Prince George Citizen, Thursday October 16, 2025

local man does his best to fight off an intruder looking for jewelry and money, but the robber gets away — later, technology leads to an arrest

Homeowner, 78, does his best to fight off intruder

Things turn physical after thief enters home and demands money

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Tucked away inside a modest home for the last 40-plus years on the periphery of downtown Prince George, Jay, 78, never dreamed that one day he would be fighting off a man who boldly walked into his house and demanded cash.

The home invasion occurred on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at about 4:30 p.m.

When Jay heard the door open, having left it unlocked in anticipation of his wife’s return, he rose to greet her.

To his surprise it was not his beloved wife, Elle, 79, who he saw but a tall man demanding money.

Elle said that ordinarily she visits a friend at a set time on Wednesdays and would usually be home at that time but decided to do some errands instead of going straight home.

“I am glad I wasn’t home because I would’ve been clobbered,” Elle said. “In a fight or flight situation — I fight.”

The Citizen is not using their full names or sharing their address.

In the first moments of the crisis, Jay decided to confront the intruder rather than acquiesce.

“We had a bit of a shoving match right there in the kitchen when he walked into me,” Jay said.

“I figured quite quickly that it wasn’t likely I would overpower him. He was taller than I am so I thought it would be better to delay him — keep him here in the house until somebody would come along to give a little assistance.”

Jay said he thought the accused was testing him when he got physical.

“There was a standoff for some minutes when he kept saying ‘I want some money,’” Jay said.

“I told him ‘I don’t have any’ and I just kept delaying,” he said.

At one point he pulled off the man’s jacket and was able to use it to cover his hands as he pulled out his phone and tried to call for help.

Among the items stolen from a couple’s home in a recent home invasion was a six-pack of Coke Zero. Police were able to recover five of the bottles.

“I was wanting to dial 911 but in my confusion I was dialing 991 and it just didn’t work, and I kept thinking ‘why isn’t this working?’ and so then when he got close I would put the phone back in my pocket,” he said.

Jay tried to prevent the robber from entering the living room where there were some valuables but that didn’t last long, so he invited the man to sit down on the sofa and rather surprisingly the home invader did.

“He rummaged through stuff on the coffee table including handling a large glass with a candle in it and at various times he threatened to crush my head with it and leave me bleeding out on the floor,” Jay said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“He found some mints he then ate and then he found some other things and I kept thinking ‘the longer I can keep him here the better chance someone is going to come along,’” he said. “So I just stood over him and when he demanded money I did not respond. He asked me if I was deaf and dumb and so I told him I do have hearing loss but I could hear

sent twice didn’t register with her.

“When I got the texts I thought he was just being cute,” Elle explained with a shrug.

She thought Jay was just sending random numbers after Elle had recently teased him that when she got together with her girlfriends all their husbands would text them continually and she never heard a word from him no matter how long she was gone.

During the crime, Jay kept fighting back throughout the entire ordeal and it eventually came to a head.

The intruder had emptied all the drawers of a nightstand in the bedroom and ransacked the place thoroughly.

“In the bedroom we had another shoving match and the guy ended up on the bed and then he shoved me back and I ended up on the floor,” Jay said.

him and I was not dumb and he would say ‘so get me some money.’”

Elle, sitting close beside her husband as he told the story, said she would’ve just given him the money.

“But then he probably wouldn’t have stopped there and taken everything else anyway,” she added.

After getting no response from the request for money the home invader kept looking around, turned on a light. That’s when he found Elle’s laptop and some money in a desk drawer.

“And I figured I wasn’t going to stop him because I probably couldn’t overpower this guy and I have a bad hip,” Jay explained.

“At that point I was done with the 991 thing and he proceeded to go into all the rooms and found the jewelry boxes.”

“The jewelry he took was my mother’s jewelry, my grandmother’s jewelry and my jewelry,” Elle added.

“The sentimental value alone — all these things are very important to me.”

During the home invasion Jay was able to successfully text Elle but “911

“He was standing over me and said ‘you’re going to pay for that,’ and then he stepped over me. He told me not to call the police or he would come back and break every window in our house and he walked out and I got up off the floor. I was able to take a photo of the man out my front window as he walked up the street.”

About 10 minutes later Elle came home.

“There was destruction everywhere,” she said.

They called the police and reported the incident. Officers searched the area for the man to no avail.

The couple was tasked with providing police a list of everything that was missing.

“And when I handed it over to the officer I thought to myself ‘I just have to let it all go or I will drive myself crazy,’” Elle said with her hand over her heart.

After all the excitement had died down the couple decided to go to their usual dinner out and their favourite server went above and beyond, which proved invaluable.

“It was like a lightbulb went off in my wife’s head and she said ‘you know, I think I have an app that will help me find my laptop,” Jay recalled.

SEE ‘RESTAURANT’ ON NEXT PAGE

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Hikers attacked by grizzly

Helicopters land near McGregor Mountain after two hikers were reportedly attacked by a grizzly bear on Sunday, Oct. 12. Specialists were called to the scene to investigate, the BC Conservation Officer Service reports. In the meantime, trails in the area, which includes Pass Lake, were ordered closed.

Restaurant server helps robbery victims track stolen laptop

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“I spoke with our waitress and she happened to know something about it.”

The server guided Elle through the process.

“And she found an address on Carney Street,” Jay said.

Elle immediately called the police to report the finding.

As the couple was returning home from dinner the call came in the police had found a suspect. And there was more good news.

“‘And we think we’ve got all your stuff,’ they said,” Jay smiled at the recollection.

“I guess he had not unpacked the stuff because they found it all together,” Elle added.

“When he (the accused) left here he was loaded down with all kinds of things, backpacks and bags. He even took my hat — it’s lambskin with fur for wintertime and it was hanging on the hook by the door and he just took it. He even took a six-pack of Coke Zero.”

It seemed like such an odd thing to steal, she added, with a shake of her head.

“He looked through the fridge and the

freezer — I’m surprised he didn’t ask my husband to make him a sandwich,” Elle joked.

Their stolen items were immediately returned to them.

“We got it all back on Friday — we even got five of the six bottles of Coke Zero back,” Elle laughed.

“I’m still finding jewelry all over the bedroom floor and even in the kitchen because he gathered up so much he couldn’t carry it all.”

They found out later the suspect has a long criminal history.

“And the police are quite familiar with him,” Jay said about the perpetrator. “He’s in jail right now and the police said he will be there for a long time.”

The accused has been charged with assault, uttering threats and theft and remains in custody. There is a protection order against him not to go near the victims of this crime or their residence.

In the meantime, neighbours have rallied around the couple, offering to clear their front yard of any covering that could hide suspicious activity from view of the street as the couple’s security system only picked up the home invader leaving, not entering the

house.

“And that’s too late — it’s really just too late,” Elle said.

“We have neighbours coming to clear the hedges and get us a better security system. They’re worried about the old people and it’s really nice to have neighbours like that.”

Nathan Axelson, the neighbour whose camera footage of the criminal leaving the scene was submitted to police as evidence, said he wished he could’ve done more.

“And I am so mad. I was literally looking right at him thinking he was a crazy person yelling to himself,” Axelson explained.

“At that point I had no idea what had happened and I was thinking all I had to do was jump in the truck and chase him, tackle him down and get all their stuff back but of course the cops told me they were glad I didn’t do that because if I would’ve hurt him he probably would’ve charged me.”

Axelson said he has already trimmed the bushes around his own house that were blocking his camera’s view of the street.

“And I am getting a friend of mine over to see what we can do to get rid of

some of those trees and underbrush at their house and then we’ll set up better cameras,” Axelson said.

“We are all going to keep taking care of each other.”

After a few days of reflection the couple agreed they will be locking the door at all times now and Elle added she felt like everything happened the way it did for a reason.

“I think that I was delayed from coming home — because any other day I would visit my friend during that set time and I always leave her house right at 4 p.m. and I am coming through that door at 4:15. There’s a reason I didn’t come home right away — I went to Costco and then I decided to go to Superstore to get a sweet potato and because of that I just missed him (the accused) and I believe that was what I was supposed to do.”

“That decision kept her out of danger,” Jay added, who remained unhurt throughout the many altercations he had with the robber.

“I have a board by the door,” Elle said. “And I would’ve come in with that board and he would’ve taken it from me and then who knows what would’ve happened?”

Downtown business owners call for state of emergency

Series of fires putting lives and property at risk, they say

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Two fires started at the back of Nancy O’s and one at the front door of Betulla Burning — which occurred two days ago on the same night — have prompted Eoin Foley, president of Nancy O’s Restaurant Group, to take action.

Foley shared his comments and photos of the fire in an email to members of mayor and council, local media, local business owners, Tourism PG and local MLAs to bring attention to the issue of crime faced by business owners downtown.

“I am very grateful that Nancy O’s did not burn to the ground two nights ago,” the email reads. “The first two pics are of the back door of Nancy O’s and another pic of a pile of ashes from the same night at the front door of Betulla Burning.”

Nancy O’s Restaurant Group owns both Third Avenue businesses.

“Business owners are in a desperate crisis,” Foley’s email continues. “This is a constant daily threat. If this does not constitute emergency action, what possibly does? City council, how many businesses? How many jobs lost in our city do you need to see before you take some real action?”

Foley spoke to The Citizen about his initial reaction to the fires lit outside the building and his experiences dealing with this type of crime downtown.

“There’s incredible frustration,” said Foley. “It’s not been uncommon, but the ones that really leave a mark like that one are scary. This happens in the middle of the night when no one’s around to catch it or catch the person doing it. Obviously, the people who are lighting these fires — whether they’re just trying to stay warm or intentionally do damage — it means they’re not in the right headspace.

“I’ve seen them do it on camera

many occasions. I’ve seen them light them and just walk away, leaving them completely unattended … If you walk around the alleys and downtown, you’ll see burn marks like that on just about every single building. It’s more of a surprise when a month goes by and a building doesn’t burn down.”

Foley said he has seen these issues downtown crop up again and again and is disappointed with a lack of meaningful action on the part of the city and others.

“I’ve seen the same cycles happen where you sit in a meeting and they’re talking about different issues and getting nowhere,” he said. “We’ve been talking about the same issues for years and it’s getting worse and worse. I’ve seen little to no action on these things. Each level of government will tell you about the little programs that they do and the funding they put towards this. But I mean, when you add it all up, it’s still a miserable failure.”

Despite the rise in structure fires and crime majorly impacting Prince George, Foley notes that it will take more than just the actions of the municipal government to tackle this all-encompassing issue.

“The different levels of government are responsible for different aspects of this,” said Foley. “Municipally, it’s not the city of Prince George or any city in British Columbia that is facing these issues; it’s not their mandates and they don’t have the resources to address the root causes of these issues. Addictions, mental health issues,

homelessness — for the most part, it’s not their mandate. But what they can do is mitigate some of the symptoms of these issues and make our streets safer. Things like more security. We’ve had a small, small win with starting a pilot project with some security cameras, but that’s very small and it’s going to take a while before it broadens out to have a significant impact regularly.”

The email chain itself has so far seen responses from other businesses like City Furniture.

These replies have the owners sharing their own experiences with crime downtown and sharing the call for a local state of emergency to be put in place.

In one email, Nancy O’s CEO Garrett Fedorkiw outlined his frustration.

“Declaring a local state of emergency would send a strong signal that they mean business and are ready to defend our community,” Fedorkiw wrote. “Because, make no mistake, our entire community is in jeopardy. Confidence is at an all-time low, zero private investment is happening in the CBD, property values are plummeting, and people are scared to shop downtown. Play this out for another few months or years and we won’t have a place worth saving. The Prince George we all desperately want to see in the future starts with actions today. Declare a local state of emergency today.”

Foley emphasized that a declaration of a state of emergency could help bring more attention and drive funding to finding solutions to issues with crime

downtown.

“This is a powerful, powerful tool that the municipality has in its closet,” he said. “They don’t have to use all the powers that it gives them, but they could implement curfews. If you’re wandering around at four in the morning, up to no good — they can, you can be pulled off the street. Because this is when buildings are getting burned down. It’s happening over and over again.

“The most important thing with the state of local emergency is that it sends a massive, really powerful message to the province that this is an emergency. It’s so urgent and they have not been treating it as such. They could encourage other municipalities to do the same and really put pressure on the province to make meaningful change towards the root causes of these issues.”

He added during his interview with The Citizen that his staff and nearby businesses feel unsafe and share his sentiments, and said local patience is not unlimited.

“My staff, my neighbours, throughout the community feel this way and it’s spreading out,” Foley said. “It’s not just downtown. It’s throughout the community, it’s in the Carter Light Industrial Area, the hardship’s trickling into College Heights, even in our neighbourhoods, we have people skulking around. I’ve had to explain recently to my threeyear-old why somebody was rooting around in Mommy’s car last night. It’s frustrating and I think not just mine, but a lot of people’s patience is wearing really thin.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Damage from flames is visible at the back door of Nancy O’s on Third Avenue from one of several recent fires.

New committee starts to map out council, mayor pay

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Work kicked off on Thursday, Oct. 9 for a new committee tasked with assessing how Prince George’s mayor and city councillors are compensated.

The City of Prince George’s council remuneration bylaw requires elected officials’ pay, benefits and expense budget to be reviewed and compared to municipalities of similar size by the second quarter of the final year of their term.

As there is a municipal election next year, this review must be completed by the June 30, 2026.

The members of the committee for the current review are Grace Chan, David Mothus, Diana Duchscherer, Jen Higham and Denis Leduc Gendron. Assisting the council are corporate officer Ethan Anderson and deputy corporate officer Leslie Kellett.

Gendron, a former director for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s Electoral Area A (Salmon River-Lakes), was unanimously voted into the chair’s position for the committee.

The last time council’s remuneration was reviewed, the mayor’s position received a one per cent pay boost on Jan. 1 of both 2023 and 2024.

Councillors received a 3.5 per cent compensation boost on both of those same days.

The remuneration bylaw also states that on Jan. 1 each year, mayor and council receive a pay adjustment equal to the lesser of the annual per cent wage increase received by non-union city staff or the average wage adjustment for the

Prince George’s Advisory Committee on Council Remuneration meets for the first time in a second-floor board room at city hall on Thursday, Oct. 9.

second, third and fourth quarters of the previous year and the first quarter of the current year for the public administration industry as published by Human Resources and Skills Development Council.

In 2024, each city councillor earned a taxable salary of $42,677.50. Mayor Simon Yu earned a taxable salary of $140,067.76 and a taxable vehicle allowance of $9,000.

Councillors also get to claim up to $10,000 in expenses each year, which was an increase from $8,000 starting in 2025.

Eligible expenses include those incurred while representing the city on behalf of council, engaging in city business, attending meetings, courses

or conventions on behalf of council, attending community events, attending workshops and/or seminars.

The mayor’s position also has an expense budget, but the amount is set through the city’s annual budgeted process and not defined in a bylaw.

For the review, the committee is required by bylaw to compare council’s remuneration to Chilliwack, Kelowna, Langley Township, Delta, Kamloops, the District of North Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria and Coquitlam.

During the committee’s first meeting, members asked about the rules guiding their work, how meetings will work and other procedural questions.

It also reviewed the report issued by the 2022 version of the committee,

its terms of reference, the existing language for the remuneration bylaw, a summary of benefits, its work plan and schedule.

Anderson told the committee that for this review, council has also asked members to review how other municipalities to see how they adjust remuneration for their elected officials to see if Prince George should adjust its process.

Meetings are open to the public and are held in a conference room on the second floor of city hall.

The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Future meetings are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 20, Dec. 5, Dec. 18 and for the final time on Jan. 8, 2026.

CITIZEN

Mail resumes as CUPW switches to rotating strikes

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has announced it will shift its nationwide strike to a rotating strike that began Saturday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m.

The move will resume mail, parcel and flyer delivery across the country. As of the time this issue went to press, no details had been released about which regions will begin the rotating strikes. No flyer or overtime bans have been announced following the decision to move to a rotating strike.

“This will start mail and parcels moving, while continuing our struggle for good collective agreements and a strong public postal service,” said CUPW national president Jan Simpson in an announcement.

Nicole Chouinard, president of CUPW Local 812, spoke to The Citizen about how local postal workers are reacting.

“There are mixed feelings, of course,” said Chouinard. “The reality is, financially, it’s hard for us to be off work. Strike pay does not compare to our wages, and we are all just regular people with bills to pay — just like everyone else. There’s some relief at having a paycheque again, but that is obviously paired with disappointment that we are still in the same situation we’ve been in for almost two years now.”

Chouinard explained how the union plans to roll out the rotating strike and what local chapters can expect.

“The nature of the rotating strike is that it will be very last-minute,” she said. “There will be a plan beyond our local. There will be a plan on how the union is going to implement the rotating strike, and each local will basically find out when it’s their turn. So there’s a little uncertainty associated with that too. From what I understand, we will find out it’s our turn, we will drop everything and walk out.”

Canada Post also released a statement welcoming employees back and announcing the return to national operations — while warning of potential disruptions caused by rotating strike activity.

“Plans are now underway to ensure a safe and orderly restart of our national operations, which were shut down without warning on September 25 following the union’s sudden national strike. While postal services will begin to resume, uncertainty and instability in the postal service will continue with the union’s decision to conduct rotating strikes.

“Shutting down and restarting parts of our integrated national network with rotating strikes has always challenged our ability to provide reliable service to customers. As a result, all service guarantees will be suspended,” the statement reads.

Canada Post added that ongoing uncertainty has led many Canadians to switch to alternate letter and parcel carriers.

It noted that strike action has significantly impacted Canadians, Canadian businesses and Canada Post itself.

Recent changes to the Canada Post charter — including an end to door-todoor delivery — were announced by Minister Joël Lightbound, minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement. These changes are not yet in effect.

“He had made those sweeping

changes to the postal charter and had given Canada Post 45 days to figure out how they were going to implement them,” said Chouinard. “As far as we know, nothing’s changed with that.

The union did meet with Minister Lightbound on Wednesday evening with the request to basically rescind those changes at this time until a public mandate review has happened, and to encourage Canada Post to negotiate.”

Lightbound and CUPW have agreed to meet again in the near future, but Chouinard said she is not optimistic about the outcome.

“We’ve met with him before and thought that it went well, and we are not optimistic about anything to do with the government or our employer,” she said.

“As much as trying to get him to see the reality of Canada Post’s finances seems promising, I believe he’s going to see it however he wants to see it — regardless of what the truth is. I believe there’s potentially a bigger agenda down the line.”

Despite the shift in job action, Chouinard and other union members remain uncertain about whether it was the right call.

“It’s really hard to know in the moment what the right call is,” said

Chouinard. “I know that our national executive board is struggling with that themselves because we felt that the right call back last November of going out on a full strike was the move. It was the right thing to do because at the end of the day, as a union and as workers, our only source of power in negotiations is our labour.

“We felt that when we pulled that labour last November that that would force the hand of Canada Post to actually come back to the bargaining table and negotiate. But Canada Post never had any intention of negotiating with us, and they’ve proven that time and time again.”

Chouinard said it feels like a deliberate effort to sabotage Canada Post — and that postal workers need the income that comes with returning to work.

“The Canadian government is invested in backing Canada Post and the destruction of this public service,” said Chouinard. “We are essentially fighting what feels like a losing battle. The rotating strike at this point is about still fighting — but having our workers in the union receive paycheques. At the end of the day, we have bills to pay. We need to have some source of income.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Nicole Chouinard (front left) and CUPW 812 workers walk the picket line outside the Nicholson Street Canada Post building on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Legislation could mean daycares added to local schools

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

School District 57’s superintendent says the district will investigate the possibility of opening child-care spaces on school grounds after the provincial government introduced legislation aimed at reducing barriers to those kinds of operations on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

The province announced it was tabling Bill 19, which if passed by the BC Legislature would allow school districts across the province to provide child care to children of all ages, even during days when schools aren’t operating like summer break and professional development days.

