural Society, said Fort St.

John Mayor Lilia Hansen, and Board Chair Connie Surerus in a joint statement.

The City and the North Peace Cultural Society have collaborated on many cultural events and are continually working to meet the needs of the arts and culture community.

Significant efforts have been made to involve representa-

tives from all arts groups, and these efforts have proven effective and will continue as we move forward.

Both sides agreed that the Cultural Services Agreement’s terms have been reached through consensus and mutually benefit both parties and the community.

“We are committed to delivering high-quality arts and cultural services and maintaining open and honest communication to ensure the ongoing success of our partnership long term.”

editor@dcdn.ca

New colour sorter helps Peace region seed producers

There’s some brand-new equipment on hand the South Peace Grain …what is it all about?

The new colour sorter, courtesy with a little help from a Northern Development Initiative Trust grant – arrived late last year.

With more than 50 years of seed cleaning experience – the colour sorter is just the most recent in a long line of support for producers – with the ability accommodate both common and pedigreed seeds.

ThePipelineNewsNorth OilfieldMapisseenandusedby thousandsofpeopleintheoil, gasandforestryindustry.

*Includes30FullColourMapsforyour

distribution.Insidepositioningonly. Specificpositioningsoldona“FirstCome, FirstServe”basis.

SINGLEFRONTPAGESPACE

*

*Includes30FullColourMapsforyour distribution.FrontCoverpositioning.Only 4spotsavailable.Specificpositioning soldona“FirstCome,FirstServe”basis.

Call:250-785-5631orEmail:rwallace@ahnfsj.ca 9916–98St.FortSt.JohnBCV1J3T8 tobookyouradTODAY!

CompanyName

ContactName:

Phone:

“The new sorter separates by kernel colour and has the capacity of 1,000 bushels an hour ” says team lead out at SPG - Harris Ford.

“It has helped exceed our production capacity and has us looking to expand in new ways.”

By way of history - 1963 grain producers from Rolla, Dawson Creek, Progress, Groundbirch, Bay Tree, and Bonanza formed the South Peace Grain Cleaning Cooperative Association to construct a seed cleaning facility for member producers. With support from the City of Dawson Creek, local businesses, the BC and Alberta governments, and the founding members,

the original facility was built and operated successfully until 1987.

There are eight full-time employees at the SPG and 100 plus on their membership list – serving both BC and Alberta seed producers.

“It is a very cool and pretty unique facility, says Ford adding the new separator will add to a more consistent seed for producers and growers.

SPG will be having a BBQ and open house on August 10 to highlight the new equipment and new products in their livestock feed lines.

editor@dcdn.ca

*NOTE:PricesquotedareNET.

*NOTE: Prices quoted are NET.

Programmatic CommunityDisplay

OurRoots

Geofencing

Glacier’scommunitymedia brandsserveover 4.8million readers in60communities acrossWesternCanada. Usingthisreach,youcantell yourstorythroughrichmedia andcustomadsunits.

Geofencingisthefourthtacticof programmatic.Itdeliversoffline-toonlinemetrics.

Youaredirectly“pinning”areasyou wishtotargetpotentialcustomers andreportingbackonthenumberof peoplewhowalkedintoyourplaceof business-wecallthis“Geo-lift”.

Types

Types

•HyperlocalReach

● EventTargeting

•RunofNetwork

● CompetitorTargeting

•GeoTargeting

● CustomerLoyalty

•ResponsiveAdUnits

•PageTakeoverOptions

•AdCreation

•CampaignReporting Newsreadersarecaptiveaudiences.Makesureyouarereachingthese individualswithyouradmessages.

Connect withRyanWallacetostartrunningyourCommunityDisplayAdsonthe AlaskaHighwayNewssiteandacrosstheGlacierMediaCommunityNewsNetwork.