“These changes could also improve the ability of school districts to support sustainable child-care programs or expansions by ensuring districts can recover reasonable costs, similar to how non-for-profit centres can operate,” the release said.

“School districts will work with local communities and First Nations to inform expansion planning and how best to meet community needs.”

The announcement comes after pilot projects were implemented in regions like the Okanagan-Similkameen.

Speaking to The Citizen, SD57 Supt. Jameel Aziz said the district had received advance notice of the legislation.

“I think anything that removes barriers for systems like ours to support child care definitely is seen as a positive,” Aziz said. “

We haven’t done a lot of work in on-site before and after school care to this point, but that is something that we are continuing to take a look at. Now, I think, with this new lens, we’ll explore further.”

To this point, Aziz said the school district has been more invested in helping create third-party daycare off-site from schools. He said a new daycare had just opened in Mackenzie at a former school site and construction will start soon at a former school site on Austin Road in Prince George.

Part of the considerations for on-site

Supt. Jameel Aziz, seen speaking at the PGSS graduation in June, welcomes Bill 19, which would allow school districts to provide child care on school property.

daycares will be seeing which schools and catchment areas have the capacity to accommodate them.

“I think we’re also going to have to look at how we currently allocate space,” Aziz said.

“Sometimes somebody will tell me that the building is full and under the lens of perhaps what it looks like in other school districts, it wouldn’t be considered full and so I think those are conversations that our board will initiate and we will (delve into) over the course of this school year.”

Another factor is making sure that money the district receives for education isn’t spent on child care and child-care money isn’t spent on education, although there might be some crossover.

Aziz said district administration will likely present the board of education with options on establishing potential test sites sometime in early 2026.

“These kinds of daycare structures don’t exist in many school districts at this point, but there are a few around the province and we’ll certainly be looking to those who have established these to see what their success are, what challenges or advice they can provide,” Aziz said.

“We obviously are supportive of making sure that our community is well served and child care is now part of our mandate and so we just want to see it being put into place as effectively as

system in our province that supports parents from the early years through to graduation,” Eby said.

“This legislation is the first step on the path to getting more child care on school grounds all across our province. Using our existing infrastructure and partnering with school districts is a smart, sustainable solution that puts existing resources to their best use for families.”

Minister of Education and Child Care

Lisa Beare said the pilot projects have shown the possibilities of having child care on school grounds.

possible.”

Also in the government’s release, Premier David Eby said he knows it’s not always easy for British Columbians to find safe, convenient and affordable child care.

“We are building a seamless child-care

“Not only will these changes make way for more access to high-quality care before and after school, younger kids will also get a chance to familiarize themselves with spaces and faces at school, setting them up for success for their future K-12 journey.”

The legislation, if passed, would also allow school districts to join the province’s child care fee reduction initiative.

OPINION

AI can be a powerful assistant

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Whether we’re ready or not, artificial intelligence is here — and it’s not going away.

Like the appearance of home computers in the 1980s, the rise of the internet in the 1990s, the arrival of affordable cellphones in the 2000s and the rapid adoption of smartphones in the 2010s, AI is already reshaping the way we work, think and solve problems.

The question isn’t whether we should resist it. Too late. The more urgent and relevant question is: How do we adapt?

AI systems like ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s Sora 2 are being woven into nearly every industry, from manufacturing to medicine to media.

Businesses are investing billions into generative and agentic AI tools, even if many of those investments have yet to yield a measurable return.

But history tells us that’s not unusual. Almost every technological leap starts with skepticism and adjustment before the benefits become clear.

In creative industries, including journalism, the pattern is familiar. Every major innovation — from digital editing in music production to computer-aided design in architecture — was met with pushback.

Recording engineers feared the death of analog; draftsmen dismissed AutoCAD as a gimmick; commercial artists scoffed at Adobe Illustrator. And yet,

We

the financial support

... but it’s not the

those tools didn’t destroy creativity — they redefined it.

The same story played out in countless other sectors.

The arrival of ATMs sparked concerns about job losses in banking. Automation in factories and robotics in agriculture led to similar fears. We’re currently debating the need and efficiency of self-checkouts.

Yes, many jobs were lost. But in most cases, the workforce evolved — and

often, entirely new job categories emerged. The world didn’t stop turning. It adapted.

Still, there’s a growing anxiety about AI’s potential to replace not just physical work but mental labour — the kind of work that, until now, seemed uniquely human.

AI is already handling tasks like drafting legal documents, writing software code, automating HR processes and streamlining scheduling and logistics.

boss

In call centres and warehouses, it’s eliminating jobs that are repetitive and rule-based.

But that doesn’t mean the human role disappears. It just changes.

As Subodha Kumar, a professor of statistics and data science at Temple University, told The Citizen in a recent story: “It’s not just about cutting jobs. It’s about reshaping work.”

AI is not just a cost-cutting machine; it’s a tool that, when used wisely, can amplify human potential.

In fields like health care, for example, AI isn’t replacing doctors — it’s lightening their workload and helping them make faster, better-informed decisions.

In the energy, mining and forestry sectors, AI is already being used to improve safety, detect potential hazards before they happen, and support predictive maintenance in complex systems. It helps explain technical procedures, monitors environmental conditions and alerts workers to changes — but it still relies on experienced technicians, tradespeople and engineers to interpret and act on its advice.

In these industries — where lives and livelihoods depend on precision, timing and situational awareness — AI is a valuable tool, not a replacement.

Journalism, in particular, stands out as a profession where AI has very real limits. ChatGPT can summarize, draft and reword. But it can’t ask — not really.

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acknowledge

of the government of Canada.

Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

Kennedy Gordon Managing Editor

OPINION

Mayor and council could take a lesson from Moose Jaw

So the province of Saskatchewan finally decided to deal with their own problem which is something similar to what Prince George is facing with our local businesses.

The Ministry of Social Services is moving the homeless shelters out of the downtown core after consulting with the concerned local business owners.

Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock said that based on comments from businesses, it was important to remember that the downtown core was “vital to the operation of the city” and for enhancing the services that shops provide.

We’re trying to come up with ways to be compassionate and work with people in the community and helping them, but on the other hand, our tourism is very important,” he said.

“And our businesses, we have to be mindful of them. And we want to make sure that we’re protecting our downtown.

Now talk about a pro-active government and mayor who’s fighting to keep their community and business safe and

LETTERS EDITOR to the

thriving and opting to do what’s best for the city.

Maybe our mayor can learn from this??

The city talks about saving money but I see a lot of small things that are a waste of time and money. Why are they changing the name signs like the cemetery, welcome to the city and others. The old signs looked beautiful. Also, why is the electronic scoreboard at Masich Stadium always on?

Mike Meijers

Prince George

Thank-you messages to Citizen staff, city parks workers

I would like to send out some many deserved thank-you messages.

Firstly, to the Citizen staff, for you have certainly improved our newspaper. We now have some interesting reading and photos to see.

A huge thank-you to all the city employees taking care of our city parks. They do a fantastic job planting the many flowers, cutting the grass, etc.

In one of our letters today, a reader thanks city workers for taking such good care of Prince George’s parks every year.

They are out in the early mornings, rain or shine. Our parks are something to be really proud of.

Also, thanks to whoever is building the new playground at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. It already looks fantastic.

Mary Paterson

Prince George

Prince George roadways are overgrown with thistles

In recent years, I have noticed the huge increase in thistle weeds in the roadways and trails, or any recently turned dirt.

These weeds are very invasive and

rapidly spread because of their seeds, which blow in the wind. These weeds spread very rapidly, and if not dealt with, they will take over — and our beautiful city will be a disaster. We will become known as Thistle City.

A short drive along River Road by Lakeland Mills is a real good example. Does this bother anyone else or is it just me?

The Hart Highway is another area badly infested.

Could we get some input as to what can be done about this — sooner rather than later? This is very unsightly.

Robert Rosin

Prince George

Invest in this new technology and in the people who use it

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

It doesn’t walk into a council meeting with a notebook. It doesn’t knock on doors or chase reluctant sources. It doesn’t verify leaks or uncover what someone is trying to hide.

Artificial intelligence lacks curiosity, intuition and skepticism — the essential qualities of a good reporter.

Example: A few weeks ago, a social media photo of a man driving a children’s Barbie Jeep being pulled over by the RCMP went viral, but without context. People laughed. It took real reporting to explain to the public what had actually happened and why it was a crime.

So, while AI might write a press release or clean up grammar, it won’t

replace journalists who do the real work: digging for the truth, asking the hard questions and explaining complex issues in ways that resonate with readers. It’s important, though, that AI use is always transparent and disclosed.

In The Citizen’s case, we’re exploring the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of editorial cartoons. One of our in-house graphic artists uses an AI tool to develop elements of each cartoon before using pencil and paper and wellknown graphics software to incorporate those into the finished product. It’s an evolution, but still human-generated.

In that sense, AI is a powerful assistant — but it’s not the boss.

That’s why education and training matter more than ever. The institutions shaping the next generation of workers

must evolve alongside the technology. Universities are beginning to rethink how they teach and evaluate students in a world where AI can generate essays in seconds.

At UNBC, faculty are exploring how to incorporate AI into assignments — not to avoid it, but to teach students how to use it wisely, ethically and with critical awareness.

It’s true that AI has made cheating easier. But it has also made learning — and problem-solving — potentially deeper, provided students are taught to question, verify and refine what AI gives them.

And that’s the real key: AI isn’t the threat. Complacency is.

The workers and businesses who will thrive are not those who reject AI, but

those who learn to use it. As Kumar notes, “AI will only take away the jobs of people who aren’t using AI.” That’s a bold statement — and a warning. What’s needed now is a dual investment: in the technology itself, and in the people who must learn to wield it. This means retooling our workforce, supporting retraining programs and designing new roles that blend human creativity and machine efficiency. It means not being afraid of the change — but shaping it, deliberately and responsibly. AI is the most powerful digital tool we’ve seen in a generation. If we treat it solely as a threat, we’ll fall behind. But if we treat it as an opportunity to evolve — not erase — our jobs, we’ll be ready for whatever comes next.

editor@pgcitizen.ca

OPINION

Cashless CN Centre comes up at Prince George council meeting

You can add youngsters to the list, as some parents are not comfortable letting the kid(s) take the debit card.

Easier to give each of them some cash, especially if they are going with their friends’ families to the game. Organize the line-ups better by putting up serpentine-like crowd control stanchions like you see at airport security and customs. There used to be more smaller kiosks selling popcorn, coffee etc and bring back the remote sellers (intermission only) to go up and down the aisles selling goodies. 50/50 sellers were commonplace during intermission wandering through the stands. All this may help. I think when the crowds were much smaller the organizational thinking took a back seat and with the numbers back up there should be some serious thought to alleviate some of the congestion. GO COUGARS!!!

D B A

How the city’s old fire truck play structure ended up in a playground in Shelley

What a loss!

That fire engine is truly unique and the kids knew it. Always the most popular part of the playground.

One of the icons of PG, thrown out with the trash.

Good for the kids of Shelley, though.

PGLocal

Service BC now closed along with all BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores

Canada Post already ruined striking for all the other unions.

The people are officially strike tired. It’s not having the desired effect the unions want anymore. The people are turning on them.

I don’t know what they really expected to happen. Especially once they decided to shut down people’s coping mechanism stores.

Now I can’t go and get my son’s much-needed paperwork from service Canada (honestly the government should just put all the paperwork that service Canada has to give us online so we can just get it ourselves). The next one to go on strike is going to be the regional district.

The signs are already made and they’re going to be joining the these guys on the lines as well. On one side a fair contract is needed and on the other side these are taxpayer-funded and the taxpayers do not want an increase in their taxes at the moment.

So pretty much what the unions are asking is that there be government funding cuts in other areas in order to give these guys more pay.

Tweeks 125

Service BC now closed along with all BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores

Sorry to say but it’s well know the BCGEU members voted for this government and not only that but tell their members to do so.

You get what you voted for. Like it’s already been said BC is a province in massive debt, no industry left which means no jobs, near,y 70,000 people left this province last year alone, 55,000 went to Alberta a record high.

Look it up it’s all there. In a time where people cannot even afford groceries on their table, cannot afford housing and have no gainful employment and having to leave this province for work, sympathy is going to be hard to come by.

R. Nich

Salmon on the move at Prince George’s Cottonwood Island Park

I stopped and spoke with a few of the people rescuing the fish, they were very nice and informative.

I hope this project yields the intended results. My main concern is the Nechacko seems to push and pile up sediment into the mouth of the cotton wood side channel. It might be wise to build a berm out of rip rap, to deflect the sediment from blocking the opening.

Zangief

Proposed legislation would allow SD57 to run daycares on school property

I never understood why schools don’t run some sort of after school program, the kids are already there, the buildings are equipped to handle kids and most people work till five.

Seems like a no brainer to have an option for afterschool care built in.

But alas, the government will alway bumble what should be a slam dunk.

One thing I know for certain, is the Y already does run afterschool programs, at schools now.

They have for years, it’s just pretty expensive.

The fact that schools sit as vacant as they do, is insane. They cost money to operate 24/7/365, why wouldn’t they offset that cost by renting some of these spaces to the public after school hours.

Zangief

Weapons, drugs recovered after Crime Stoppers tips

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Northern BC Crime Stoppers have received 676 tips so far this year leading to the recovery of $279,590 in property, cash and drugs as well as 23 weapons, Prince George city council heard at its Monday, Oct. 6 meeting.

Presenting to council on Crime Stoppers operations in British Columbia were BC Crime Stoppers executive director Weldon LeBlanc, Northern BC Crime Stoppers president Kyle McDonald — who also serves as a councillor on Dawson Creek city council — and BC Crime Stoppers executive director Gillian Milliam.

Coun. Ron Polillo serves as Northern BC Crime Stoppers’ vice-president.

LeBlanc said that since the first Crime Stoppers chapter was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico by a Canadian police officer, more than 800 programs across the world have been founded.

The not-for-profit organization accepts anonymous tips from the public and passes them along to partners in law enforcement and the media.

Northern BC Crime Stoppers is the largest of the 14 branches of the program in the province, though the Metro Vancouver chapter oversees the most populated area.

In 2024, LeBlanc said, the northern chapter received 12 per cent of the Crime Stoppers tips received across BC.

“We have secured funding for a

Oct. 6.

two-year pilot project with the goal of rebuilding this chapter towards longterm sustainability in two key areas,” LeBlanc said.

“Assist with rebuilding the local leadership and help to create a sustainable funding model.”

The Prince George chapter has been around for more than 40 years. LeBlanc said Northern BC Crime Stoppers raised around $4,300 from its fall community shredding event and combined with the proceeds from its spring event, has raised around $11,000 so far this year.

Recently, he said, Crime Stoppers finished the third phase of an awareness campaign on contraband tobacco and are in the second phase of a campaign aimed at combating extortion.

“We just received a report from phase

one,” LeBlanc said. “There’s a high rate of engagement in the Prince George area on this issue with our campaign. Soon, we’ll be launching a campaign on illegal cannabis in the province. Illegal tobacco, cannabis and extortion are major sources of revenue for organized crime.”

Other areas of focus for BC Crime Stoppers include missing persons, fraud (senior and romance), child exploitation and human trafficking.

LeBlanc said Northern BC Crime Stoppers is one of the most successful chapters in the province.

His presentation slides said that in 2024, the chapter received 940 tips including 233 related to drugs, nine related to arson, 15 related to property crime, 15 related to stolen property, 15

related to theft, 22 related to weapons and 32 related to assaults.

These tips led to six arrests, the recovery of five weapons, $11,200 worth of property, $75,500 in cash and $284,700 in drugs. That’s a total of $371,400 worth of recoveries.

So far in 2025, the chapter has received 676 tips and the organization is waiting for confirmation on how many arrests those tips have led to. Those tips included 158 related to drugs, 14 related to arson, 11 related to property crime, 19 related to stolen property, 15 related to theft, 15 related to weapons and 19 related to assault.

Additionally, 23 weapons, $222,000 of property, $14,000 in cash and $43,590 in drugs have been recovered for a total value of $279,590.

“Crime Stoppers offers the promise of anonymity,” LeBlanc said. “We want your information, not your name … here’s a snapshot of the activity throughout the region. What you see is the recovery of $650,000 in stolen property and the arrest of six people.”

Since the chapter was founded in 1985, LeBlanc said, tips received have led to 1,600 arrests and the seizure of more than $40 million in stolen property and drugs.

The chapter will be looking to recruit new leaders and partner with businesses, law enforcement, governments and Indigenous nations after it rebuilds to disrupt the impact of crime, LeBlanc said.

Nearly 6 in 10 local court cases end in findings of guilt

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In Prince George last year, 57 per cent of concluded criminal case files resulted in guilty findings.

That is according to the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) 2024-2025 annual report, published Oct. 6.

Annual statistics show 2,051 files concluded in the fiscal year in Prince George, with 1,161 being guilty and 754

files in which charges were stayed.

Only 15 files were in the “not guilty” column.

Seventy were for peace bonds and 51 in the category of other, which includes referral to an alternative measures program. The median days to conclusion rate was 129.

Prince George prosecutors received 2,630 reports, of which 2,080 went to court. Province-wide, the 42 Crown offices received 52,353 reports and made

53,782 charge assessments, of which 40,276 were referred to court. On 10,159 occasions no charge was approved. On 2,166 occasions, files were referred back to agencies.

The number of accused across the province was 54,708, which would fill BC Place Stadium.

There were 11,963 held in custody. In total, 22,845 of 40,605 files resulted in guilty findings.

Crimes against the person reports to

Crown counsel were 4.4 per cent lower than the five-year average of 17,505 and property crimes were 0.5 per cent higher than the five-year average of 10,053.

BCPS, which has 540 prosecutors, 524 professional staff and 57 managers, spent almost $230.7 million during the fiscal year.

Prince George is the headquarters of the BCPS northern region and counts 118 full-time equivalents working out of 35 courts and 10 offices.

BC Crime Stoppers representatives Weldon Leblanc and Gillian Milliam and Northern BC Crime Stoppers president Kyle McDonald present to Prince George city council on Monday,

Suspect arrested after carjacking, robbery

He’s accused of stealing two vehicles

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

RCMP report the arrest of a suspect in connection with an armed robbery and carjacking that occurred on Tuesday, Oct. 7, shortly after 1:30 p.m.

Earlier that afternoon, Prince George RCMP located a stolen vehicle near the 2100 block of Norwood Street.

The driver then fled from police. RCMP did not pursue the vehicle but instead conducted patrols around the area.

At 1:40 p.m. RCMP received more reports that a man wearing a mask was seen arriving at a gas station located at the 8000 block of the Hart Highway in a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle.

A man had approached a female and assaulted her with a weapon in an attempt to steal her vehicle, police allege.

The suspect then got into the woman’s vehicle and drove away.

Flats murder trial begins Nov. 17

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man charged with second degree murder after a shooting early last year at the Moccasin Flats homeless camp changed his mind about the format for his upcoming trial in B.C. Supreme Court.

On Oct. 10, Fabian James Charlie, 40, appeared remotely before Justice John Gibb-Carsley for a pre-trial conference.

“Frontline officers responded quickly, located the vehicle and arrested the suspect. Fortunately, the victim was not seriously injured. The suspect will remain in custody until his next court appearance,” stated Const. Jenna Moore, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Scott William Jacob Teece. He has been charged with:

• Theft of a motor vehicle (two counts)

• Possession of property obtained

by crime over $5,000

• Flight from police

• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

• Robbery (two counts)

• Assault with a weapon

• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose

Police would like to speak with witnesses, including anyone with cell phone video or dash camera footage of the robbery or who has video surveillance from around the 8000 block of the Hart Highway.

Instead of a trial before judge and jury, Charlie re-elected to be tried by judge alone.

The trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 17 in Prince George and could last up to a month.

A person was shot on Jan. 5, 2024 and Charlie arrested later in the day for attempted murder. On Feb. 8, 2024, Prince George RCMP said the victim died. The charge against Charlie was upgraded to second-degree murder.