P:250-785-5631

E:rwallace@ahnfsj.ca

A12 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
Don’tmissouron thisopportunity tohaveyour business highlighted! ORDERYOURFULL COLOURADSPACETODAY! SINGLEINSIDESPACE $29500 *
FortSt.John COMMUNICATIONS 250.785.2018 •Facility&PipelineConstruction 7510100thAve.FortStJohn,BC 2021-2022 OILFIELDMAP Servingthe North&SouthPeace andsurroundingareas
$50000
September15,2023
BookyourspaceNOW! Booking/MaterialDeadline
PIPELINE NEWSNORTH PIPELINENEWSNORTH 2023 -2024 OILFIELDMAP

Local food drive all in for low-income families

Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society has seen a substantial growth of low-income individuals in their numbers from 2022, along with a 3050 percent increase in male traffic since January.

“We are looking for donations to help support our lowincome clients as we have seen a drastic 104 % growth in our numbers in the year 2022 the equivalent of 12023 clients. Thus far, these numbers have

remained steady into 2023,” says Lilly Loichinger, Outreach Store Coordinator.

This event will be taking place at the local Save on Foods every Friday until August 25, and some of their needed items consist of,

Pull Top Canned Goods Breakfast Foods – cereal, peanut butter, jams, cheese wiz Coffee, sugar, coffee whitener

Water Cups of noodles

Condiments

Kids snacks

Any other non-perishable food items

Hats and Sunscreen

Hygiene Supplies – Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash Cat food Size 4 to 6 diapers and wipes “For individuals wanting to drop off donations to our office drop of times are during

9am-12pm can be brought in the front door of the outreach store.  Afternoon donation drop offs are from 1pm-3pm to the back of the outreach store” says Loichinger.

Get news delivered to your inbox six days a week, subscribe to our newsletter.

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

Blizzard bikes - two sets of results!

July 20

The Baldonnel easterly breeze cleared off the smoke and gave the riders speedy conditions. Nigel Wray blazed through the 16k circuit with a time of 23:28 minutes.

1. Nigel Wray 23:28

2. Davide Loro 27:25

3. Calvin McCracken 28:523

4. Heather McCracken 29:26

July2023

5. Barb Jarnagin 29:41

6. Trevor McDonnell 30:54

7. Sam Keats 31:03

Thanks Pat Ferris for timing!

July 13

Although the rain tried to deter the riders, 5 ‘die hards’ were determined to ride the Baldonnel 16km Time Trial; this Thursday evening. The rain held off during the race but the riders had to deal with the wet roads.

1.Nigel Wray 23:55

SAVETHEDATES UpcomingEvents2023

July14-August31: Community50/50

September27: AGM

November4: BeanAngelGala

Keepuptodateandfollowuson FacebookandInstagram

2.Kevin Hunt 29:04

3.Calvin McCracken 29:15

4.Sam Keats 32:15

5.Richard Wood 34:38

Thanks Heather McCracken for timing.

$102,000FORADDITIONSTOTHEMRIDEPARTMENT!

TheFSJHospitalFoundationisthrilledtoannouncethereceiptofa$102,000donation,whichwillhavea significantimpactontheMedicalImagingDepartmentattheFSJHospital.Thankstothegenerosityofalongtimedonor,fundshavebeenprovidedtopurchaseMRIcoils,specificallydesignedforthehand/wristandfoot/ ankle.“WhenaskedabouttheirmotivationforsupportingthepurchaseoftheMRICoils,thegenerousdonor, whochosetoremainanonymous,statedthattheystillhavefamilyresidingintheNortheastregion”,KellyAmboe, ExecutiveDirectoroftheFSJHospitalFoundationsaid.Sheadded,“Theypossessadeepunderstandingofthe challengesfacedbymanyindividualsintheNortheastwhenitcomestotravelingfordiagnosticsandtreatment. Theyfirmlybelieveintheimportanceofhelpingpeopleandsawthisdonationasanopportunitytomakea meaningfulimpactonthelivesofpeopleinourcommunity”.

ARNIEISBERGMEMORIALTOURNAMENT

TheannualArnieIsbergMemorial1-PitchTournament,organizedbythededicatedvolunteersheadedbyTournamentChairJenniferMcBrideandlong-timevolunteer KerriLaurin,onceagainprovedtobearemarkablesuccess.Sinceitsinceptionin2012,thistournamenthasbecomeacherishedtradition,raisingatotalof$178,000 fortheFortSt.JohnHospitalFoundation’sCancerDiagnosticandTreatmentFund.ThefundsraisedthroughthistournamentwillbedirectedtowardstheFortSt.John HospitalFoundation’sCancerDiagnosticandTreatmentFund,makingasignificantimpactonthelivesofcancerpatientsandtheirfamilies.

Photos:KerriLaurin,ArnieIsbergMemorial1-PitchTournamentVolunteer,andKellyAmboe,ExecutiveDirectoroftheFSJHospitalFoundation,KerriLaurinpresentingVanceShawcheckwiththe DanSumoRuttanAwardfor2023(PhotoCredit-KerriLaurin),5TheS’MoresBombsTeamincostumeattheArnieIsbergMemorial1-PitchTournament(PhotoCredit-KerriLaurin)

CONGRATULATIONS

TheFSJHospitalFoundationwouldliketocongratulatethe2023recipientsofTheFSJHospitalFoundation’sEducationalGrants,thisgrantshavebeeninstrumental insupportingthecontinuingeducationoflocalhealthcareworkerssince1997.Theaimtoeasethefinancialburdenofeducationcostsandencouragehealthcare professionalsmeetthegrowingneedsofthecommunity.Congratulationsto:FaithGetaruelasandMichaelGabriel:Theyarebothstudyingpsychiatricnursing. CorinnaFugere:SheisstudyingOccupationalHealth&Safety.JamieRoss:Jamieisstudyinginformationmanagement.DanielleMcGowan:Daniellehascompleted prenatalspecialtytraining.LianaGrama:Lianahascompletedhercertificationtobecomeanactivityassistant,aidingPeaceVillaresidentsinlivingfulllives.Byawarding thesegrants,theFSJHospitalFoundationisnotonlyinvestingintheprofessionalgrowthoftheseindividualsbutalsointheimprovementofhealthcareservicesinthe community.

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A13
Photos:FaithGetaruelas,MichaelGabriel,CorinnaFugere,JamieRoss,LianaGrama,missingDanielleMcGowan

FSJ RCMP look for stolen Harley

On July 20, Fort St John RCMP received a report of a motorcycle stolen overnight from a driveway in the area of 88th St. and 90th Ave. in the city.

The motorcycle is described as:

2006 Harley Davidson Street Glide, saddlebags on both sides, with custom airbrushed skulls and antlers for art.

Fort St John RCMP continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information in this matter

to contact the Fort St John RCMP at 250-787-8100. Should you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.

editor@dcdn.ca

RCMP look for break and enter suspect

Fort St John RCMP requests the public’s assistance in locating 27-year-old Justin Daniel Didico-Tite who is currently wanted for Break and Enter and Theft under $5000.

Justin Didicco-Tite is described as: caucasian male, 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall, 150 lbs (68 kgs), with brown hair, and green eyes.

If anyone has information on Justin Didicco-Tite’s where-

Freng is on the run

Travas Freng is wanted by police.

Fort St John RCMP requests the assistance of the public in locating 31-year-old Travas Jared Freng who is currently wanted for Break and Enter, and Theft under $5,000.

Travas Freng is described as: a caucasian male, 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall, 173 lbs (78 kg), with brown hair and green eyes.

If anyone has information on Travas Freng’s whereabouts, please contact the Fort St John RCMP at (250)

abouts, please contact the Fort St John RCMP at (250) 787-8100.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.

editor@dcdn.ca

787-8100.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.

editor@dcdn.ca

New trial date set for Amanda Black murder

Tom Summer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A new trial date for a Fort St. John man accused of killing his girlfriend has been set. Originally scheduled to begin this past June, the matter was delayed following an application to adjourn.

Shane Sutherland was arrested Feb. 8, 2021, after RCMP were called to a home in the Village St. John townhouse complex where Amanda Black, 22, was found dead. He has been held in custody ever since.

The Fort St. John law courts confirmed this morning that the new date will be October 16, and is scheduled for several days. Sutherland sought bail in January, but was denied after appearing before Justice Ronald Tindale in Fort St. John Supreme Court.

Sutherland has not been found guilty of the charge. If convicted, it’s expected he will be sentenced to life in prison.