Two months ago, on Aug. 14, Justice Bruce Elwood decided the city is entitled to an order to close Moccasin Flats.

RCMP officer ordered to resign over drunken incident

CITIZEN STAFF

A Williams Lake RCMP officer has been ordered to resign after driving drunk and pointing a loaded handgun at two men.

Const. Olavo Castro, who was stationed with the RCMP’s BC Highway Patrol in Williams Lake at the time, is alleged to have engaged in “discreditable conduct” contrary to section 7.1 of the RCMP’s Code of Conduct on the night of July 1, 2022 during the Williams Lake Stampede.

“The Subject Member’s conduct ran contrary to the exemplary image and integrity required to perform the duties of a police officer,” states the official decision calling for his resignation.

“His actions seriously tarnished the RCMP’s image and contributed to a loss

of public confidence and respect for the RCMP and policing in general. The factors speak to the need to impose significant conduct measures, including the loss of employment.”

According to an RCMP report dated in July but just published online, Castro was off duty when he was stopped by a fellow officer at around 2:05 a.m. while driving a grey 2020 Ford F-350 truck in the parking lot of the rodeo grounds on Mackenzie Avenue North.

The stop came amid heightened police presence in town due to the Stampede, which draws hundreds of visitors each year.

The officer who stopped Castro, Cpl. Brett Squire, reportedly noted signs of intoxication, including an odour of alcohol, watery eyes, unsteadiness, and an open can of liquor in the vehicle’s

centre console.

A roadside breath test resulted in a “FAIL.” Castro allegedly refused a second breath sample, and his truck was subsequently towed to the Williams Lake RCMP detachment.

The second and more serious allegation stems from an alleged confrontation with two Stampede attendees, identified only as Mr. J.E. and Mr. W.B.

The two men reported that while walking toward a nearby Tim Hortons after the event, they encountered a truck approaching them.

Castro, allegedly driving the vehicle, rolled down his window and confronted them, asking, “Do we have a problem?”

It is then alleged that Castro reached into his hoodie, produced a handgun, and pointed it at both men while repeating the question and stating,

“This is my town.”

There was reportedly no lawful justification for drawing the weapon.

A subsequent search of the truck revealed a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 9-mm handgun with a round chambered.

Investigators say Castro did not have proper authorization to transport the restricted firearm in that condition.

The misconduct hearing documents state Castro’s actions were inconsistent with RCMP conduct standards and amount to discreditable conduct.

Castro received a 90-day driving prohibition and his truck was impounded for 30 days.

He later pleaded guilty to possession of a restricted firearm and received a suspended sentence and 12 months probation.

RCMP investigators are looking for anyone with dashcam footage or video from an Oct. 7 incident on the Hart Highway.

POLICE NOTES

Charges approved in fatal Cops for Cancer hit-and-run

Prince George RCMP have confirmed that charges have been approved in the hit-and-run in July that claimed the life of Shane Kelly and injured an RCMP officer.

“This incident hit the community of Prince George, as well as our local policing community, very hard as this not only involved a Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de North rider but one of our own police officers,” stated RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Jennifer Cooper. “Our investigators have worked very hard to bring this investigation to the charge-approval stage.”

Thomas Leslie Phillips is charged with

• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death

• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm

• Fail to remain at the scene of an accident causing death

• Fail to remain at the scene of an accident causing bodily harm

• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

Quesnel RCMP seek witnesses to fatal Highway 97 crash

Quesnel RCMP are asking for assistance from the public in locating a witness to a fatal collision between a tractor-trailer and a black Harley Davidson near Quesnel.

The witness is reported to have been driving a blue pickup and reportedly saw the aftermath of the collision.

The collision itself occurred on July 24 at 12:34 a.m when a black Kenworth tractor-trailer collided with a black Harley Davidson motorcycle on Highway 97 near Naver Creek Road.

The driver of the motorcycle was killed on impact, with the driver of the tractor-trailer subsequently arrested and charged with impaired driving.

RCMP report that the witness can be heard in the background of a 911 call and that he may have provided a flashlight and other items to the driver of the tractor-trailer.

If you are the driver of the blue

pickup, or you know who it is, call BC Highway Patrol in Quesnel at 250-9929211 and quote file 3304 2025-5987.

Local man wanted by RCMP on warrants for theft

Prince George RCMP are asking the public to keep an eye out for 62-year-old Gregory William Felker.

Felker is currently wanted on two unendorsed warrants and one endorsed warrant for the following:

• Theft under $5,000 (four counts)

• Failure to comply with an undertaking Endorsed warrants have been signed by a justice of the peace and allow the RCMP to release suspects after they have been arrested and processed.

Unendorsed warrants are not signed and require the suspect to be held for a court appearance.

RCMP describe Felker as:

• Caucasian male

• 5’11” (180 cm)

• 201 lb (91 kg)

• Grey hair

• Hazel eyes

If you have any information about his whereabouts, call 250-561-3300. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Police seize drugs, cash, weapon from Victoria Street motel

Prince George RCMP seized drugs, cash and a firearm during an unrelated investigation at a motel on the 900 block of Victoria Street in late September.

Police said this included about 100 grams combined of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine.

As well, more than $40,000 in cash was seized, along with a firearm that was found in the room.

Through the course of the RCMP’s investigation, 35-year-old Jason Matthew Ryan Farquhar was arrested and is facing the following charges:

• Possession of a loaded, restricted firearm

• Possession of a firearm, knowing it is contrary to a prohibition order (two counts)

• Possession of a firearm, knowing its possession is unauthorized

• Unauthorized possession of a firearm

• Possession of a weapon

• Storage of a firearm contrary to regulations

• Fail to comply with a release order

Farquhar is well-known to Prince George RCMP and has made 21 court appearances from 2017-2025.

He has previously been charged with possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a firearm contrary to order, breach of release order, theft $5000 or under, possession of a break-in instrument, sexual assault, break and enter with intent to commit an offence, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, driving while prohibited/licence suspended and wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer, among other offences.

Two arrested in connection with downtown arson case

Prince George RCMP have arrested two suspects in relation to an active arson investigation.

RCMP received a call just after 8 a.m. on Oct. 9, when a witness reported seeing suspicious activity near a building in the 1100 block of Sixth Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found members of the Prince George Fire Rescue Service

actively engaged in putting out a small fire on site.

The two suspects were identified by witnesses, and police located individuals matching those descriptions a short distance away.

The suspects, known to police for similar incidents, have been held in custody until they can attend a bail hearing.

“The City of Prince George, with the assistance of the Province of BC as well as numerous local agencies, has worked tirelessly to bring shelter and services to those in the community requiring such a need,” states Supt. Darin Rappel, commanding officer for the Prince George RCMP. “It is completely unnecessary to start a warming fire under any circumstance against or near any business, building or structure. This is criminal behaviour, meant to cause harm.”

RCMP put special training right to work in drug case

New training received by the RCMP has already led to results.

Prince George RCMP members attended a Proactive Interdiction and Enforcement Tactics (PIET) workshop, put on by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), in May and September.

According to CFSEU-BC, the training has led to the seizure of the following items by Prince George police:

• 18 firearms seized

• 1 kilogram of illicit drugs — including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine — removed from circulation

• $14,000 in cash recovered

• Two sets of body armour confiscated

CFSEU-BC reports that this in-person training equips local officers with specialized strategies to disrupt organized crime and remove threats from the streets.

They state the workshop provides proven techniques for the interdiction of firearms, trafficking-level drugs, bulk currency and vehicles with hidden compartments.

“Programs like the PIET workshop are key to disrupting organized crime and protecting families across the province,” said Cpl. Sarbjit K. Sangha, media relations officer, CFSEU-BC.

RCMP PHOTO

Prince George RCMP seized cash, a firearm and drugs from a motel on Victoria Street in September. A local man was charged with several offences.

Felker

Home invasion nets man another 94 days behind bars

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A 34-year-old man was sentenced Friday, Oct. 10 in Prince George Provincial Court to another 94 days in jail for a home invasion more than three years ago.

Judge Cassandra Malfair’s total sentence for Keifer John Joseph was two years less a day. Joseph has been in custody for 423 days, which qualified him for the enhanced credit of 635 days. Malfair also agreed to a three-year term of probation under the joint Crown and defence sentencing proposal.

Joseph pleaded guilty to break and

Man found guilty of threatening four nurses at UHNBC

A man pleaded guilty in Prince George Provincial Court Oct. 8 to threatening four nurses at University Hospital of Northern BC.

Mark Preston Steele admitted to the March 24, 2024 offence. He also pleaded guilty to breaching an order to report to a probation officer between Sept. 11, 2024 and Oct. 25, 2024.

Judge David Simpkin ordered a standard pre-sentencing report and psychological and psychiatric report for 1970-born Steele and scheduled Dec. 17 as his next court date.

Prince George shoplifter lands another 27 days in jail

A 32-year-old from Prince George pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000 during an Oct. 8 Provincial Court video hearing from jail in Surrey.

Judge David Simpkin sentenced Corey Trent Tom, who is a member of Takla First Nation, to 50 days in jail. Tom received credit for 23 days in pretrial custody, leaving 27 days to serve.

He was also ordered to spend the next year on probation under the joint proposal from Crown and defence lawyers.

Simpkin heard that Tom, who is in custody at the Surrey Pretrial Centre, was arrested on Aug. 25 in Richmond after stealing $267.95 of clothing and

enter to commit an indictable offence for the Aug. 9, 2022 crime. Malfair said a resident was in his first floor apartment on Upland Street before midnight when Joseph appeared outside the patio door, exhibiting erratic behaviour and asking several times about his child.

Joseph, who was a stranger to the resident, was under the influence of drugs and in a delusional state.

He found a stick and broke a window, climbed in, found a baseball bat and used it to strike the resident on the back.

Police found and arrested Joseph in an upstairs residence. He claimed that he came there to find his daughter,

COURT NOTES

deodorant from the Real Canadian Superstore.

An RCMP officer intercepted Tom, who was riding a bicycle, on No. 3 Road in Richmond and determined that there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Homeless shelter dweller Tom’s motive for the theft was that he wanted cleaner clothing. Simpkin banned Tom from visiting any Real Canadian Superstore in BC.

Breach of probation charges stayed in Williams Lake

A criminal trial opened Oct. 6 in BC Supreme Court in Williams Lake for a convicted drug dealer who lost his car in a 2021-filed civil forfeiture action.

Jasbir Singh Pawar pleaded not guilty before Justice Julianne Lamb to a seven-count indictment that accused him of possessing cocaine, MDMA, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Crown prosecutor Parveen Bachra told Lamb that she would hear evidence about a May 13, 2021 RCMP traffic stop at a Husky gas station in Williams Lake where officers discovered the controlled substances and the May 14, 2021 execution of a search warrant at a house in Williams Lake.

A man who broke into a stranger’s home apologized to him in court.

“because someone named T.T. had telepathically told him to go there and find his daughter,” Malfair said. Joseph was released on bail, but breached conditions.

Earlier, Malfair gave Joseph the opportunity to address the court. He

Bachra said the latter resulted in the seizure of more drugs, plus cellular phones, score sheets and scales.

Pawar was sentenced in June 2019 to 66 months in jail for possession for the purpose of trafficking after a 2016 bust. He had also been jailed in 2011.

In 2023, The Citizen reported that Pawar’s 2015 Volkswagen Golf was surrendered to the civil forfeiture office, which netted $4,738.62 after selling the vehicle.

The director of civil forfeiture had deemed it an instrument of unlawful activity.

Criminal charges against Pawar had not been approved at the time.

Accused ordered to replace mattress, pay for cleanup

A 39-year-old man received a suspended sentence and year on probation Oct. 7 after pleading guilty to mischief under $5,000 for fouling a jail cell.

A Provincial Court judge in Prince George ordered Rory William McCullough to pay $585.66 restitution for the mattress he ruined while in RCMP custody.

McCullough was arrested Dec. 30, 2024 after a complaint that he was violating a release order by being under the influence of alcohol.

As an officer transported McCullough, he yelled profanity and made threats,

apologized to the victim and explained he was “not in a good state mentally, being schizophrenic is not easy.”

“I’m proud to tell you that I’m three years sober today, and I’m slowly turning into the person that a lot of recent sober people look up to,” Joseph said. “Again, I’m not looking for redemption, I just thought that you should know that something good has come out of this.”

He also appealed to the victim.

“If you could ever find it in your heart and your time, let’s find some common ground so you might build some trust in me again,” Joseph said. “From one strong aboriginal man to another strong aboriginal man.”

according to Crown prosecutor Anne Baines. McCullough maintained his not guilty plea to a charge of uttering threats.

Once he was locked up, McCullough tore the mattress in the cell, defecated and threw his feces around.

The mattress had to be replaced and a janitorial company called to decontaminate the cell.

Baines and defence lawyer David Jenkins jointly proposed a 12-month probation with counselling for alcohol and intimate violence.

Baines provided Judge David Simpkin with receipts and photographs of the grime scene.

He agreed to the restitution order, with a deadline for McCullough to pay of Sept. 1, 2026.

Jenkins said that McCullough, who has worked on oil rigs in Alberta and construction in Prince George, is remorseful and regrets the incident that happened while he was “in the throes of extreme intoxication.”

“Seen the photographs? I had to look at them,” Simpkin said to McCullough. “So, you were 38 at the time, and this is how you behave when you know you are intoxicated, smearing your own feces all around the police cell? So I’m surprised you haven’t had a chance to look at those, but they’re horrible.”

— Court reporting by Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Judge throws out lawsuit against solicitor general

‘The court cannot, and should not, perform legal gymnastics’

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A judge in Prince George Provincial Court dismissed a lawsuit Oct. 3 from a man who sued the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG) for the RCMP’s alleged failure to arrest anyone who assaulted him more than four years ago.

PSSG, which holds the province’s contract with the RCMP, had applied to dismiss Zadkiel Marvici’s amended notice of claim on the grounds that it was outside the court’s jurisdiction and/or frivolous with no prospect of success. Marvici had claimed $100,236 in damages.

Marvici, who represented himself,

alleged violations of his constitutional rights, misfeasance of public office, negligence, psychological security, defamation, conspiracy and public nuisance.

“Mr. Marvici’s claims against the RCMP are rooted in his grievance that criminal charges were not laid against anyone in connection with the alleged assault and broken window,” said Judge Cassandra Malfair in her decision.

“He believes the RCMP have maligned him and turned a blind eye towards persons perpetrating crimes against him.”

The lawsuit stems from an April 28, 2021 incident in which Marvici said he was assaulted at his home by parents of his teenage daughter’s friend. He said he needed reconstructive surgery after being punched 10-to-12 times for giving the daughter a ride.

Malfair acknowledged Marvici’s grievance against the RCMP, but criticized Marvici for not seeking civil court redress against his assailants.

Plea deal leads to sentencing date for man who fled from police

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man who pleaded guilty Oct. 6 to driving without reasonable consideration and obstructing a peace officer is expected be sentenced in December.

Provincial Court Judge Martin Nadon set Dec. 17 as the next date for Jaspreet Singh Toor and ordered a pre-sentencing report.

Toor, born in 1997, had been charged with dangerous driving and flight from police after a March 19, 2024 incident in Prince George.

He appeared by video conference with his lawyer, Ryan Adair, and pleaded guilty to the lesser offences.

Crown prosecutor Anna Novakovic said Prince George RCMP street crew members who were conducting surveillance around Spruce Street and

The court has dismissed a case filed by a man who complained that the RCMP failed to arrest the people who assaulted him.

“He chose not to pursue it. His ability to sue was not impeded by any action or inaction by the police. Mr. Marvici was capable of easily ascertaining his assailants’ identity,” Malfair said. “He was advised to file a claim before the time limitation expired, and had legal advice about how to do that in circumstances where the defendants’ identity was still unknown.”

The court had previously adjourned Marvici’s application to transfer the claim to BC Supreme Court, “but he did not follow through.”

Marvici initially claimed $35,236 in damages in a Dec. 6, 2023 filing, which accused the RCMP of committing Criminal Code acts, violating their service agreement and policies, defamation and violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

PSSG complained at a March 2024 settlement conference that Marvici’s pleadings were deficient and a judge granted him leave to amend the claim. In April 2024, he increased the amount of his claim.

Malfair said court resources are “limited and precious,” but the court is “not an open forum where any individual with a grievance is entitled to hold the subject of their complaint to account.”

“The court cannot, and should not, perform legal gymnastics to give Mr. Marvici his ‘day in court’ when he chose to let that day pass,” Malfair concluded. She suggested the Marvici should have complained to an agency that provides oversight of the RCMP.

17th Avenue noticed a parked, white 2023 BMW X5 on Redwood Street.

They observed a short-duration meeting between Toor and a nearby resident.

“The officers recognized Mr. Toor from a PRIME (police database) photograph and, following the meeting, Mr. Toor drove slowly past the officers, raised his middle finger at them and then accelerated out of the area,” Novakovic said.

Officers followed him for a short time and attempted a traffic stop in an alleyway, but Toor kept going.

He passed a pedestrian at a high rate of speed and was later almost T-boned by another vehicle.

Officers later found Toor and arrested him at a local residence where they knew, from previously collected information, that he sometimes frequented.

No parole for Willow River child molester Bennett

Warning: This story includes details that some readers may find disturbing

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A child molester jailed indefinitely more than 25 years ago will remain incarcerated.

In a Sept. 17 decision, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) deemed James Darren Bennett, 65, a high risk to commit more violent and sexual crimes and intimate partner violence.

In 1999, Bennett was convicted, along with common law partner Crystal Henricks, of drugging and molesting children and making child pornography.

Victims were as young as three. Henricks got a 13-year jail sentence, but Bennett was declared a dangerous offender in February 2000. PBC reviewed him for potential full parole or day parole, but denied him both.

Neither Bennett nor the case management team provided a release plan, but he asked to be transferred to a minimum security jail on Vancouver Island.

“It is the board’s opinion that you will, by re-offending, present an undue risk to society if released on day parole or full parole and that your release

A man formerly of Willow River has once again been denied parole after spending more than two decades in prison for a series of child sexual assault and child pornography convictions.

will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen,” said the decision, from PBC members Patrick Storey and David Hunt.

In September 1997, police executed a search warrant on the Bennett/Henricks household in Willow River. Investigators confirmed they were involved in producing child pornography and sexually assaulting and exploiting boys and girls, Bennett’s former common law partner and a dog.

“The victims were often drugged before being forced, manipulated or coerced into engaging in sexual activities,” the report said. “Evidence

included video equipment, sexual aids, diaries, letters, identification, receipts, a ‘peep hole’ to view the mirror viewing a bedroom and closed circuit television and cameras.”

The investigation found that Bennett began offending in 1972.

Bennett has also been cited for misbehaviour in custody, including non-compliance (2002), inappropriate behaviour towards another inmate (2010) and possession of contraband (2011). In 2024, he placed a magnet on his cell door latch to prevent it from locking.

“Your offence cycle is characterized by a deviant pattern of sexual arousal,

attitudes that support the use of crime for gain, financial and employment instability, unhealthy relationships, substance abuse issues, poor management of emotions, and inadequate coping and problem solving skills,” said the PBC report.

The PBC report said Bennett has completed several programs for treatment of sex offenders while in prison. The facilitator noted in February 2024 that he accepted the harm he did, “but there are aspects of your offending that you deny or minimize.”

He remains employed in custody as an institutional cleaner and none of the 23 urine samples through October 2024 have shown evidence of drug use.

Sexual assault case thrown out because of court delay

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A BC Supreme Court judge stayed charges against a man accused of sexually assaulting his ex-wife more than three weeks before his trial due to violation of his right to a timely trial. In an Oct. 3 Fort St. John ruling, Justice David Crerar said the time between the original single-count charge and anticipated end of trial was 39.6 months — almost 10 months longer than the 30-month limit set in 2016 by the Supreme Court of Canada.