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ ahnfsj.ca

A14 | NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023
250•785•5631 TOPLACEYOURAD
BUSINESS COUNTRY UNTRY PEACE AHN DENTALSERVICES CASHFORGOLD&SILVER! PayingFullPricefor 999Silver. AlsoBuyingCoin Collections,Old PaperMoney&Jewelry. Todd250.864.3521 BUY/SELL/TRADE METALROOFING METALSIDING AURORA STEEL&TRIM 1-250-794-6618 jwalter@aurorast.com www.versaframe.ca Deliverytositeavailablewith 3-4dayturnaround. *40yearwarranty RollformedtoCustomLengths ManufacturerDirect Needaninstaller?Contactustoget intouchwithlocalinstallers/builders AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL ROOFING/SIDING Just15minfromFSJ km4Hudson’shopeHwy,CHARLIELAKE CallGlenn-250-262-1656 HOURS:Monday-Saturday9am-6pm Sunday11am-5pm Walker Greenhouses NOWOPEN! GreatselectionofFlowers, Perennials,Trees,Shrubs andmuchmore! GARDENS 1-250-794-2041 LEN’S TREE SERVICE LTD Residential&Commercial TreeRemoval •DangerousTreeRemoval •StumpGrinding •Tree,BushPruning •FullyInsured(5millionLiability) •FreeEstimates •PromptService Experience ARBORISTS
DIRECTORY

CommuniTy noTiCes

We’reheretohelp!

• PREVENTION EDUCATION SUPPORT

NorthernBrainInjury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

We’reheretohelp!

• PREVENTION EDUCATION SUPPORT

NorthernBrainInjury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

domesTiCHelp WanTed

Nanny/Live-inCaregiverrequiredfor2 childrenages4&6. Full-TimeLive-inonly. Dutiesinclude:Cooking,Careforthechildrenathome.Light housecleaning. Schooldrop-off and pick-up.Mustspeak English.RelatedExperiencenecessary. DawsonCreek. Emailresumeto: jayson_saao@yahoo.c om Nanny/Live-inCaregiverrequiredfor2 childrenages9&11. Full-TimeLive-inonly. Dutiesinclude:Cooking,Careforthechildrenathome.Light housecleaning. Schooldrop-off and pick-up.Mustspeak English.RelatedExperiencenecessary. DawsonCreek.Email resumeto:rosaliejustado@gmail.com

WoRkWanTed

SeekingaLive-InPositionasChildcare GiverandGardener. CallRachelat250788-2482after6pm eduCaTion

TAKEYOURCONFIDENCE&communicationalevel.Getthe careerandfamilylife ofyourdreams!Jona ToastmastersInternationalgroupnearyou. www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club BiCyCles

ForSale:HuffyMountainBike.SteelFrame, 27inWheels.Call250789-3778

Books,Coins, sTamps

Largecollectionof youthhobbybooks. Callforinformation dyoungdawson@gmail.com

250-719-7381

Todd’sCoins: Buyinggold, silver&coins

250-864-3521 FoRsalemisC

BrowningGore-Tex Trapshooter’sJacket XL,VGcondition WoodsGame-bird JacketXL,VGcondition250-785-4636

WanTedToBuy

2011DieselDodge RAM3500automatic-4-Doorforparts. (wiring-harnessmust beintact&functional)

250-789-3350

Lookingfora MoveableModular/ Home/House/ Cabintobuy. Call778-838-1055

Haying equipmenT NewHollandBR780 RoundBalerforSale. Asking$18,000.Call Gregat780-512-1207 or780-538-9115

HeaVy equipmenT

Forsale:D7-17ACat. Callformoreinfo. 250-772-5407

WanTed

Wanted!Pasturerentalfor3behaving horses,withinhalf hourfromDawsonor Pouce,780-864-9475.

misCFaRm equipmenT

Flexicoil67100ft wheel-boomsprayer (c/w)windscreens, 850-gallon-tank,hydraulicfold-outand more,excellentcondition.780-518-0635

2239 GrainVacs&Extractors

Walinga510grainvac withnewhoses. $6200.780-864-0809

HoRses&TaCk

QuarterHorsesfor Sale.Call780-9712350

Wanted:largeround horsehaybaleswithin45minutesof PouceCoupe, 250-786-5860orWonowon@shaw.ca

Wanted!Pasturerentalfor3behaving horses,withinhalf hourfromDawsonor Pouce,780-864-9475.