The man, whose name is protected by a ban on publication, was originally charged in August 2022 for incidents that occurred over a 27-month period between December 2019 and February 2022. A Provincial Court trial had been scheduled in January 2024, but the case was transferred in June 2025 to B.C. Supreme Court and a trial scheduled for Oct. 27.

The man denied allegations of eight kinds of non-consensual sex during the marriage, including use of sex toys and injuries. His lawyer alleged the ex-wife fabricated the allegations, which she

reported to police 10 weeks after their separation, in order to punish him for a workplace affair and to gain leverage in divorce proceedings.

The Crown changed gears in June 2024 — 22 months into its prosecution — by filing a new, three-count information that also alleged choking and sexual assault causing bodily harm.

Crerar’s decision said the man’s lawyer called the case a “classic he said-she said sexual assault case,” with two main witnesses and a third minor witness, the complainant’s doctor.

The Crown argued the accused was

to blame for a net delay of 19.5 months, but Crerar said the defence took “meaningful steps” to expedite proceedings. Ruled Crerar: “This relatively simple case could and should have been completed within 18 months, had the Crown provided sufficient clarity of the allegations facing the accused, which it possessed at the outset, from the outset, instead of setting forth a chain of delay through its threecount information, with increased jeopardy and change of trial court and trial modality, 22 months into the prosecution.”

Accused caught with semi-automatic rifle, court hears

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Provincial Court judge in Prince George reserved sentence to Nov. 3 in the case of a man who pleaded guilty last year to possessing a firearm, obstructing a police officer and breaching a release order.

Judge David Simpkin heard Oct. 9 that Anthony James Robert Kirk, 26, was arrested after a man called Prince George RCMP at 10:25 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2023 that he left a residence with an assault-style rifle in his backpack. An RCMP dog tracked-down Kirk who was arrested with a .22 calibre semiautomatic rifle at his feet.

Crown prosecutor Kristina King said Kirk appeared frantic and claimed he stole the gun from “the other guy, because he was a bad guy.”

Kirk was transported to hospital for treatment of superficial dog bites. At the time of the offence, Kirk was supposed to be living under court-ordered curfew between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

On Aug. 28, 2024, Kirk was arrested with a satchel around his neck that contained 20 to 30 grams of drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, after a citizen reported a suspicious vehicle parked in a Pine Street lane around 1:40 a.m.

Kirk lied about his identity, claiming to be Jim Matthews. He was released after a bail hearing and ordered to live at his mother’s house under a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.

Kirk was also arrested after a 3:02 a.m. call on March 25, 2024 about a male and female yelling in a basement suite.

A woman locked out of the suite told police that her boyfriend “Tony” had frightened her by having a seizure and

swinging his arms.

Kirk answered the door and an officer found what he believed to be cocaine and related paraphernalia on a table. Kirk denied using it, but his girlfriend admitted they had both used cocaine that evening.

King asked for Kirk to be jailed six months for possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and 12-to-18 months for possessing a firearm without a licence or registration. She also asked Simpkin to impose 18 months probation.

Defence lawyer Connor Carleton said six months would be the “outside limit on what would be an appropriate jail sentence” for the former, but proposed 90-to-120 days of a conditional sentence, including house arrest, for the latter.

“I’m somewhat reluctant to even suggest a custodial sentence is necessary with regard to any of these counts,” Carleton said.

Carleton said his client, who is

I’m somewhat reluctant to even suggest a custodial sentence is necessary with regard to any of these counts.”

Indigenous, does not have a history of violence, but is a victim of bullying who began experimenting with drugs at age 11. He was “in the throes of addiction” to methamphetamine when he committed the crimes, but has been sober for seven months.

“He has no desire to ever have a firearm, is not looking to involve himself in drugland or gangland at any point in his life. He wants to continue on with his employment and live a low-key life at this point,” Carleton said.

Not a lot of PPE available for women in the trades

This weekend’s PPE Showcase will promote properly fitting personal protective equipment

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

In BC, only about five per cent of the province’s construction industry workers are women.

But that five per cent amounts to 13,000 female employees working in the trades when you consider the sector provides the livelihoods for 260,000 British Columbians.

They’re working alongside men as steelworkers, house framers, road builders and heavy equipment operators and to keep them safe they rely on personal protective equipment such as gloves, coveralls, high-visibility vests and safety harnesses.

Problem is, most of that clothing is designed to fit men and women’s needs have not been given priority, resulting in ill-fitting PPE that compromises safety and movement restriction that diminishes job performance.

“Typically it’s been kind of one size fits all, which we know doesn’t, and when your PPE doesn’t fit properly it doesn’t work properly,” said Lisa Scott, Construction Foundation of BC’s catalyst for apprenticeship promotion and progression.

“Your work gloves can be too big for your hands, so you really don’t have the same grip for dexterity. Harnesses for an elevated work situation are not meant for our chest or hips so they’re uncomfortable and if you ever did fall it could cause more damage.

“For coveralls, we end up having to take length off the arms and legs and you still have very really big neck openings, so for fire-rated PPE you end up having exposed areas because it’s not fitting properly. When it’s too big and bulky and the crotch is down to your knees you can’t work properly and it could end up getting stuck in

machinery.”

Safety gear designed for women is not only difficult to find but Scott says it tends to be more expensive than items built for men.

She aims to change that and is spearheading a local initiative to make that happen.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5-8 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott, the Construction Foundation of BC will team up with the BC Trades Equity Society, WesternJETS-WIRED, BC Centre for Women In The Trades and Spotless Uniform for the Women’s PPE Showcase to promote proper fitting personal protective equipment for women in trades, construction, and industrial sectors.

Spotless Uniform general manager Tammy Holmgren, Scott’s sister, had been working with suppliers to produce modified equipment and resized clothing specifically designed for women’s body types and they will bring samples to the event.

There will be pop-up change rooms and women attending will have the chance to try on items on at the event to provide immediate feedback to suppliers and Scott says they will be open to suggested design changes for their women’s line.

The demonstration event is not just for women. It will offer a chance for female workers to connect with community/industry professionals and construction organizations as well as suppliers.

“Usually it’s employees that have to push for their own safety, but to have some companies and organizations taking that lead as well where they can show they do have a women’s line and they do supply these things makes it easier so you don’t have to advocate for yourself,” said Scott.

“You could potentially be the only female on that crew or in that place of employment.”

To register, go to the Eventbrite website.

There’s capacity at the event for about 100 registrants, say the organizers.

Welder Sandy Suter of Prince George sports some of the safety gear she wears to keep her safe at her job. Clothing and equipment specifically designed for women will be featured at the PPE Showcase on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Courtyard Marriott.

Denise Dauvin demonstrates some of the safety gear she wears for her job. Finding properly fitting safety gear and workwear can be tricky for women in the trades, including construction.

Cougars still accepting cash despite CN Centre change

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Though food and beverage operations at the CN Centre moved to cashless transactions at the beginning of the current Western Hockey League season, the Prince George Cougars want the public to know that people can still use cash to pay for event tickets, 50/50 tickets and items at the team’s store.

In September, the CN Centre announced that all concessions and bars there and at the Kin Centre — including vendors selling lemonade and mini donuts — would only accept credit and debit cards going forward.

At the Monday, Oct. 6 city council meeting, director of civic facilities Andy Beesley said the decision was made by Levy Canada, the third-party company that manages food and beverage services at the arena.

“They’re basing it on improving accuracy of the tills, enhancing health and safety by limiting the handling of cash and also aligning with the growing preference among guests for contactless payments,” Beesley said on Oct. 6.

“They have been faced, as have we, with years and years and years of serious criticism about the line-ups at concessions. As you can imagine, when there’s 6,000 people at a Cougars game and 18-minute intermissions, line-ups get long and people get frustrated because they’re going slowly.”

Reached by phone on Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Cougars’ director of business Taylor Dakers told The Citizen that they want the public to know that all the operations at the arena controlled directly by the hockey club will continue to accept cash and there are no plans to change course.

“Event holders or event attendees, they are going to obviously purchase from the box office in person or online. In person, they’re free to use cash,” Dakers said.

“Our team store sells products every day of the week. We’ll take cash, we’ll take credit cards, we’ll take debit. Game night, you’ve got 50/50 kiosks that’s operated by the Cougars and

the Cougars Nonprofit Society and that takes cash, credit, debit, all forms … we don’t do a ton of transactions in our office, but same idea, we’re happy to take cash there as well.”

For those who have concerns with the changes to concession purchases, Dakers encouraged people to reach out to the CN Centre through the contact information listed online at cncentre.ca.

Also at the Oct. 6 council meeting, a discussion was held about a letter from a member of the public expressing concern that the elimination of cash transactions would impact people who cannot or do not have debit or credit cards like some people with disabilities. Beesley said some initial discussion had been held regarding some kind of gift card or voucher system that would allow patrons to use cash to load a reusable card with money that can be used at concessions.

Though the Cougars don’t control the concessions, Dakers said he’s had discussions with Beesley and the arena’s food and beverage manager about the situation and the potential introduction of a voucher system.

“They’re trying to make this as seamless as possible, but every transition has its bumps and a bit of learning curve to it,” he said.

“So, we just have to give them a little bit of time to sort it out and we’re going to be a part of that. It’s not our businesses that are directly doing that, but we’re happy to be a part of the conversation and maybe help with the communication of those types of things.”

Council hears complaint

Prince George city council briefly discussed solutions to potential issues with the CN Centre moving to cashless payment options at its Monday, Oct. 6 meeting.

Included on the agenda was a letter written by Byron Roberts, who outlined some potential accessibility issues with the change.

“This decision overlooks the needs of many residents who either do not use, or cannot use, electronic payment methods,” Roberts wrote.

“Seniors, individuals with disabilities and those who rely on caregivers are especially affected. For example, my family provides cash to our son’s caregiver to regulate his spending at Cougars hockey games. Giving full access to his bank card is not an option. Similarly, many seniors — who make up a large portion of the crowd at these events — still rely on cash.”

He urged city council to reverse the decision, saying that while Canadian businesses are not required to

accept cash, refusing it can amount to discrimination.

Coun. Trudy Klassen said she wished the decision to stop accepting cash hadn’t been made so soon because she would have liked to discuss the accessibility issues.

Coun. Cori Ramsay wondered if it was possible for people to pay cash at the box office to load a gift card with funds that can be spent at concessions. She said that because of many reasons like power of attorney issues, not everyone has the privilege of having a debit card.

Beesley said systems like that have been implemented at other venues, but he’s heard from Levy that they have been extremely frustrating and difficult to use. However, as other people have asked about the idea, he said the city has requested more information from the company.

Mayor Simon Yu said he would like to see a cash option be maintained for the reasons that Ramsay outlined.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

The Cougars’ box office at the CN Centre still takes cash.

From rural Northern BC to Brazil and back again

Singer-singwriter

Carmen Davis grew up in Punzi Lake

ANDIE MOLLINS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As a musician, the harshest criticism Carmen Davis has ever received was to be told that if fame is to come, it will not be for her voice, but for her writing.

It’s criticism she calls a backhanded compliment.

“Not everyone’s gonna like your singing style, and you don’t have to be Adele to be a good singer. You just need to have passion,” Carmen said. Being on stage is Carmen’s happy place, and she believes people can see that, and feel it.

Growing up in Puntzi Lake, where her father ran a fishing resort for nearly 30 years and her mother had her first teaching post, Carmen spent much of her early days roaming wild.

“I feel really lucky to be raised the way we were,” Carmen said of her and her siblings. “We were like free little hippie kids.”

With limited screen time and lots of freedom to explore and play, she and her siblings were often left to their own devices. By the age of six or seven, Carmen said her sister figured out how to hotwire an ATV. When they weren’t busy getting into mischief, the children were encouraged to develop creatively with plenty of access to books, notebooks, pencils and paint.

All the while, music permeated their environment.

“There was never really a quiet time,” Carmen said of her childhood. Music was a massive part of her upbringing, and with that, a variety of music. Her mother, a choir singer and a writer of poetry, loved to listen to classic ‘80s like the Judds, which she would play on the family’s long drives to and from Tatla Lake for school. She also listened to lots of Destiny’s Child.

“She played that like it was nobody’s business,” Carmen said.

With her father often listening to Hallelujah and expressing his awe for the

A year abroad in Brazil where she knew nothing of the language saw Carmen Davis turn to her guitar. At 24 years old, she’s now written 10 songs and continues to dream of a career on stage.

lyrics, this was the first song Carmen ever memorized. She also remembers singing along to Stompin’ Tom Connors’ live concert, one of the only DVDs the children could watch. She and her sister would grab their cowboy hats and stick horses for these moments, riding around the living room while the Canadian icon yipped and strummed and tapped away.

“So that’s definitely where my introduction to country music came,” Carmen said.

But it was still a long road to actually becoming a country artist herself. In fact, Carmen was a listener of folk music more so than country. Artists like Of Monsters and Men, Passenger, Lumineers and the like were go-tos on her playlist.

One day, in the Red Room where the family’s instruments were kept, Carmen picked up her mother’s guitar which had been sitting collecting dust. Despite taking piano lessons and playing trombone for band class, Carmen only ever learned music by ear.

“I could not read music for the life of me. I still can’t,” she said. So, she would listen to a song over and over again

she’s long felt she belonged on stage and that has a lot to do with why she writes music and plays guitar. It’s where she’s at her happiest.

“My dream is to be on stage for the rest of my life,” she said. “One day I hope people will sing along to songs that I wrote, and that my lyrics will inspire or relate to people from all walks of life.”

In her 24 years, Carmen has written ten songs. She wrote her first country song, Cowboy’s Wife, at 19 years old while living in Kamloops, and played it on repeat until it drove her roommates mad.

“I was pretty proud of myself. I mean, I was 19 and I thought it was the best thing ever,” Carmen said. This song, along with the next she wrote while living in Calgary called Fake Cowboy, she describes as her ‘one-hit-wonders.’

until she learned it on piano, and, with assistance from YouTube, she did this as well while teaching herself to play the guitar.

Carmen has always been a bit funny with guitar, however. Once she learned how to play the instrument, she didn’t pick it up again until she went to jam sessions with friends from church. Then Grade 12 came around, and Carmen went on an exchange to Brazil, bringing her guitar with her.

“I think that’s really when it kind of started because I couldn’t speak the language…so I played the guitar a lot there,” she said.

All the while, Carmen was singing, as well as dreaming.

“When I was little I always wanted to be famous,” Carmen said. The family moved to 150 Mile House when she was eight or nine years old, and then to Williams Lake a few years later. Over the years, Carmen found she loved to be in the spotlight. From presenting in class, public speaking through 4-H and being the MC for open mic shows in high school, on stage is where she needed to be.

A little embarrassed, Carmen said

These are a far stretch from the days she spent as a child when she was either making up songs with her sister while sitting on their bunk bed, singing along to what she was doing or writing songs about classroom squabbles.

“I thought it was pretty profound,” she said while recalling the first song she ever wrote and shared with her parents. Their encouragement was all she needed to keep going. Harnessing years of creativity, including an exposure to poetry and writing, Carmen found she had a talent for writing songs.

“When I sit down to write a song, it all just comes at once. I write a song in one sitting,” she said. Funny, she added, that she hasn’t written any songs since her hits. But it’s performing that Carmen really loves, which is perhaps why she hasn’t gotten around to recording any music either.

“I just prefer to do it in front of people, rather than doing it for myself,” she said.

The time to record may be nearing, however, and after a heartbreak and as she sets off on travels overseas, Carmen said she is feeling motivated to write again. She’s already written a few, and is planning to get a guitar she can bring around with her as she travels first to Germany, and then beyond.

HANDOUT PHOTO

Icemaking to resume at arenas despite CUPE conflict

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George has announced that it will resume making ice at the Robson Valley Recreation Centre in McBride and the Canoe Valley Recreation Centre in Valemount this week.

This decision follows a previous announcement from the District that ice-making at local arenas would be delayed indefinitely due to potential job action by Local 1699 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The Regional District and CUPE 1699 are currently in negotiations over wage increases.

In its latest statement, the Regional District reminded arena users that even with the resumption of ice-making, it cannot guarantee continuous public access.

“Making ice takes approximately 12 days. To be clear, even if the ice-making process can be completed without interruption, it does not guarantee the ice surfaces will be available for continuous public use. If there is job action by CUPE 1699, the Regional District may be able to retain the ice in the facilities, but it does not have the exempt staff (nonunion and/or management) required to safely maintain it for residents’ daily use.”

CUPE 1699 president Daniel Burke spoke to The Citizen about what he and

his union are seeking in the ongoing dispute.

“This needs to be resolved with wage increases that match what other municipal workers in the region have already negotiated,” said Burke. “Our members want a fair contract that respects the value of their work. We want our members to be able to afford the bare essentials — and right now, our members are leaving our operation, our best and brightest. They can no longer afford to live in the region because other municipalities are offering possibly better wages.”

Burke said the Regional District presented a final offer that did not meet CUPE’s demands, leading to a breakdown in negotiations and concerns over potential job action.

Despite the impasse, Burke said strike action is a last resort, and that the union

was just as frustrated and confused as the public by the initial delay in ice-making.

“That’s all an operational decision of the Regional District — we are not involved with it,” said Burke. “We’re advocating for the same things as the residents because we’re happy to hear that the Regional District is finally putting in the ice. Our members were out there saying, ‘We need to put in the ice.’ This is important to the community members. It’s one of those where we don’t understand why they delayed making the ice because it was absolutely unnecessary. Any type of job action is the last thing we want to do and put pressure on our local communities that we work for.”

Burke added he believes the delay may have been a tactic to shift public pressure onto CUPE.

“I think it’s just a negotiation tactic,” he said. “We would like to be at the bargaining table, talking to them, bringing forward a fair deal that is in line with other local governments. We don’t understand the rationale behind the delay and not coming to the table with a fair deal — with respect to the value of our members’ work.”

Burke said the union was impressed by the strong public response to the District’s earlier decision.

“We were with them in calling and pushing the Regional District to put in the ice, and we’re happy to hear that they will now put in the ice,” said Burke. “The community really came together to support our members who want to put in the ice and keep working — and have pushed the Regional District to change their stance here.”

CUPE 1699 has also sent a letter to the Regional District’s board of directors expressing a willingness to return to the bargaining table.

The union currently represents 95 members in communities including Mackenzie, Valemount, McBride and Prince George.

CUPE 1699 has also sent a letter to the Regional District’s board of directors expressing their willingness to return to the negotiation table.

CUPE 1699 currently has 95 members in communities like Mackenzie, Valemount, McBride and Prince George.

Burn bans no longer in effect in Prince George Fire Centre

In addition, the following activities and materials are now allowed in the Prince George Fire Centre:

The BC Wildfire Service has announced that as of Tuesday, Oct. 7, all categories of open fire (Category 1 campfire, Category 2 open fire, Category 3 open fire) are permitted across the Prince George Fire Centre.

Category 2 and Category 3 open fire prohibitions are also rescinded for the Fort St. John Fire Zone, Dawson Creek Fire Zone and Fort Nelson Fire Zone.

• Fireworks, including firecrackers

• Sky lanterns

• Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description

• Binary exploding targets

• BC Wildfire Service prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified by an enactment or local government bylaw

The ministry, however, emphasizes that those planning a Category 3 fire are required to register in advance. To obtain a burn registration number, call 1-888-797-1717 or email hpr.1800@gov. bc.ca.

A Category 3 fire is defined as an open fire that burns:

• Material concurrently in three or more piles, each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width

• Material in one or more piles

each exceeding two metres in height or three metres in width

• One or more windrows or stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares (2,000 square metres)

The BC Wildfire Service reports that recent cold weather and precipitation have slowed fire activity in the majority of BC. However, fire danger remains elevated in the northeastern parts of the Prince George Fire Centre, due to dangers from lightning-based fires.

FACEBOOK PHOTO

The ice-making process will resume at the Robson Valley Recreation Centre in McBride and the Canoe Valley Recreation Centre in Valemount (pictured).