3521 Saddles&Tack

WesternSaddlefor Sale.AlsohaveBoots, Cinches,Bridleand Halter.Call250-7893778

Business seRViCes

Sundecks,Gazebos, Greenhouses,Planter

Boxes

Mike’sCarpentry 250-329-7471

noTiCes/ nominaTions

SAYNOtoFAKE NEWS!63%ofCanadianscan’ttellthe differencebetween realandfakenews. SupportreliableLOCALjournalism.Join thelistwww.newspapersmatter.ca.

6533 Grazing/PastureLease

Wanted!Pasturerentalfor3behaving horses,withinhalf hourfromDawsonor Pouce,780-864-9475.

TRuCks&Vans

2005DodgeDakota. 2WD,Automatic,Gas, 216,921kms,3.7V6. Asis.AlbertaRegistered.$4000.780766-2893

1983Ford6.9-Litre diesel4WD,Fixerupperorforparts truck90,000km, $1000OBO250-7893778

We’reHiring!

RVs/CampeRs/ TRaileRs

Travelaire5thWheel RV26’inexcellent condition.Topline withmanyextras. $7,000.250-7199272

23ftJayFlight5th WheelTrailerforSale. Excellentcondition. Everythingworks. $6,000o.b.o.250263-1901 2006Everest34.5ft 5thWheel,4Slides, KingBed,Washer Hookups,CentralVac, Fireplace.Very Clean/ExcellentCondition.$24,000250981-2818 2005Citation5thwheel31.5ft$45,000 firm.250-789-3350 199820ftTahoeLite H/Trailer.Sleepssix, builtforA/C(hasno A/C).780-8362107780-618-9161

Amazing“closetohome”opportunity ForFitnessProfessionalstosecurea wellpaidfull-time-term fitnessposition inFortSt.John.

Fulljobdescription: https://recex.ca/careers/wellness-coordinator/

1.SPEAKTOYOURAUDIENCEANDNOONEELSE. Attemptingtoconnectwith everyonewillonlyweakenthe messageyou’retryingtoconvey.

2.CRAFTAPOWERFULHEADLINE tocapturethe attentionofyourtargetaudience.

3.SELECTONEMAINIMAGE foryourdesign,andmakesurethatit tiesinwiththead’soverallmessage.

4.OPTIMIZEYOURCOPY. Choosetherightwordstoclearlycommunicatewhytheproductorserviceyou’resellingisexactly whatyouraudienceneeds.

5.EMBRACEWHITESPACE. Don’tletsuperfluousclutterdistractyour audiencefromthekeypointsinyourad.

6.LIMITYOUROFFERSTOTWO. Lessismorewhenitcomestoadvertising.Includingtoomuchinformationwillonlyconfuseyour audience.

7.MAKEYOURADVISUALLYAPPEALING bygroupingsimilarelementstogether,limitingthenumberoftypefacesyouuseand choosingcolourswisely.

8.STANDOUTWITHCOLOUR. Afull-colouradonanotherwise black-and-whitepageissuretodrawtheeye,andtheopposite —monochromaticinaseaofcolour—isequallytrue.

9.ALWAYSINCLUDEACALLTOACTION. Whatdoyouwantpeople todoafterthey’vereadyourad?Signupforyourservice?Visit your showroom?Letthemknow!

10.KEEPCONTACTINFORMATIONCRYSTALCLEAR. Potential buyersneedtoinstantlyknowhowandwheretoreachyou.