What’s happening in PG

Songwriting Camp goes Friday, Oct. 17 to Monday, Oct. 20 at the Prince George Conservatory of Music, 3555 Fifth Ave. Youth 10 to 18 years can explore songwriting, improvisation and performance with acclaimed songwriter Corwin Fox and Juno-nominated Kym Gouchie during this four-day workshop, which wraps up with a concert for friends and family. Space is limited to 12 participants. Cost is $150, and bursaries are available! The schedule goes Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Saturday & Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Monday from 4:30 to 6:30 and performance at 7:30 p.m.

Sunshine Fall Market goes Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sunshine Learning Centre, 5100 North Nechako Road. This is a community event featuring local vendors, flee market stalls, and family activities. A chance to browse unique treasures, support local businesses, and contribute to the daycare’s fundraiser. Vendors will be selling gently used items, new products, or crafts. This event offers something for everyone – from shopping and delicious treats to children’s activities. It is both a market and a community gathering.

Life of a Showgirl Listening Party Fundraiser goes Sunday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Coast Hotel Ballroom, 770 Brunswick St. Dress up, bring bracelets to swap, snap pictures in the TS themed photo booth, sing along to the new album, do some Taystyle colouring, make bracelets, enjoy the cash only concession and have a Swiftie themed time. There will be a basket of Taylor goodies to win. Every non-perishable food item donation gets you a ticket to enter the basket draw. Concession is cash only. Anyone attending under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. This event is proudly supported by YMCA BC, Foundry Prince George, Salvation Army Prince George and The Coast by APA Prince George. All proceeds go to the Salvation Army Foodbank to promote local food security. Tickets for the event

must be purchased in advance at www. eventbrite.com/e/foundry-for-community-listening-party-tickets.

Alexandrite Cauldron Book Ball goes Saturday, Oct. 18 from 5:30 p.m. to midnight at Sandman Hotel, 2990 Recreation Place.This is a magical event filled with enchantment, books, and dancing. Lorekeepers, Spellbinders, and Wayfarers of the Written Realms will cross the threshold between worlds— stepping out of the ordinary and into a night spun from stardust, parchment, and dreams. Myths waltz beside mortals and every guest holds the power of a protagonist. Don cloaks, crown your curiosity, wander through the Shadow Market, where traders from both the Light and Night realms offer their rarest wares. Indulge in the finest foods including magic-infused delicacies, sparkling pastries, and hearty roasts from lands far and wide. The balance between Light and Night will tip, and the new High Lord and High Lady of The Wisteria Woods will rise to lead us into a new era. For more information and tickets visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/ the-alexandrite-cauldron-book-ball.

Craft Fair, Bake & Book Sale goes Saturday, Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Elder Citizens’ Recreation

Association, 1692 Tenth Ave. Donations are appreciated for the bake sale. There will be a number of members’ crafts for sale. Everyone is welcome to attend. There will be a concession available.

Pilsner! Pretzels! Pianos! goes Saturday, Oct. 18 at CN Centre featuring the Dueling Piano Kings during a massive party featuring great beer and feelgood music. For more information and tickets visit www.ticketsnorth.ca/event/ pilsner-pretzels-pianos.

UNBC Discovery Day Open House goes Friday, Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3333 University Way. Thinking about your academic and career future? Make it happen at home in Prince George. Take a campus tour, meet UNBC faculty, participate in hands-on learning activities and enter to win great prizes. Whether you’re a high school student, a family member supporting your teen’s next step, considering a career change or just curious about what makes UNBC one of Canada’s best small universities, this is a day you don’t want to miss. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Pumpkin Walk 2025 goes Friday, Oct. 24, Saturday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 26 starting at 5:30 p.m. at Northern Lights Winery, 745 Prince George

Pulpmill Road. Bring the whole crew down to enjoy a festive night filled with glowing pumpkins, Halloween charm & tasty treats. There will be spooky Halloween displays arranged throughout the orchard featuring hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins at photo stations. There’s a farm animal area and children’s colouring station. Carnival games are part of a fundraiser for and facilitated by Star City Cheer. Cash only for the games. Concession stand will have hot/cold beverages & Halloween-themed snacks along with a Frankenweenie Hot Dog Bar. For more information and tickets visit www.northernlightswinery.ca/pumpkin-walk

The BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Dance goes Saturday, Oct. 25 and Nov. 22 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Senior Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick St. Live fiddle music will be performed so folks can do polkas, waltzes, two-steps, barn dances and called group dances. A great family event. Prizes and ice cream bar snacks included. Coffee, water, pop and chips available by donation. Everyone is welcome. Tickets at the door are only $10 for adults, children with parents are free. CONTINUED

There are several Halloween events scheduled around Prince George over the rest of October.

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Halloween Spooktacular at Huble Homestead goes on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 3 to 8 p.m. at 15000 Mitchell Road. This is a spooky family event filled with spine-tingling chills and ghostly surprises. Visit after dark for an evening packed with thrills and chills as you journey down the hill and into a site transformed for a night of eerie excitement. Enjoy hourly magic shows by William the Conjurer, get creative carving pumpkins with the family, and show off your costume in the contest! For those craving a bit of a scare, test your courage in the shadowy maze where creatures may be watching or snag tickets for a spine-tingling guided tour through the infamous Huble House during the House of Horrors experience. When it’s time to unwind, swing by the General Store for a warm drink or gather around the outdoor fire to roast marshmallows and craft the perfect s’more. Admission is by a recommended donation of $10 per family.

Ferndale Halloween Bash goes Saturday, Oct. 25 fro 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Ferndale Hall, 3595 Upper Fraser Road. Get those costumes ready for an incredible evening during the annual Halloween dance for those 19+. As always costumes are optional. Tickets are $35 that includes DJ and snacks. Bring cash for the bar. For tickets call or text (250)961-1493 or (250)616-8976.

Improv Shmimprov Drink the Cool Aid goes Saturday, Oct. 25 from 8 to 10 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. New games and are ready to start the theatre season off right. We will present live theatre on stage based on audience suggestions. As always, we’ll have some snacks and drinky drinks so bring your significant other and we’ll have some laughs. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8. For tickets visit www.shmimprovimprov.ca/ drink-the-cool-aid Littles No Spook Party goes Sunday, Oct. 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 2850 Sussex

Place. Come meet the witch of Sussex and her crew in a family friendly no scare atmosphere. Tour the maze, play some games and enjoy yummy snacks. Come feed some dinosaurs!

Witches & Wizards Academy goes Sunday, Oct. 26, drop in from 2 to 6 p.m. at Knox Performance Centre, 1448 Fifth Ave. This event is presented by PG Pride Society. Activities include an enchanted arts & crafts corner, magical games and activities for kids, sweet & spooky treats, wand-making and spell-casting fun and a Witches’ Storytime. This is a 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive, family-friendly event. Dress up, bring friends and family and prepare for a night of wonder, laughter and community enchantment for the young and young at heart. For all the details and tickets visit www.eventbrite.ca/witchesandwizards academy

and enjoy the beautiful craftsmanship. Delight in the true artisan quality coupled with one-of-a-kind items, lots of unique activities and tons of fun for the entire family. Entry fee is $10, children under 12 are free. Please bring non-perishable food items for the local food bank.

Halloween Fireworks goes Friday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. at 2656 Vanier Drive. There will be hot chocolate and goodies available for purchase before and after the show. Parking is available at Westwood elementary school, Vanier Drive cricket pitch, Westwood Mennonite Church on Ospika and Lutheran Church on Dufferin Drive.

Smithers-based powerhouse heavy alt rock band The Infirmary. Tickets in advance are $20, $25 at the door. For tickets visit www.madloon.ca/tickets/p/halloween-dead-sexy-crones-andthe-infirmary

Myeloma Support Group goes every third Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at Commonwealth Financial, 575 Victoria St. Everyone is welcome who has been diagnosed, those who are caregivers, family members and friends. Wheelchair accessible parking at the back of the building. For more information call Viv Lougheed at 250-981-2618.

Moran Manor’s Halloween goes Thursday, Oct. 30 and Friday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 10:30 p.m. at 309 Moran Crescent. Celebrate Halloween by enjoying the spooky set up, animatronics, live actors and a haunted maze. Donations this year will go to the pediatrics ward at UHNBC and to the local Cancer Centre. Non perishable food item donations are also welcome. Non-scary goes 6-7:30 p.m. (no jump scare actors). Scary goes from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Please note there are flashing lights and fog machines used during the event.

50th Anniversary Studio Fair 2025, Northern BC’s Finest Professional Artisan Fair goes Friday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the CN Centre. This event is presented by the Prince George & District Community Arts Council as their annual fundraiser to support the programs available throughout the North. Discover one-of-a-kind quality, handcrafted items – delectable gourmet food, luxurious soaps and candles, unique and fashionable clothing and accessories, handcrafted home decor, first class pottery and wood craft, heirloom quality books and toys. Browse

Dead Sexy, Crones and Infirmary goes Friday, Oct. 31 at the Legion 43 PG, 101-1116 Sixth Ave to celebrate Halloween. This is the Legions’ costume party featuring PG rock legends Dead Sexy and Crones along with

If you’ve got an event coming up email us at news@pgcitizen.ca to offer details including name of the event, the date, time and location, ticket price and where to get them and a little bit about what’s happening, too. LOCF

‘Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen to another family’

Losing her teen son to suicide has a local mother talking about prevention and erasing stigma

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

When a mom reached out to talk about her teenaged son’s recent suicide, it wrenched a chunk out of my heart to hear her story.

As she shared the details of his death, the fact that he only ever mentioned taking his own life once shook me to my core.

Let that sink in. Just once. That was the only chance he gave his family to get him the help he needed before it was too late.

“Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen to another family,” the grieving mom said.

There is nothing anyone can do for this mom’s son now, but to honour her family in the face of this tragedy let’s talk about prevention, let’s talk about it often to take that stigma away, let’s dare to take those steps to make it part of the conversation— as difficult as that might be.

Let’s choose to be there for the people we love even when it might be the hardest thing we ever have to hear, to acknowledge and take action against. It could be the most important thing we ever do in our lifetime.

“Whether if it’s in prevention, intervention, having thoughts of suicide or postvention* — any line is the right line to call at the crisis centre,” said Riley Skinner, executive director of the Crisis Centre of Northern BC.

“There are tons of lines, they all operate differently for all different groups, but any line is the right line — all that matters is that you reach out. Even if you just have questions, even if you’re someone who is grieving. You don’t have to be in imminent crisis to reach out to these lines. They are there 24/7 365 and if you’re thinking ‘maybe I should call the crisis line,’ you’re probably the right person to make that call.”

Skinner offers advice on how to get started addressing the topic of teen suicide prevention.

“For teens, adolescents it’s no secret

‘Whether if it’s in prevention, intervention, having thoughts of

or postvention, any line is the right line to call at the crisis centre.’

this is a time of transition where you see changes in our loved ones as they grow,” Skinner said.

“They might isolate more, they might start a different set of behaviours, be around different people than they normally are and these things can be normal but they also might not be normal. Really the best thing that parents can do is to check in sincerely and keep checking in. Be persistent and be patient.”

It’s not easy to connect with a changing teen, he added.

“I am not a parent of a teen but I think parents would agree that connecting or maintaining a connection with a teen is

not easy and it requires patience and persistence — keep trying — and whatever we do uncover about our loved ones we have to take it as seriously as possible. There’s a lot of misinformation that goes around about what people say and what it actually means,” Skinner said.

“Sometimes people say that people share thoughts of suicide or threats of suicide as a means for attention but regardless of what reason a person is choosing to share that, we have to take that at face value. Something we say at the Crisis Centre is regardless of someone’s reason for sharing their ideas or intention to die by suicide

someone who is well doesn’t typically share those things. Even if they don’t seriously intend on dying there is a cue there that something underlying needs attention.”

There is an acronym that can be used to guide a response to a mention or threat of suicide, he added.

“It’s WALK and it’s a super, super helpful acronym for someone who finds themselves in the position to help someone,” Skinner said.

“The first step in WALK is warning signs. There are so, so many warning signs — it’s really an exhaustive list — and I think the best way to approach warning signs is anything that is out of the ordinary for that person. If they are someone who really likes reading and then stops reading or if they go for a walk every day and then stop going for their walk that is an indicator that there has been a shift in their mental state. Although it is not necessarily an indicator for suicide it’s an opportunity to check in and it might be just stating an observation, like ‘hey, you’re such a reader and you haven’t been reading. Tell me about that.’ Sometimes those little moments of curiosity are such an opportunity to understand what someone is going through.”

The next step in WALK is to ask.

“This is a really tough one,” Skinner said.

“When we ask we have to ask as directly as possible and that might just sound like ‘Are you considering suicide? Have you thought about suicide at all?’ It’s really, really uncomfortable for someone who’s a caregiver to say those words and there’s a lot of stigma around that. We still hear all the time that people might feel that talking about suicide can increase someone’s risk of suicide or implant an idea about suicide. That is not true. Even if we’re wrong — if you ask ‘hey, are you thinking about suicide’ and they say no that person now knows that you’re someone that’s concerned for their safety and caring.”

DUONG NHAN/PEXELS PHOTO

suicide

Supports and services can be found in Prince George

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If that person does think about suicide in the future they’ve already had that conversation and know who to turn to, he added.

The next step in WALK is to listen.

“This one might be harder than it seems,” Skinner warned.

“To be a listener when someone is having thoughts of suicide we have to really hold ourselves in check, accept a person’s feelings exactly as they are without minimizing, without having our own fear take away from their experience and we’re not telling them what to do. People who have thoughts of suicide they likely have had these thoughts for a long time and they most likely have not shared with anyone. So we’ve got to make sure to give people as much space as they need to really talk through how they feel.”

The last step in WALK is to keep safe.

“Keeping safe can mean a lot of different things,” Skinner said.

“It might mean getting someone connected to supports, telling another trusted adult or caregiver. It might even mean making a really short plan — for even two hours, being with someone for two hours, staying with someone for three hours — I think what is key to keeping safe is that keeping safe isn’t necessarily for us to decide, it’s for that person who is having thoughts of suicide to decide. If they’re sharing how they’re feeling with you and feel safe enough to do so they’re really the person most equipped to know ‘what do I need right now and who can we talk to.’” Community cannot be understated, he added.

“Turn to anyone and everyone we can,” Skinner advised.

“Encouraging this person to talk about it with anyone they’d like — if you’re the parent, how would it be to include the other parent? How would it be to include their friends or someone else that is trusted? It also might be a service provider or professional — call the crisis line, make an appointment with a counselor, go to the walk-in clinic. Any of these things could be the

There are resources for people who are dealing with suicidal thoughts and their families available locally.

right thing. Exploring any option is not going to be a negative thing. The more people we can share and talk to the better.”

Skinner said he believes it’s important to talk about suicide before it’s an issue and talk about it with children as young as possible.

“Youth today are interacting with crisis and suicide like never before,” Skinner said.

“If it’s not us as caregivers having these conversations it’s social media — it’s TikTok, it’s Netflix, it’s YouTube, it’s other youth on social platforms, it’s all kinds of mixed media. We cannot protect folks from these topics. Something that is so powerful is having these conversations openly and bravely when youth are young so they can become accustomed to these types of conversations and are not in a bit of a shock when they inevitably run into them in real life. Whether a youth is having thoughts of suicide or a friend of theirs — when they are primed to have these conversations they then know how to speak to how they feel, which is really complicated, really confusing internally.”

It’s critical they know who they can talk to about it, he added.

“If I as a caregiver choose to have a really uncomfortable conversation

with a youth about suicide it might be super awkward but I set the precedent that these conversations are OK and you are safe to talk about them with the hope that in the future when they need someone to talk to about them again for themselves or for someone they care about they feel empowered to have these conversations and know they can talk to you as a safe person. I think that’s so, so important.”

And when parents and family members and loved ones are on the other side of this tragedy and need someone to turn to, Skinner offered these options.

“Everyone is different,” Skinner said.

“Folks know best what they need. There’s no cookie-cutter, one-sizefits-all approach to this. I think grief especially of a traumatic loss is something hardest to cope with in isolation. I think the message is to share it with others and there are a lot of spaces that encourage that. There are traumatic loss bereavement support groups that operate here in Prince George. There is one in partnership with the Crisis Centre in Foundry and there is also one offered through the Prince George Hospice Society. Speaking with other folks who can understand the experience you’ve had can be such a healing experience especially when it’s about

suicide because this is a really stigmatized topic. So I would really encourage people to connect with people who are ready, willing and equipped to listen to your story and validate your experience. That’s not always easy to do with just the people around you, especially when the people around you are also grieving.”

• The Bereavement Group for Traumatic Loss support group runs in eight-week cycles at the Prince George Foundry, 1148 Seventh Ave., and there’s one running right now every Wednesday until Dec. 3. To register call 250-6403716 or email pgbereavement@ gmail.com.

• The Traumatic Loss Support Group at the Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society can be accessed by calling 250-5632551 or email info@pghpcs.ca

• To contact the Crisis Centre of Northern BC call 1-888-562-114 or visit https://crisis-centre.ca/

*Postvention occurs after a death by suicide, to support those bereaved or affected including family, friends, professionals, peers, responders and community, to cope with stressors and manage the experience.

City shows it’s ready to host the 2030 Summer Games

Special Olympics site selection committee tours the community

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Special Olympics athletes and supporters joined the mayor, councillors and first responders at Canada Winter Games Plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 8 to celebrate Prince George athletes and show their community spirit — with the site selection committee for the Special Olympics 2030 Canada Summer Games in the audience.

The Party in the Plaza event saw approximately 100 people attend and enjoy live music from local band Good Juju, free cookies, food trucks and vendors.

The city held the event to showcase the Prince George community to the site evaluation committee and to demonstrate that Prince George is ready to host the 2030 BC Special Olympics Summer Games.

Prince George is currently on the shortlist to host the 2030 Summer Games. If chosen, the event will bring approximately 1,700 athletes, coaches and volunteers from across the country to participate in 10 sports over the course of a week.

This event is part of the ongoing tour that the city has been taking members of the site evaluation committee on since Tuesday, Oct. 7. They wrapped up their tour on Thursday, Oct. 9.

The committee members had a chance to tour UNBC and the Aquatic Centre, as well as the Civic Centre, ahead of the event. They also watched the Cougars take on the Kelowna Rockets Wednesday evening.

Former mayor Lyn Hall, a volunteer on the bid committee, said he’s feeling very optimistic about Prince George’s chances for the upcoming bid.

“We always felt really good about it, even before the representatives from Special Olympics Canada came to Prince George,” said Hall. “It was about just putting the best bid package

together that we possibly could, that would really make it difficult for them to say no — and you work from there. And I think that we were able to show them today some real highlights: 2015 Games, the 2022 Games, the 2025 Games that we just finished a couple months ago. So it has really, I think for me, met all and more of our expectations.”

The slogan for Party in the Plaza is “We’re ready,” which was showcased on flags, T-shirts and walls across Canada Games Plaza. Hall explained why the committee chose this as their slogan.

“It came about just a conversation around the bid committee group and people throwing suggestions on the table — that’s how it really started,” he said. “We fell to that because we really wanted to send a strong message — and we are ready. We’re ready to put them on. We have the experience, we have the facilities, we have the volunteers and we have the people of Prince George who get quite geared up to be able to participate in having national or provincial games — and we’ve proven that over the last number of decades.”

Hall added details on why the committee decided to host Party in the Plaza, in

addition to showcasing the sports and hosting facilities that Prince George has to offer.

“The Party in the Plaza really identifies what the community is about and gives the community an opportunity to come out and show their support — which they’ve done today,” said Hall. “It highlights the plaza, and the plaza is going to be really a centrepiece of the 2030 Games for us. It’ll be the athletes’ plaza and an opportunity for us to show people — and particularly the Special Olympics Canada folks — what goes on in the plaza, what it can represent, and what we can offer the community and, more importantly, the athletes.”

Andy Beesley, director of civic facilities and events for the City of Prince George, also spoke to The Citizen about what it would mean to host the 2030 Games.

“We know that our volunteers and our staff and all the organizations involved with putting on these Games say it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s part of the reason that a lot of us live in Prince George. It makes it a great place to live, work and play, and it’s one of the reasons that I chose to stay here for the last 40 years of my life.

“It also does something else for our city on a national level. It puts a positive spotlight on the City of Prince George across the entire country. The media coverage we get, the reputation (shared) by the people who visit us — it does our city a lot of good. Because the Games are fun, they’re positive, they look fantastic, they feel great, and that’s a good news story for Prince George to put out to the world.”

He also emphasized that Prince George is more than ready and, if chosen to host, will immediately start planning for the 2030 Games.

“We’re ready — and we’re also ready to be ready,” said Beesley. “The amount of work is profound. It includes hiring staff. There’s a huge infrastructure behind putting on Games like this. Literally thousands of people are involved — 1,200 volunteers or more at least, plus a bunch of staff. Then of course, the entire city staff is on board — and not to mention all the volunteers. The second that they announce that we’ve won — fingers crossed — we immediately start our meetings to start planning for it. And it will take the entire five years to plan for these Games.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

From left to right, Special Olympics BC 2025 Athlete Ambassadors Chase Caron, Marinka VanHage and Adam Spokes wave from the Canada Games Plaza stage on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

More skating times available after public feedback

CITIZEN STAFF

Skaters and ice users in Prince George can look forward to expanded and improved skating opportunities this winter, as the city launches new and revised programs for the 2025–26 season in response to community feedback.

Following an online public engagement process held earlier this year, the city awarded a new skating program contract to YMCA BC.

Beginning in November, the YMCA will operate two new offerings on behalf of the city: parent and tot skate at Kin II and stick and puck sessions at Kopar Memorial Arena. These new programs will run alongside regular public skating and drop-in hockey.

Until the YMCA contract begins, city staff will continue to operate public skating and drop-in hockey throughout October.

“We are thrilled to offer new programs

After gathering input from the public, the City of Prince George has expanded public skating programs.

at our arenas thanks to feedback from the community,” said Debbie Heywood, the city’s events manager, in a press release. “We hope everyone can try something new this season with the extra ice time we’ve allotted for affordable public skating programs.”

The skating program updates are based on input from 251 residents who responded to an online survey between March 20 and April 17.

More than 70 per cent of respondents

felt there weren’t enough public skating sessions available each week, with public skating ranked as the highest-priority program.

In response, the city added a new Monday evening public skate from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Elksentre, beginning in November, and extended the duration of three existing sessions to two hours each.

Survey participants also expressed concerns about drop-in hockey, with

many saying there were too few sessions and that they were held too early in the day.

In response, the city has added two additional sessions:

• Sundays, 2:45-4:15 p.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena

• Mondays, 9:15-10:45 p.m. at the Elksentre

Both will begin in November. In addition to schedule adjustments, two new programs have been introduced due to high public demand: Parent and Tot Skate: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.-noon at Kin II. Designed for preschool-aged children and their guardians

Stick and Puck: Fridays, 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. (except Spruce Kings game days) and Sundays, 6:15-7:45 a.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena. Open to all ages, offering time to practise stickhandling and shooting skills

For full schedules and program costs, visit the City of Prince George website.

Foundry hosting Taylor Swift-themed listening party

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

It’s a listening party for everyone’s favourite artist’s latest album.

Can you guess?

It’s a Taylor Swift Life of a Showgirl listening party that takes place on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Coast Hotel Ballroom.

Guests are asked to dress up, bring bracelets to swap, snap pictures in the TS themed photo booth, sing along to the new album, do some Tay-style colouring, make bracelets, enjoy the cash only concession and have a Swiftiethemed great time.

The idea for the listening party is the brainchild of 10 youth who are part of an initiative within the Foundry for Community program where youth ages 12 through 16 come together to discover a need in their community and find a way to make a positive impact.

The listening party is a fundraising

event for the Salvation Army food bank because food insecurity is a real issue for so many people in Prince George and to that end people are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and for every item donated the Swiftie will get a ticket that goes into the draw for

a basket filled with Swiftie swag and treats. The more non-perishable items donated the more chances to win.

“So if you bring 15 cans in you get 15 tickets into the draw,” Elliott Collins, youth group member, said.

“In the basket there is a CD of her new album, a notebook, a flag, a tote bag, a tumbler — there’s a lot of stuff in it.”

to have a photo booth set up and lots of music and hopefully some dancing,” Kit Kaszas, youth group member, said.

This is a family event so the littles in attendance will be able to do activities like colouring.

“We’re going to have a concession with candy and snacks and drinks and also a big part of being a Taylor Swift fan is bracelet making and trading so we’re going to have a booth for that kind of stuff,” Kit said.

The group is hoping for about 100 people to attend the party and they’re all trying to get their friends to come.

“I’m even trying to get our teacher to come,” Ainsley Sephton chimed in.

The Foundry for Community program fosters peer social relationships, strengthens community ties and cultivates future leaders while empowering the youth to use leadership skills like decision making, critical thinking, team building and problem solving, demonstrating that youth can make a positive impact within their community.

Including a few surprises, she added.

During weekly meetings at the Foundry in downtown Prince George the group came up with the party plan and then implemented it. The students in this cohort include Sepanta Mahmoodi, Ainsley Sephton, Elliot Collins, Ray Johnnie, Dianna Johnnie, Jean White, Rai Sponagle, Kit Kaszas, Sophia Pigeau and Lola Fairbank who are supported by Mary Paz Michel, youth program coordinator YMCA and Deanna Collins, manager of community programs YMCA.

Youth are tasked to establish, create and implement their project with complete autonomy.

There were so many Swifties in the group the event was an easy one to agree upon after playing around with another idea of hosting a kids’ camp for court sports that included basketball and volleyball.

Once the event was decided the group was then provided a budget of $1,000 to create their service plan to ultimately become agents of change.

“During the listening party we’re going

The youth group recently volunteered at the Salvation Army food bank where they learned what it takes to organize the food hub that is accessed by 4,500 people in Prince George every month.

Once the group saw the need for food security to greatly improve in Prince George, they decided to raise funds and garner donations for the local food bank.

Sponsors for the event included The Coast Hotel who donated the space, Party City, Michael’s Canada and Party in Style.

This event is proudly supported by YMCA BC, Foundry Prince George, Salvation Army Prince George and The Coast by APA Prince George

The Life of a Showgirl Listening Party fundraiser goes Sunday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Coast Hotel Ballroom, 770 Brunswick St. Concession is cash only. Anyone attending under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

All proceeds go to the Salvation Army Foodbank. Tickets for the event are $10 and must be purchased in advance at www.eventbrite.com/e/foundry-for-community-listening-party-tickets.

The Foundry for Community youth group that is hosting a listening party fundraiser for the Salvation Army Food Bank at the Coast Inn on Oct. 19 includes, from left, Sophia Pigeau, Elliot Collins, Kit Kaszas, Sepanta Mahmoodi, Lola Fairbank, Ainsley Sephton, Dianna Johnnie and Ray Johnnie.

Throwback Thursday: Week of October 9

Oct. 16, 1993: Mort, a nine-inch millipede from Africa, had a visit with Elaine Boe, left, a museum interpreter, and teacher Helen Ferguson during a workshop at the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum. More than 50 local teachers spent a professional development day there, learning about the new exploration gallery. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK

Oct. 17, 1977: Tina Wildman, 11, raced through water obstacles during the College of New Caledonia Run for Fun. The Heritage Elementary School student was one of about 250 children taking part in the event at Beaverly School. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY

Know your limit, play within it.

DOUG WELLER

Oct. 18, 1960: Jack Lee, left, congratulated Cpl. Doug Todoruk of the Royal Canadian Air Cadet squadron (centre) with First Lieut. Harvey Clarke after Todoruk passed his flight training. Lee paid for Todoruk to go to flight school. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY JAMES MEADOWS

NISBETT

Oct. 15, 2013: Curtis Evans, 15, was photographed in mid-air at the Rotary Skate Park during the last Bike Jam of the season. About 100 people took part CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVID MAH

Student dietitian shares her first experience in the North

TIFFANNIE CHAN Northern Health

Drawn to the opportunity to work with dietitians in Northern BC, I left Vancouver and relocated to Terrace for my dietetics population and public health placement.

Without knowing what to expect in the North, my friend and I made the road trip from Vancouver to Terrace. I was excited to see parts of “Beautiful BC,” but also worried about adapting to a place I had never been.

Now that I’ve done my placement, I would like to share some of my experience and lessons I’ve learned along the way after taking the leap into the unknown.

Navigating the North

As someone without a vehicle, my biggest question before coming to Northern BC was how I would get around. Fortunately, the bus schedule in Terrace fit well with my work schedule, and the bus stop was only a three-minute walk from my dorm.

Even though there was no public transit on Sundays, my preceptors and friends were more than happy to pick me up and drive me where I needed to go.

Overhearing conversations at the cafés and farmers’ market, I got a sense that there was a strong sense of community there, and it was a place where everyone tried their best to support each other.

Cultural connection through food

My second question was about accessing cultural foods in the North, as food has always been an important way for me to connect to my culture. Although there were not a lot of options for pre-made and convenient Cantonese foods in Terrace, I readily found raw ingredients and condiments for preparing Cantonese dishes at home.

During my stay, I made my comfort food, a Cantonese dessert called mango sago, to share with the dietitians in Terrace and Kitimat.

‘Through these quiet moments, I discovered a growing love for nature, one that helped me reconnect with myself and feel more grounded in the world around me.’

I had never made my own mango sago before, but gathering the ingredients and making this dessert in Terrace made the experience special, and I found joy in sharing my cultural foods with others.

Food access and the privilege of choice

Moving to the North opened my eyes to the privileges I had long taken for granted when it came to food access. During the road trip, I began noticing the landscape more intentionally — like the different types of trees and the haunting remains of wildfires. Seeing the charred forests made me reflect on how climate events like

wildfires can disrupt food systems and deepen food insecurity in Northern communities.

This experience added a new layer of meaning to what I had learned in the classroom. It reminded me that as a future dietitian, I must consider not only the principles of nutrition but also how geography, climate and community support impact people’s ability to eat well.

My short stay in Terrace also brought personal insights; I found it difficult to bulk-buy food to save costs, which made me realize that this common strategy is a privilege of larger, more urban communities. As well, not everyone has

Through these quiet moments, I discovered a growing love for nature, one that helped me reconnect with myself and feel more grounded in the world around me.”

the financial flexibility, storage space or transportation needed to make it work — which is another important consideration I will carry with me into my future practice.

Connecting with nature

Living in Terrace meant being farther from the comforts of city life, but it brought me closer to nature in ways I never expected.

On sunny days after work, I often found myself unwinding at the beach, letting the scenery calm both my body and mind.

The slower pace helped me tune into the present moment — like finding peace in the sound of crickets chirping, which surprisingly helped me focus and reflect.

Through these quiet moments, I discovered a growing love for nature, one that helped me reconnect with myself and feel more grounded in the world around me.

Carrying lessons forward

This experience reminded me that meaningful connections and learning can happen in the most unexpected places. I would encourage anyone who is hesitating a journey to the North to come with an open heart and a willingness to learn.

As I continue on my journey to become a dietitian, I carry with me the lessons of adaptability, empathy and the importance of community — values that were generously shared with me during my time in Northern

BC.

NORTHERN HEALTH PHOTO

Building trust and connection through UHNBC nursing

TERESA BENNETT Northern Health

Khloe Lambert was born and raised in Prince George BC and is a proud member of the Witset First Nation. She belongs to the Laksilyu (small frog) clan.

Lambert is a new graduate registered nurse (RN) and was part of the first cohort in the University of Northern BC’s (UNBC) accelerated Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program. Her journey began in 2021 with a Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in biomedical studies.

After tutoring chemistry and connecting with students, Lambert realized she wanted a career where she could support others and build meaningful relationships.

She chose nursing to help make health care feel safe and welcoming — especially for Indigenous patients. Lambert now works in the internal

medicine unit at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC). She enjoys the variety in her work and the chance to learn something new every day.

Guided by heritage in maternity care

Vanessa Tanski was born and raised in Terrace and recently moved to Kitimat to begin her career as a registered nurse.

Nursing runs in her family — her mom, grandma, and sister all work in health care.

Tanski’s interest in nursing started early, when she would walk to her mom’s office at Public Health after school. Experiencing this from a young age helped spark her passion for helping others.

Tanski works full-time in acute care at Kitimat General Hospital and Health Centre. She also picks up shifts in the emergency department and recently completed maternity training, which she loves. Her favourite areas to work in are maternity and labour and delivery.

“Above all, give the role your entire self, including your culture, values, and narrative. That’s what will help you to

genuinely connect and change things in the system,” she said.

Tanski believes nursing is about more than just skills — it’s about heart. She’s learned that every family has a different birth story, and it’s important to listen, honour traditions, and create a safe space.

She encourages new nurses to remember their “why,” ask questions, and advocate for themselves and their patients. She wants people to know that nurses do much more than take vitals and give medication. They support patients and families through some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Every shift is a chance to make a real difference — and that impact comes from both skill and compassion.

allows her to stay connected to the land she grew up on.

Being an Indigenous nurse means a lot to Lambert. While the label can feel heavy at times, she embraces it as a source of strength. Her identity helps her understand the challenges Indigenous patients face and gives her the tools to offer respectful, safe, and culturally aware care.

“When Indigenous patients see someone who understands their history, it builds trust. That’s what I try to bring to every interaction,” said Lambert.

Lambert’s advice to future nurses is simple: stay curious and stay humble. She’s learned that no one can know everything, and that’s okay. What matters most is being open to learning and growing.

Outside of work, she loves being close to nature — especially lakes, rivers, and creeks.

Living and working in Prince George

She also wants people to know that nurses carry a big mental load. Every interaction or decision could affect someone’s life, and nurses work hard to stay calm and focused through it all.

NORTHERN HEALTH PHOTO

Khloe Lambert, a nurse at UHNBC, visits the Fraser River.

TERESA BENNETT Northern Health

Tanski

Local Sports Cougars split weekend with Tri-City Americans

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Sunday’s game started at 2 p.m.

So why did it take the Prince George Cougars so long to wake up?

They were there in body but the spirit was definitely lacking and they paid the price, helpless to prevent two Western Hockey League points from slipping away to the win-starved Tri-City Americans.

The Americans got what they were after: A 4-3 victory decided in the 59th minute by defenceman Jakub Vanecek Sunday afternoon at CN Centre. It was a well-deserved win that made their 16-hour bus trek back to Kennewick, Wash., a lot more tolerable.

Vanecek’s point blast through a screen sliced into the net behind Cougar goalie Josh Ravensbergen with just 75 seconds left on the clock. It was one the few chances the Americans generated in a final period dominated by the Cougars.

Quality obviously trumps quantity.

“I just liked our effort, right from the drop of the puck till the end of the game,” said Americans’ head coach Jody Hull, who took over the job in the off-season from his former Florida Panthers teammate Stu Barnes. “That’s why you play 60 minutes, you never know when that next goal will come. It started for us (Saturday) in the second half of the game when we got down early and battled back. I thought the guys were just dialed today to try to get that victory.

“We’re a younger team, I think we had 11 guys yesterday play their first game here in Prince George, and that’s a lot. “I’m just proud of the guys and the effort they put forth this weekend.”

Cougars captain Bauer Dumanski started the third period off right, knotting the score 3-3 with a one-timer from the point three minutes in – his second goal and eighth point in seven games.

The 20-year-old defenceman is already well on his way to eclipsing his best offensive season two years ago when he totaled seven goals and 33 points. But you can bet he’d trade all that individual offence for another two points in the standings.

Dumanski and his D-partner Carson Carels did all they could to prevent the Cougars losing on home ice for the second time in five days, in front of Sunday crowd of 5,153. But once again, as happened in Wednesday’s one -goal loss to Kelowna, the Cougars’ were haunted in the end by a sluggish start.

“That’s a tough loss, we beat ourselves tonight,” said Dunanski. “We’ve got to be way better in the first period. We definitely grew in the second and

third but just not good enough throughout the whole 60 minutes.

“(Wednesday was) a similar game, we’re just not coming out ready to play and that’s just not good enough to win games in this league. Teams come up here hoping for a split and we’ve got to be ready for that, we need our four points at home and can’t let other teams come into our barn and work us like that. Home or away we’ve got to be ready.”

Levshyn anchors Saturday’s win

The Cougars split the weekend with the Americans.

Saturday night’s game saw Alexander Levshyn in goal for the Cougars with Josh Ravensbergen away at the San

Jose Sharks’ camp.

The Cougars looked to Levshyn, a 19-year-old native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, to get the job done on Saturday. For 10 minutes, while they were outshooting the Americans 13-0 enjoying a 2-0 lead, and they could have had a cardboard cutout in the crease and it wouldn’t have changed anything.

But once the Americans found their stride, it was a much different story. They got better as the game grew older and if not for Levshyn, who stopped 25 of 27 shots and came up with 11 saves in the third period, it might have been a much different outcome Saturday for the pro-Cougars crowd of 5,789 who packed into CN Centre.

Like most goalies, Levshyn said he would have liked a few shots earlier in the game to get a feel for the action and that didn’t happen. But the near-sellout crowd made sure he knew they were behind him.

“That was an unbelievable feeling, I really like when the crowd is so loud, our fans cheering for us,” said Levshyn. “I might have been a little bit nervous inside, but outside, no. The hardest part was no shots in the first 10 minutes.”

Now through three games with the Cougars he’s sporting a 1.67 goalsagainst average and .937 save percentage and he’s a perfect 3-0. He’s looking forward to winter when his parents, Alex and Nadia, come to Prince George to watch him play.

The Cats walked off with a 3-2 victory only to lose to the Americans in the next day’s rematch. They (5-2-0-0) remain second behind Penticton Vees in the BC Division standings. Tri City (2-5-0-0) ranks fifth in the US Division.

The Cougars are on the road this week for games in Seattle on Friday, followed by a Sunday date with the Americans in Kennewick, Wash.

The Cats return to CN Centre on Wednesday, Oct. 22 to face the defending WHL-champion Medicine Hat Tigers.

JAMES DOYLE PHOTO

Cougars winger Terik Parascak rushes to try to block the shot from Tri-City Americans forward Tomas Racz during their game on Sunday, Oct. 12 at CN Centre.

Gale Russell inducted into BC Soccer Hall of Fame

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Gale Russell, whose work to grow the Prince George Youth Soccer Association resulted in the city’s largest minor sports organization, has been inducted into the BC Soccer Hall of Fame.

Russell, who died Aug. 31, 2024, after a four-year illness, was one of the prime instigators of a Rotary Club project that built a complex of outdoor soccer fields at 18th Avenue and Ospika Boulevard — a facility that became the envy of the province.

Russell served on the PGYSA executive for 18 years, starting in 1986, and was chair of the board from 1994 to 2003.

As president of the Quinson Community Association, he helped start an indoor soccer program for kids in the early 1980s.

Although he had no soccer background, the Quebec native joined the PGYSA as a house league coach and became involved with coaching his two sons’ teams — continually advancing his own skills through coaching courses that helped him guide Prince George teams to three provincial titles.

He also took on duties as an on-field official and worked with the BC Soccer Association to bring high-level coaching and officiating clinics to Prince George.

As a BC Soccer Association district president, Russell attracted several provincial and national tournaments that were hosted by the city.

“His over 35 years of involvement was a true testimony of a man who played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the PGYSA,” said longtime friend Shafeed Rahman, who preceded Russell as PGYSA chair.

“His leadership paved and cemented the organization to be second to none in this province. The growth from 800 kids to 3,300 was an unreal achievement.”