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A15 GETRESULTS! Reachalmost2million peoplein92papersfor only$395/weekfora 25-wordtextad,or $995/weekfora formatteddisplayad Bookbyprovince orwholecountry andsaveover85%! bccommunitynews.com/ advertise 1-866-669-9222 announCemenTs Overeaters AnonymousFSJ Wednesdays5:20to 6:05 pmSalvation Army100ave 250-505-4277 text/callHybird: oa.org
geneRal employmenT
Classifieds BookYourAdNow! 250-785-5631 classifieds@ahnfsj.ca NewDealsandCoolStuffEveryWeek DidsomeonesayFree? ClassifiedAds 15WordsorLess FREE! *Somerestrictionsapply. ContactLynn@250-785-5631 orclassifieds@ahnfsj.ca |Televisions |Computers |Gadgets |Tools |Cars |Homes |Motorcycles |RVs&ATVs |Furniture |Announcements |Antiques |Collectibles |Appliances |GarageSales |&SoMuchMore
TODAY inbusiness, BEINGFOUNDFIRST iswhatmakesyouawinner! Advertisewithus ANDBESEENEVERYTIME! Playinghide-and-seekisfunbut… RyanWallace|rwallace@ahnfsj.ca 250-785-5631|AlaskaHighwayNews.ca y g Playinghide-and-seekisfunbut…
newspaper salesrepresentative foradditionaltipson HOWTOMAKEYOUR NEXTADCAMPAIGN ASUCCESS! 250-785-5631 results youwant youwant classifieds ? ! 250-785-5631 calltoday ALASKAHIGHWAYNEWS.CA•250-785-5631 Callor goonline to browse buy or sell SnapUpaDeal inthe Classifieds ALASKAHIGHWAYNEWS.CA•250-785-5631 AlaskaHighwayNews CLASSIFIEDS WEPUTTHINGS INEASYREACH Dial-a-classified 250-785-5631 Dial-a-classified 250-785-5631 Work! ClassifiedAds P I C K T H E O N E YO U WA N T 250-785-5631 CLASSIFIEDSAREAN PICKTHEONEYOUWANT
Contactyour

Bonanza Fall Fair fun

A good time was had by all at the Bonanza Fall Fair.

Parade:

Float Entry Comedy

1st Cousins Crew

Float Entry Original

1st Saddle Hills County

–Wilderness/camping

2nd BayTree General Store

2nd Bonanza Fire Department

3rd Secure Energy Services

Decorated Quad/Side by Side

1st Secure Energy Services

Antique Vehicles

1st Bill Gamble

2nd Ron supernault

Chainsaw Carving Winners

Carvings Donated by Blaine Brake

1st Monique Gundlach

2nd Michelle Steck

3rd BJ Schultz

Friday July 14, 2023

Mud Bogs

Quad/Side by Side

1st Btyan Ferguson

King of the Hill

1st Derrick Sheane

Saturday July 15, 2023

Mudbogs

Side by Side

1st Bryan Ferguson

Quad

1st Justin Webster

33” & under

1st Quin Hingley

2nd Mike Viczko

Over 38”

1st Gavin Low

2nd Sid Bossenberry

Wildfires put strain on local

Search and Rescue

Local Search and Rescue groups had a request for financial support read this week by the Peace River Regional District at their July 20 board meeting, citing that resources for SAR were depleted by the intense wildfire season.

The board did vote in favour of issuing $10,000 to North Peace Search and Rescue, South Peace Emergency Response Team, and Tumbler Ridge Search and Rescue to be split equally among the three.

While Area C director Brad Sperling noted that six million was just recently released by the province to fund search and rescue, and was in favour of dispensing the additional relief funds - he further cautioned how the PRRD is bound by requisition limits, as the money was drawn from a health services function.

“We need to really watch what we’re doing - we can’t be taking one to another, or maxing ourselves out to the point where we find ourselves in trouble down the road,” Sperling said, as the function is tied to several initiatives.

Pouce Coupe councillor Marcel Woodill serves as the South Peace Search and Rescue president and noted he’s aware of the funding, but cautioned that it’s not equally distributed among the 80 SAR groups in BC - it’s allocated by call volume, and covers less than 50 percent of total operation costs in the province.

“The reason why this is coming forward is because the teams in the north did put out extra time, extra money, that were related directly to the fires,” he

said, noting reimbursement rates from the province simply haven’t covered the additional costs.

“We actually had volunteer groups putting out their own funds in order to do this - they were going quite steady,” Woodill said. Volunteers also do an incredible amount of fundraising, he added - everything from selling hot dogs to parking cars.

Fort St. John Mayor Lilia Hansen agreed with budgetary concerns, but commended the SAR groups for putting their own money forward to serve the community, and said the financial ask was reasonable.