Russell will be inducted at the BC Soccer awards dinner on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Delta Hotels by Marriott Burnaby Conference Centre in Burnaby.

Other inductees for the BC Soccer Hall of Fame class of 2025

Player: Christine Sinclair

Inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame in May 2025, Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, a member of the Order of Canada, played 331 games for Canada’s women’s national team from 2000 to 2023, scoring a world-record 190 goals. Sinclair led the national team to Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, and the Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020.

Player: Jamie Lowery

A premier player in Vancouver Island’s soccer history, midfielder Jamie Lowery of Port Alberni captained the UVic Vikes, played 32 times for Canada’s men’s national teams — including at the 1986 World Cup finals — played 112 games for the 1987–1992 Vancouver 86ers, and was a stalwart in Island representative teams.

Coach: Dick Mosher

Dick Mosher played for the UBC Thunderbirds soccer team in the 1960s before returning as a professor of kinesiology. Mosher coached the university’s men’s and women’s soccer teams from 1986 to 2009, winning nine national varsity championships in 24 years — three with the women’s team and a record six with the men’s team.

Referee: Gordon Rogers

Beginning in 1976, Gordon Rogers of Vancouver refereed for 43 years, rising to appointment as a FIFA assistant referee for 1992 and 1993. He officiated in the 1993 Concacaf Gold Cup final at Mexico’s Estadio Azteca. Rogers was also a BC Soccer referee and coach instructor, and a BC Soccer director.

Builder: Charlie Cuzzetto

Vancouver’s Charlie Cuzzetto is recognized as a builder of futsal in BC and Canada over four decades. Cuzzetto coached and managed Canada teams at four Futsal World Championships (1985–1996), was president of Futsal Canada from 1991 to 2003, and led Futsal Canada into affiliation with Canada Soccer. Later, Cuzzetto served as BC Soccer president and Canada Soccer director.

Team of Distinction: 1996–2000

Simon Fraser University women’s team

From 1996 to 2000 — the golden age of Simon Fraser University women’s soccer — the team played in the US NAIA college system. After conference and regional championships, the 1996 SFU team became the first Canadian women’s soccer team to win an NAIA championship. The feat — finishing first out of 160 teams — was repeated by the 2000 team.

Team of Distinction: 2018 BC Tigers

Hurricanes men’s team

The 2018 BC Tigers Hurricanes men’s team from Surrey won the Vancouver Metro League Premier Division, the BC championship and the national club championship. They are the first predominantly South Asian team to become Canadian club champions — a milestone national success that became a source of great pride and inspiration within the South Asian community.

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HANDOUT PHOTO

The Prince George Youth Soccer Association named a field at Rotary Youth Field in Gale Russell’s honour.

Jared Young on cusp of full-time return to the majors

The Prince George ballplayer divided last season between triple-A Syracuse and the New York Mets

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Twice this year, playoff baseball proved elusive for Jared Young.

The triple-A Syracuse Mets had just finished three games shy of the firstplace second-half standing needed to advance to the International League playoffs when Young was called up to the New York Mets for their final postseason push.

But on the last weekend of the season, needing just one more win over the Miami Marlins, the Mets couldn’t get it done. The Cincinnati Reds finished with the same 83-79 record as New York and took the final wild-card spot based on a tiebreaker, ending a disappointing year for the team with the second-highest payroll in baseball.

Young was called up for that final weekend in Miami when third baseman Brett Baty suffered an oblique injury and got one at-bat as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of the final game Sunday. The door was open for New York when the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Reds, but the Mets were held to just five hits in the game and lost 4-0, ending a season that started with so much promise after three months when they were near the top of the MLB chart.

“I was able to play good ball on a good ball team all year,” said Young.

“Being in a playoff race in both the MLB and triple-A made August and September very fun. When you’re playing important baseball games it makes it easier to play well and to have the whole team kind of going in the same direction.

“It was fun to have both teams in the playoff race but it really sucks that both missed. One game made the difference in New York and two games made the difference in Syracuse. As cliché as it

sounds, every game matters and games in April five months before, matter the exact same as the ones in September you just don’t realize it at the time.”

In his nine-year pro baseball career, Young got to play in the playoffs a year ago in Korea and came close in 2023 when he missed the postseason by one game while he was with the Chicago Cubs.

Called up four times to the Mets this season, Young was limited to 43 at-bats in 10 games, playing mostly as a designated hitter. He hit four home runs, had six RBI and put up a .186 batting average.

His short stint with the Mets produced a couple of career highlights, most notably his pinch-hit home run Sept. 6 in Cincinnati. He took a 2-2 offering from pitcher Scott Barlow and deposited it 399 feet into the right field stands, one of only 236 players in Major League Baseball history confirmed to have hit a pinch-hit homer.

“Pinch hitting is a hard role, it’s not a fun role, it’s a difficult one and obviously everyone wants to play more but you just take it as seriously as you can,” he said. “I’d probably been up and warmed up and ready to pinch-hit maybe a dozen times that week. You get told, ‘We’re not going to do it here,’ but they

tell you to be ready for it.

“I was able to put together a pretty good at-bat and put a good swing on it and that’s how baseball goes. One good swing can turn things around. That’s what makes it so exciting. That was a real cool point of the year and I wish I could have done it more.”

Young’s first hit as a Met came on May 27 when he clubbed a two-run home run at Citi Field that gave New York the lead over the Chicago White Sox.

On June 21 in Philadelphia, Young’s third home run of the season travelled 441 feet — one of seven solo shots the Mets hit against the Phillies to tie a major league record.

On June 15 in front of 44,000 fans in New York he drew his first stint as a major league pitcher, entering the game in the ninth inning to mop up in what ended up a 9-0 loss in the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I actually got to pitch this year, it was not a highlight at the time at all, but looking back on it, it was pretty funny and pretty cool,” he said. “It was one of those funny things where at the time, nobody wants to be the one to go in and pitch and when it’s all said and done, you’re like wow, I’m pumped it was me.”

Young showed his power all season

with Syracuse. In August he delivered a 451-foot shot, one of 18 home runs in triple-A this season. He led all Syracuse hitters with a .303 batting average and posted a .969 OPS with 52 RBI and eight stolen bases.

Defensively, Young can play almost every position. This year with Syracuse he played first base and left field and also filled the designated hitter slot.

“It was a very good year, another one where I felt like I put together a good offensive year,” the 30-year-old Young said. “I kind of showed I’m solidifying myself in the upper edge of professional baseball and hopefully I’ll get some more at-bats in the big leagues next year.

“I’m getting older and I’m getting better at the game. I don’t think anything gets easier as you play, I think possibly the game gets harder every year, I mean the pitchers get better and pitchers study. As you get older you figure out what you do better and try and find where that matches up against the pitcher. I’ve been in triple-A for my fifth or sixth year in the league and it’s not easier but you get more comfortable and you know what works for you and you just keep building on that.”

SEE ‘YOUNG’ ON NEXT PAGE

Jared Young of Prince George is greeted at home plate by New York Mets teammate Brett Baty after Young hit a two-run home run — his first hit as a Met — against the Chicago White Sox at Citi Field in New York on May 27.

Kodiaks’ first post-season run ends with loss to Rebels

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Garrett Thiessen was hoping this wasn’t going to his last junior football game and that he’d give football fans in Prince George one more reason to make a playoff roadtrip.

The 22-year-old Prince George Kodiaks quarterback wanted that chance to play in the BC Football Conference championship final before he aged out of junior eligibility.

But in their first-ever postseason appearance, Saturday in Langford, the Kodiaks ran into a roadblock known as the Westshore Rebels and their hosts were in no mood to let Kodiaks write a new chapter in their short four-year BCFC history.

The Rebels scored 31 points in the second half and ended the Kodiaks’ season, winning the semifinal matchup 45-28.

Thiessen led the Prince George cause with two rushing touchdowns and

made the score more respectable when he hooked up with Kayle Cowley and Matthew Sturgess for TD catches late in the game. But by that time the game was already in the Rebels’ hands.

Westshore running back Carter Williams scored three TDs on the run and the Kodiaks were unable to stop BCFC

all-star quarterback Gavin Session, who passed for three majors, two to Jeremiah Beckwith and one to Tyrell Hofland.

Trailing 14-7 just before halftime, the Kodiaks had the ball on the Rebels one-yard line but needed four plays to get the ball into the end zone. Thiessen

finally punched it through and Brady Harper booted the convert to make it a 14-14 game.

The Rebels returned from the break and with Session at the helm they never looked back. Williams found paydirt on three separate carries and Beckwith continued with the air attack to build an insurmountable lead.

Session led the conference with 193 completions and 28 touchdowns and completed 68 per cent of his passes for 2,802 yards.

The Rebels will advance to the Cullen Cup championship in Kelowna next Saturday against the still-undefeated Okanagan Sun. The Sun were on home turf Saturday when they beat the Vancouver Island Raiders 43-12 in the other semifinal.

Kodiaks middle linebacker Caiden Crow, also in his final season, was also selected a BCFC all-star. He led the league with 45 tackles, had 15 assisted tackles, one interception, two knockdowns and recovered two fumbles.

Young found himself in New York City, L.A. and Denver

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

‘There’s a fine line between triple-A pitching and what he sees at the major league level, but Young recognizes the difference right off the bat. He has the talent, he just needs the opportunity to see that next level on a regular basis to become an everyday major leaguer.

“If you boil it down, the best arm you see (at triple-A) if you play a team a whole week, their best guy is the worst guy in the MLB,” he said. “The pitching is a lot better, the atmosphere is a lot different, you have to be ready for an atmosphere you’ve never played in before, and you won’t get as many chances as you do in the minor league. If you go 0-for-2, you might get pinch-hit for, you don’t get as much leeway.

“I was pretty disappointed in how things went up there this year but I’d like to bounce back and have a better one next year. If I had put up a little bit

better numbers I’m sure I would have got more at-bats but there wasn’t a whole lot to go around.”

Young started out in the Cubs organization and has had a few years to get used to the big league lifestyle, flying on private planes, staying in the best hotels wherever they travel and dealing with fans wherever they go.

When he gets called up and is in the same lineup with the likes of Juan Soto, the world’s highest-paid professional athlete, and veteran infielder Pete Alonso, he becomes one of the gang.

“I wouldn’t say I’m getting used to it because I feel I haven’t earned that yet, I haven’t been there that much,” said Young. “But you do get used to it pretty fast and I think the more you believe you actually belong there and should be in there all the time, I think you get a bit more numb to it when you believe you should be there.

“All the work you put in is to play

more and put the best version of yourself out there and I think the best version of myself is playing every day and playing multiple different positions and I hope I get the opportunity to show that.”

Young was living in an apartment in Queens and used the subway to get to the Mets’ games and practices at City Field. He gets recognized occasionally if he plays that day and gets a hit but otherwise can move around the city incognito.

One of his call ups came during a 10-day homestand and right after that the Mets flew to downtown Los Angeles for a four-game series with the Dodgers. It wasn’t until they hit Denver for the following series that he was able to escape the crowds and traffic and intense media scrutiny and unload some of the pressure.

It reminded him of his small-town Prince George upbringing.

“Everything slowed down and it wasn’t the two busiest cities in America and that was more my speed,” he said. “I love New York City and L.A. is great but I’m kind of over the traffic and the people being around you constantly. There was something appealing about mountains and trees that was appealing after being in New York and L.A for 15 days.”

Young signed a one-year deal with the Mets last December after splitting the 2024 between the triple-A Louisville Redbirds (St. Louis affiliate) and the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization.

His contract expires after the World Series and the Mets will have the option to re-sign him.

Alonso has announced he’ll opt out of the final year of $54 million twoyear contract he signed in February to become a free agent that could open up a spot for Young in the Mets’ infield.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Prince George Kodiaks quarterback Sawyer Thiessen hurries to get the ball away as Westshore Rebels linemen rush him during the Kodiaks’ season-opener at Masich Place Stadium Saturday, July 19. The teams battled again Saturday, Oct. 11 to wrap up their season.

Spruce Kings’ Japanese connection paying dividends

Wingers Tai Ushio and Kazumo Sasaki are the BCHL team’s latest dynamic duo

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Japan is the land of the rising sun — and two of its brightest stars have found their hockey home an ocean away in Prince George.

Japanese-born wingers Kazumo Sasaki and Tai Ushio have become the Prince George Spruce Kings’ dynamic duo, feeding off each other’s blistering speed, ability to create offence and knack for putting the puck in the net.

They’re making their presence felt around BC Hockey League rinks, combining with centre Marcus Lougheed on one of the league’s top-scoring forward trios.

The Canadian connection for Sasaki and Ushio began in February 2018, when they were still young boys, coming over as 12-year-olds with a Japanese team to the Quebec International PeeWee Tournament.

“We had some chemistry back then but we were still new to each other, and the next time was Team Japan in the U-18 and U-20 tournaments — we’ve been on the same line or same team three or four years now,” said Ushio, who played the past two seasons in the NAHL for the Anchorage Wolverines.

“I was looking for a team this year and I was texting Kazi, and he said we’re going to have a good team, so I thought it would be good to play with him this year.”

Both moved away from Japan before they were teenagers to immerse themselves in hockey culture.

Sasaki went to Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall, Ont., while Ushio landed in BC and played in Kelowna for RINK Academy.

Ushio is from Hokkaido, the northernmost part of Japan, which shares a similar latitude with Montreal.

His home has a distinct winter climate with plenty of snow. Sasaki is from

Nishitokyo, not far from central Tokyo — a city of 40 million people — where snow is rare.

Despite Japan’s population of 124 million, there are only about 14,000 ice hockey players (youth and adult combined) in the country.

Tokyo has just four indoor rinks, but skating is popular and outdoor rinks are common in winter, especially in the north. Hockey has a foothold in Japanese culture, thanks to its presence at the Winter Olympics in 1972 (Sapporo) and 1998 (Nagano).

It captured Sasaki’s imagination at a young age. He lived in a dorm with five or six other boys for four years in Cornwall until moving up to junior hockey at age 17 with the NAHL’s Chippewa Steel.

“This is what I always wanted to do, so I appreciate my parents for pushing me for that too. It definitely helped me get to where I am now,” said Sasaki. “It was a big adjustment for a little kid, but

at the end of the day it actually worked out and I wouldn’t change anything.”

Ushio lived with a billet family in Kelowna for three years until he left in 2021 to play in Detroit for the Little Caesars U16 and U18 programs, which helped prepare him for junior hockey. He credits his billet families for accelerating his adjustment to Western society.

“I’ve been doing billets since I was 12 and they’ve always been nice. I’ve been to Kelowna, Michigan, Anchorage and now Prince George and all the billets have been unreal,” said Ushio.

“You’ve got to appreciate how much a billet can do for you. It was my first time being away from home when I was 12 and the billets were amazing. I couldn’t speak any English back then and they still found a way to communicate and always made food every day — nice warm food and a nice warm bed when I go home.

“Now when I go home (to Japan), my parents and my buddies say I have

an English accent when I’m speaking Japanese.”

Both players are now fluent in English. The BCHL has one other player of Japanese descent — Surrey Eagles forward Dryden Kuramoto, who was born and raised in Burnaby.

Former NHL winger Paul Kariya, whose father is Japanese, remains the most well-known hockey player with Japanese ties.

The bond Sasaki and Ushio share as countrymen and linemates has only grown tighter over nearly two months with the Spruce Kings since training camp. It shows in how they read each other’s movements on the ice.

“We’ve been super close and I’ve seen him a couple times with the national teams, and every time we go on the ice, it’s nice to know where he’s going to be,” said Sasaki.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Spruce Kings wingers Kazumo Sasaki, left, and Tai Ushio have been thrilling the fans at Kopar Memorial Arena representing their home country Japan with their entertaining fast-paced style of play that’s led to plenty of offence in their first month as BCHL linemates.

Wingers heading back to Japan for November tournament

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“Whenever I have the puck or he has the puck, we kind of know where we are and it makes it a lot easier to play in this league.

“Marcus goes in the dirty areas and playing with him makes it easy for me and Tai.”

Through five games, Ushio is averaging two points per game with five goals and five assists, sitting just one point behind Cowichan’s Jack McCra in the league scoring race heading into the BCHL Showcase in Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

Sasaki isn’t far behind with four goals and three assists.

“First and foremost, they’re great kids and great teammates, and they’re very familiar with each other — they’ve clicked with each other right from training camp,” said general manager Mike Hawes.

“Kaz has been with us three years and he’s ultra-skilled — he’s so good with the puck — and Tai is the same way, but he’s actually got a little bit of grit to his game and likes to get his nose in there and go to the hard areas. It’s pretty special to watch the two of them work together out there.

“They skate extremely well and their IQs on the ice are incredibly high and they know what each other’s thinking. Marcus is a good 200-foot player who defends really well and he’s smart in our zone, so that creates opportunities for those two as well. He’s been a perfect fit to play with those two guys.”

Sasaki, a Lake Superior State recruit for 2026–27, is in his third season with the Spruce Kings, having joined the team in 2023.

He scored 19 goals and 38 points in 47 games last season.

Ushio has committed to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks for next season, after two years playing in Alaska with the NAHL’s Anchorage Wolverines. In his 19-year-old season last year, he tallied 25 goals and 48 points in 47 games, while racking up 97 penalty minutes. Both players will return to Japan for a week in mid-November and will miss

ABOVE: Spruce

BELOW: Surrey Eagles defenseman Kai Mencel tries to block a shot by Spruce Kings right winger Tai Ushio in their season home opener at Kopar Memorial Arena on Sept. 26.

the Spruce Kings’ three-game trip to Vancouver Island while competing for their country at the Asia Ice Hockey Championship.

Last January, at the IIHF World Junior Division 1B Championship in Estonia, Ushio led Japan with seven goals and 11 points in five games. Sasaki was third in team scoring with nine points.

Sasaki, Ushio and Lougheed — all with college commitments — are in their final junior season as overagers, and head coach Brad Tesink has given them the added responsibility of leading the team’s primary power-play unit.

“When those guys can play at the

pace that they do, especially with Marcus in the middle, they’re three committed players with something to prove this year — and having them at their best every night is going to lead to success down the road,” said Tesink.

Ushio and Sasaki both have December birthdays and are among nine 2005-born players on the team. Nine current Spruce Kings, including Sasaki, were part of last year’s squad that got hot in the final six weeks of the season and nearly upset the Chilliwack Chiefs in a thrilling seven-game first-round playoff series.

“We have nine people who are 20 years old and a bunch of guys (nine)

coming back this year, so we have a deep and old squad this year and we bring lots of experience to the game that will generate our offence or defence or whatever it takes to win the game,” said Sasaki.

“We have good size on the back end and I feel it’s going to be a good season for us.”

The Spruce Kings were down south on Tuesday, Oct. 14 to play the Sherwood Park Crusaders in Abbotsford, then took on the defending BCHL-champion Brooks Bandits on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The games had not been played when this issue of The Citizen went to press.

Kings left winger Kazumo Sasaki fires a shot over the stick and off the pad of Chilliwack Chiefs goalie David di Girolamo, sending it wide of the goal, at Kopar Memorial Arena on Oct. 4.

Stellar track and field season for local masters athletes

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

The Prince George Track & Field Club’s masters athletes had a stellar season this year — with national and BC records set, personal bests achieved and fun had by all.

Let’s start with the athlete who earned a new Canadian record this year after recovering from prostate cancer surgery late last year.

Tom Ukonmaanaho, 80, didn’t just break the Canadian pole vault record in the men’s 80–84 age category — he smashed it.

The previous mark of 2.03 metres, set in 2003, fell twice to Ukonmaanaho: first at the Spruce Capital Meet in Prince George with a leap of 2.15 metres on June 14, and again at the Jack Brow Championship in Kelowna on June 27 with a vault of 2.28 metres.

Ukonmaanaho is ranked No. 1 in Canada in pole vault — both outdoor and indoor — for his effort of 1.90 metres. He is also ranked No. 1 in javelin with a throw of 26.04 metres.