“I am in support of this and primarily because this organization is one that they’re willing to put their own skin in the game, their own money to help others,” she said.

Area B director Jordan Kealy was also in favour of giving the additional funds, noting that winter fires have been popularized as ‘zombie fires’ in the media, downplaying the seriousness of the public’s homes being at risk.

“I think year to year, things can change. And if this is a scenario where they need a bit more money when it comes to the funding, I think it’s a vital resource,” he said. “We also have to look at whether or not we’re dealing with wintering fires as well, and the different scenarios that we have throughout the winter to spring.”

Tom Summer, Alaska Highway News, Local Journalism Initiative. Have a story idea or opinion? Email tsummer@ahnfsj. ca

Agriculture

1st Larry Rudy

2nd Bill Hutchinson

Powder Puff

1st Connie Melnyk

2nd Jessica Shantz

Demolition Derby

1st Dave Lawton Jr

2nd Amanda Gates

3rd Dave Lawton Sr

Drivers draw Winners

1st Tuesdae Viczko

2nd Bryan Ferguson

Bench Show

Best in Show

1st Holly Kanda

2nd Lauren Konashuk

3rd Simone Sarrazin

4th Susan Oe

Best in School Work

1st Madelyn Hingley

2nd Olivia Hingley

3rd Kendall Wyant

Gymkhana

Lead line Riders Jesse Houle

Beck Singer

Cash Smith won 1st in Barrels, Poles, Flags, Keyhole Cowen Smith won 2nd in Barrels, Poles, Flags, Keyhole

Hi Points Peewee: Cash Smith

Paisley Smith won 1st in Barrels, Poles, Flags, Stakes and Keyhole

Hi points Junior: Paisley Smith

Clara Hotte won 1st in Barrels, Poles, Flags, Stakes, Keyhole

Hi Point Intermediate: Clara Hotte

Lauren Konashuk won 1st in Barrels, 2nd in Poles, 2nd in Stakes, 2nd in Flags, 1st in Keyhole

Caylie Switzer won 2nd in Barrels, 1st in Poles, 1st in Stakes, 1st in Flags

Trudy Gorday won 4th in Flags, 3rd in Poles, 4th in Stakes

Natasha Arnold won 3rd in Barrels, 4th in Poles, 3rd in Stakes, 3rd in Flags, 2nd in Keyhole

Hi point Adult: Lauren Konashuk

TheBonanza&DistrictAgriculturalSociety wouldliketothankeachandeveryperson whohadahandinhelpingusputonthe 43rdAnnualFair&MudBog. ASPECIALTHANKYOUTOALLOF OURGENEROUSSPONSORS.

Withoutyoursupport,theseeventswouldnotbepossible. Pleaseacknowledgethefollowingfortheircontributions:

BirchcliffEnergy

RalphTomkinsConstruction

Charlie&MyrtleCornock

RockyRoadContracting

DonFunkWelding

Alvin&DorothyMoorman

PeaceCountryMemorials

LightHousePromotion

KeyEnergy

Marvin&ChristineMeier

StefanykWellServicing

Si’sOilfieldService

RenegadeGravel

GrayDiamondConstruction

ReneJeannotte

FostersAgriWorld

JeannotteFarms

NorthCountryServices

RichardsonPioneer

ManyCreeksFarm

GCMLaundryServices

HFNodes

DaveRossEquipment

B-MaxOilfieldServices

Penny&MarcelLepage

WayneRadke

NorthernSaw&Pump

NorthernMetalicSales

MountainViewSafety

TheBarbershopEastofMane

GreggDistributors

LiquidIce

BayTreeStore

WhitetailOilfieldRentals

PrairieCoastEquipment

BonanzaStore

Alvin&JanetHubert

JacquesElectric

BrassScissors

Brenda&RussellRadke

Ralph&SusanOe

SouthPeaceSeedCoop

DawsonCreekCoop

PazmenyHoldings

Ceda

BlueSkyDistributing

NorthRiverMidstream

SaddleHillsCou nty

3RiversRanch(Larry/JaneHolthe)

ValBates(DiverseDrilling)

LeahYakiw

Brent&YvonneRogers

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 | NEWS | A16
540387

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.