He holds a No. 2 national ranking in the 100-metre sprint (15.91 seconds), 200 metres (34.55 seconds), indoor 60 metres (10.26 seconds), indoor 200 metres (36.88 seconds), and indoor high jump (1.05 metres).

He’s ranked No. 3 in shot put with a throw of 9.35 metres.

He came home with gold in pole vault and high jump at the BC Masters Indoor Championships, along with silver in the 60- and 200-metre sprints and shot put. At the BC Masters Outdoor Championships, he earned gold in pole vault and the 100 metres, and silver in shot put. He also earned gold in shot put and pole vault at Sub Zero, and gold in the 100 metres, javelin and pole vault at Spruce Capital.

Joan Harris, 63, achieved many personal bests this year, including a hammer throw of 31.43 metres, weight throw of 12.88 metres and super weight throw of 8.26 metres. Harris is ranked No. 3 in Canada for discus, hammer, weight and javelin, and is ranked No. 7 in the world for her super weight throw.

At the Spruce Capital Meet, Harris

At the BC Masters Championships in Coquitlam, Frenkel won gold in the throws pentathlon and threw a massive personal best of 33.65 metres in javelin — a nearly six-metre improvement from his previous best of 26.89 metres, earning him the gold medal. He also took gold in hammer, weight, shot put and discus.

Devi Milligan, 44, earned gold in discus and shot put at Sub Zero on May 3.

weight throw and the throws pentathlon. At the Jack Brow Meet in June, Pettersen earned silver in hammer and bronze in javelin, shot put and discus. He joked that he was ranked No. 1 in Canada in weight throw for much of the summer, but only because he was the only one on the list.

The Prince George Track & Field Club masters athletes extended thanks to the Pettersens for gathering their family to volunteer during the Spruce Capital Meet. Their can-do attitude ensured the throws pentathlon was a huge success.

The club’s masters athletes would also like to thank the Prince George Track & Field Club for providing the opportunity to compete and excel, especially when many are able to achieve their goals right here at home.

Editor’s note

Reporter Christine Dalgleish is a member of the Prince George Track & Field Club.

took gold in the throws pentathlon. At the Jack Brow Meet, she won gold in hammer, discus, shot put and javelin. At the BC Masters Championships, she won gold in the throws pentathlon and all five individual throwing events. At the 55+ BC Games, she took gold in the throws pentathlon, hammer, discus, shot put and javelin, and silver in weight throw.

Brad Frenkel, 62, captured gold at Sub Zero in hammer, shot put, discus and javelin. He repeated that success at the Spruce Capital Meet, winning the throws pentathlon, hammer, shot put, discus, javelin and weight. At the Jack Brow Meet, he took gold in weight throw.

Bryce Gladdish, 41, took gold in the 1,500- and 3,000-metre races at the Gary Reed Indoor Meet in Kamloops in February, with times of 4:40.03 and 10:07.57 respectively. He followed up at the Spruce Capital Meet with gold in the 3,000 metres (10:03.85) on June 14. Gladdish also competed at the BC Outdoor Championships in Coquitlam in the 800 metres (2:13.48) and 1,500 metres (4:31.35).

Jacqueline Pettersen, 54, competed at the Spruce Capital Meet in Prince George, taking gold in hammer, shot put, discus, javelin, weight throw and the throws pentathlon. She also earned silver in javelin at the Jack Brow Meet in Kelowna.

Kevin Pettersen, 51 — who says he’s now hooked on throwing — competed at the Spruce Capital Meet and won gold in hammer, shot put, discus, javelin,

Dalgleish, 62, broke two BC records this year — the first with a “lightning strike” weight throw of 13.57 metres. The previous record of 12.28 metres had stood for 13 years. In the super weight — a 20-pound weight throw — she reached 8.36 metres. Dalgleish also set a personal best in hammer with a 31.45-metre throw, surpassing her previous mark by more than two metres.

Dalgleish is ranked No. 1 in Canada in weight throw and No. 2 in hammer. Her super weight throw ranks No. 5 in the world.

She won gold in shot put and weight throw at the BC Indoor Masters in Kamloops in March. At the Dylan Armstrong Classic in Kamloops on May 3, she earned gold in all five throwing events. Christine took silver at the Spruce Capital Meet in Prince George and earned seven golds and one silver at the Ultra Throw Festival in Langley on July 20 — including the throws triathlon and super weight throw. At the BC Masters in Coquitlam, she took silver in four events.

At the 55+ BC Games in Nanaimo, she brought home one gold, four silvers and one bronze.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Joan Harris, member of the Prince George Track & Field Club, throws the hammer during one of many practices held at Masich Place Stadium.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Tuomas Ukonmaanaho, 80, breaks the Canadian record for men 80-84 pole vault with a jump of 2.15 metres at the Spruce Capital Track and Field meet at Masich Place Stadium Saturday, June 14.

Life Events

Marie Richter (née Brose)

October 19, 1928 - September 27, 2025

Marie Richter, age 96, of Leduc, Alberta, passed away September 27, 2025, in Edmonton. She is lovingly remembered by her large family.

Honouring

Jean Yule (née. Crawford)

July 26, 1937 - September 19, 2025

Jean passed away peacefully on Friday Sept. 20, 2025, in hospice care. She was predeceased by her beloved husband , Grant. She leaves behind her children; (Grant) Wayne (Cyndie), Tim (Kelly), Heather Coville (Ken), Scott (Maggie) as well as her beloved grandchildren; Daniel, (Darcy), Kasandra Weibe (Blake), Alisha Sarrazin, Ashley Gauither (James), Darby (Vanessa), Christopher, Marcus Nagy (Katlin), Erin, seven great grandchildren: Scarlet, Axel, Layla, Zane, Quinn, Charlie, and Ella and sister Beth Unger.

Jean was full of energy and light through to her final days. Her devotion to her Christian faith, her husband Grant; and to her family was unwavering, guiding her actions and inspiring all that knew her. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of having Jean as part of their lives, especially her family.

Jean faced nearly a century of change with boundless courage, sharp wit, and resilience. Through it all, Jean met every challenge with grace, never losing her keen sense of humor - even in the face of such adversity. She lived through the Great Depression ,World War II, moving to France as a military wife with four small children, the Covid pandemic and caring for her husband through a difficult illness. Through all these trials her indomitable sprint and sense of humor always found a way to shine through.

She was an active participant in numerous Seniors Games (learning to run well into her 60’s) often proudly winning her events. She lead many Christian’s Women’s events throughout the years as well as Bible studies groups right up to her final days. Jean loved music, dancing and telling jokes often forgetting the punchline making the joke even funnier. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing her own clothing and that of her children. The Grandchildren sleepovers will be fondly remembered by all of the Grandchildren as they got to experience the playfulness and creative side of their Grandmother. They especially loved receiving text messages from her after she learned how to text well into her 90’s!

A celebration of Jean’s life is be to held at Gateway Church 2055 20 Ave. Prince George on Saturday Nov.8 at 10:00 am. ,where friends and family are welcome to honour her remarkable journey.

Ronald (Ron) Etches

September 26, 1940 - October 19, 2024

In our hearts forever until we meet again.

Pauline Cunningham

Born April 2, 1942 in Faust Alberta With broken hearts we announce the passing of Pauline Rose Cunningham on September 29, 2025 in Prince George, BC.

She leaves behind her loving husband Michael Cunningham, her children Shirley Hansen (Ted), Jennie Roberts (Shawn), Leona Esau, Leo (Michelle) Rob Prince (Sharon). Her grandchildren Charlotte, Amber, Christopher, David, John, Ashley, Kirk, Kale, Derek, Tearra, and Samantha.

Numerous great grandchildren and one great great grandson, numerous nieces and nephews. Sisters Audrey and Tina (Carlyle).

Pauline was predeceased by her parents Albert Gauthier and Elizabeth Paris, husband Leonard Prince. Siblings Germaine Cotterhill, Paul Gauthier, Viola Bourque, Alice Beauchamp, Beatrice Cunningham, Leonard Gauthier. Daughter Elizabeth Fisher and grandson Lenny Fisher.

Nickolaos Kokkonis

August 1, 1935 - October 3, 2025

PROOF

It is with heavy heart that we announce the passing of Nickolaos Kokkonis who departed this life on October 3rd 2025, at the age of 90. He is predeceased by his wife Evangelia Litsa Kokkonis. He is survived by his daughter Dimitra (Doug) son Christodoulos; grandsons; Alexandros and Nikolos; Sister Kalio as well as numerous nieces & nephews. Nickolaos was born at Samos Greece August 1st 1935. At the age 7 he worked in the fields with his father. At 15 years old he worked in his Dads olive oil & soap production plant. At age 19 he joined the Royal Greek Navy and worked a a medical aid. He emigrated from Greece to Prince George BC Canada in 1963, where he met his wife Litsa. They shared a joyous 50 years of marriage. He was dedicated and hard working. He worked at Prince George Regional hospital. He started his own Custodial business & cleaned many of the major hotels in Prince George. Coast Inn of the North, Simon Fraser Inn, & Yellowhead Inn. He also worked for Woodwards department store in Prince George. The family moved back to Greece for 6 years so kids can learn the traditions, and customs. He loved his Greek culture. He especially loved Litsa’s Greek cooking, and especially loved his family & grandsons. Funeral services will be held Monday October 20th at the Greek Orthodox Church 511 South Tabor at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Greek Orthodox Church Prince George.

In loving memory

Peter Dasilva

April 1962 - October 2024

The autumn winds may softly blow, A gentle hand, we miss you so.

Your spirit in the golden leaves, A warmth the heart remembers, grieves.

Though summer fades, and days are cold, Your loving story still is told.

In every rustling, falling hue, We find a peaceful thought of you.

Love always, Joyce Greatly missed by family & friends

Donna Lynn Julien

March 22, 1947 - September 26, 2025

Donna Lynn Julien passed away peacefully at Prince George Hospice with family by her side

Donna leaves behind her children, Gene Wallin (Pam), Rob Wallin (Angeline), David Julien (Cheryl), Niki van der Meer (Blair) and Cari Julien (Matteson). Grandchildren, Jodene Currie (Cori), Christina Kroeger (David), Brandon Wallin (Kanisha), Shaun Wallin, Alyssa Wallin (Kristian), Julian van der Meer (Rylee), Avery van der Meer and Xxavier & Zzaeden Wraith.

Great Grandchildren, Gabriel, Elijah, Grayson and Jaxon.

Siblings Bev, Terry and Larry.

Donna was predeceased by her husband Robert and parents, Clifford & Rose Trombley

Keeping it warm and simple in honouring Donna’s wishes, please join us for a hot dog roast in celebration October 25 at 1:00pm at 9805 Simpson Road (bring a lawn chair)

John Joseph Wolsey

Sept. 17 1936 - Sept. 17 2025

On his 89th. birthday on September 17th., surrounded by family, we said goodbye to John “Papa”. His smile, chuckle and the deadly dry wit, will be missed by all. A lover of kayaking, cross country skiing, cycling, curling, hiking and border collies.

John, son of Joe and Rose Wolsey, brother of Doris and loving husband of Beverley Wolsey. He is survived by his wife Bev, son Jason Wolsey and wife Shelley, and daughters Audrey Wolsey, Patti Wolsey and Kelly Rogers. he is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Including Olympic Champion Sydney. Predeceased by sons Jeff Wolsey and Bruce Rogers.

John first known as a loving husband, he was a previous resident of Prince George. he also had a fantastic career in the R.C.M.P and as Coroner. Supporting his community whenever possible. He had a love for the outdoors, and being the adventurous traveller, whether by plane, vehicle, kayak, bicycle or hiking, he has seen most of this wonderful world we live in. He loved the beach where he lived and was always proud to take care of his family, friends and neighbors alike. Thank you to the amazing staff at North Island Comox Valley hospital for going above and beyond during this emotional time.

John will be missed by so many.

A gathering will be held at the beach house Saturday October 18th 2025, 2-4 1764 Astra Rd. Comox, BC.

In lieu of flowers donations could be made to

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

• Power-Ladder Hoist Pro 200 - Honda engine

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• Extension Ladders - 1 20ft, 1 16ft, 2 14ft

• Ladder Hooks for steep roofs, 24ft Aluminum Plank

• Tools for roofing Shingles, Metal, Torch On, Shakes

• Fencing for Flat Roofs

• Roof Jacks for Steep Roofs &in & 12 in

• 2x6 Planks 2x10 Planks

• Propane Torches for Torch On Roofing

• Ass’t tools - Shovels, Brooms, Spudding Bars, Magnets for cleanup

• 1979 Ford F600 3 ton Dump Truck 16ft deck & sides

New tires & New Deck, All Steering & Brakes are Good

• Has 5 speed Main Transmission & 2 speed Auxiliary

• Fuel is Propane Only

• Good truck for hauling roofing & construction clean up

PUBLIC NOTICE FOREST OPERATIONS MAP REVIEW

PUBLIC NOTICE FOREST OPERATIONS MAP REVIEW

Carrier Lumber Ltd., invites the public to review its Forest Operations Maps (FOM ID: 1628) which provides George Timber Supply Area and administered from the Prince George Natural Resource District. The FOM(s) with the Forest and Range Practices Act and describe areas planned for Cutting Permit and Road Permit development years. The public may provide comments on the FOM(s) at any point during the review and comment period, ends August 9, 2024.

Carrier Lumber Ltd., invites the public to review its Forest Operations Maps (FOM ID: 2646) which provides development plans within the Prince George Timber Supply Area and administered from the Prince George Natural Resource District. The FOM(s) have been prepared in accordance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and describe areas planned for Cutting Permit and Road Permit development within the next three years. The public may provide comments on the FOM(s) at any point during the review and comment period, which starts October 16, 2025 and ends November 14, 2025.

The FOM(s) is accessible for public review and comment submissions online at the following website Forest Operations Map (gov.bc.ca) or https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects#publicNotices

Alternatively, in-person review and comment of FOM(s) can be completed, by appointment to ensure a Carrier will be available, at the following locations during regular office hours (8:30 am to 4:00 pm):

4722 Continental Way, Prince George BC V2N 5S5

FOM(s) comments may also be submitted by mail to the above address or by phone at (250) 563-9271 or

The FOM(s) is accessible for public review and comment submissions online at the following website address: Forest Operations Map (gov.bc.ca) or https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public projects#publicNotices

Alternatively, in-person review and comment of FOM(s) can be completed, by appointment to ensure a Carrier Lumber woodlands staff member will be available, at the following locations during regular office hours (8:30 am to 4:00 pm): 4722 Continental Way, Prince George BC V2N 5S5

FOM(s) comments may also be submitted by mail to the above address or by phone at (250) 563-9271 or by email at fom.pg@carrierlumber.ca

* On Oct. 27, 1873, Joseph Glidden, a farmer in DeKalb, Illinois, submitted an application to the U.S. Patent Office for his new design for a fencing wire with sharp barbs. His version, using two strands of wire twisted together, was an

• On Nov. 11, 1831, Nat Turner, an American slave and educated minister who believed that he’d been chosen by God to lead his people into freedom, was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia, for leading a revolt with 75 followers through Southampton County, killing about 60 white people.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Caution dominates the Sheep’s monetary aspect this week. Rams and Ewes might want to shear their big spending plans until a more favorable financial picture begins to emerge by week’s end.

improvement on the single-strand version created by Henry Rose and became the best-selling such wire in the country.

* On Oct. 28, 1787, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart worked all night to complete the overture of his opera “Don Giovanni,” which was scheduled to debut in Prague the next day. The orchestra had no time to rehearse, but sight-read it in the concert hall to a most

• On Nov. 12, 1969, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed the extent of the U.S. Army’s charges against 1st Lt. William L. Calley at My Lai, Vietnam, in a cable picked up by more than 30 newspapers, saying that “The Army says he [Calley] deliberately murdered at least 109 Vietnamese civilians during a searchand-destroy mission in March 1968, in a Viet Cong stronghold known as ‘Pinkville.’”

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Thrift counts both at home and at work. So, you might want to rethink major purchases or investments. Also, be wary of a so-called revelation about a previous business decision.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Both household budgets and workplace accounts might benefit from some judicious trimming of unnecessary expenses. Meanwhile, a business partnership could lead to an unexpected challenge.

• On Nov. 13, 1979, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaped over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine for a memorable slam dunk that shattered the fiberglass backboard. His equally memorable comment on the move, which was not his last and the sound of which spectators likened to a bomb going off: “It wasn’t really a safe thing to do, but it was a Darryl Dawkins thing to do.”

• On Nov. 14, 1882, outlaw Frank “Buckskin” Leslie shot and killed Billy “The Kid” Claiborne, who had publicly challenged him, in Tombstone, Arizona.

• On Nov. 15, 1984, Baby Fae, a month old infant who received the world’s first baboon heart transplant, died at California’s Loma Linda University 20 days after the operation. Three other people had received animal heart transplants, but none survived longer than a few days.

• On Nov. 16, 2001, British author J.K. Rowling’s most famous and beloved creation, the bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe in his first major role), made his silver-screen debut in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which went on to become one of the highestgrossing movies in history.

• On Nov. 17, 1903, the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party split into two factions: the majority Bolshe-

enthusiastic response from the crowd.

* On Oct. 29, 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh, an English adventurer, writer and favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth I, was beheaded in London under a sentence brought against him 15 years earlier for conspiracy against King James I.

* On Oct. 30, 1905, George Bernard Shaw’s play “Mrs. Warren’s

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A previously overlooked opportunity could reemerge with a new travelrelated matter. Check this out carefully to see if it’s what you really want before you decide one way or another.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) This could be the start of a new career-changing phase, so start marking down your many accomplishments for those who need to know how much you have to offer. Good luck!

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) It’s not too early for the sometimes procrastinating VIRGO to start making some long-distance travel plans. The sooner you decide where to go, when to go and how to go, the better.

Profession,” which dealt frankly with prostitution and had already been banned in Britain, was staged at New York’s Garrick Theater, but was closed by authorities after a single performance. The next day the producer and players were arrested for obscenity, but no one (including Shaw) was convicted. The play would not be legally performed in Britain for another 21 years.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Financial matters once again figure in any major action you might take regarding career, travel or other endeavors. You’ll want a ready reserve to help you back up your moves.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Trying to resolve a problem in a personal relationship could be more difficult than you’d expected. Look into the possibility that someone might be interfering for their own reasons.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A workplace project you once rejected might be more attractive because of changes that you feel you can now work with. The weekend is especially favorable to family matters.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) This is a good week for the gregarious Goat to enjoy being with the people you care for. You might even want to show off the creative kitchen skills you’re so adept at.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A colleague might think your attitude is patronizing, or even outright insulting. True, but this might be their problem. Still, you might want to take some reassuring steps anyway.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) It’s a good time to jettison old concepts about a family matter that you might have been holding on to. This will help make room for a new and more enlightened way of dealing with it.

Homes & Living

Winterizing your lawn equipment

For simple engine care

Empty the fuel tank or add a stabilizer: Run the mower until it’s empty, or add a stabilizer to the tank, run the engine for a few minutes to circulate it, and then top it off.

Change the oil: Replace the old oil with new oil before storing the mower.

For a deeper clean and maintenance

Clean the mower thoroughly: Remove all grass clippings from the deck and other parts.

Service the air filter: Inspect and replace the air filter if necessary.

Sharpen the blade: Ensure the blade is sharp and ready for next season.

Inspect the spark plug: Check the spark plug for wear and replace it

dream door starts here

if needed, as recommended in your owner’s manual.

Disconnect the battery: Remove the battery and store it in a cool, dry place to prevent it from freezing.

Lubricate: Lubricate any moving parts, like cables or joints, before storage.

Store the mower properly: Store the equipment in a dry, sheltered location to protect it from moisture and elements.

Winterizing your battery powered equipment

Remove and charge the battery: Take the battery inside to protect it from freezing temperatures and store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Fully charge it before storing and disconnect the charger.

Road Safety in the Fall: Navigating Frost and Early Darkness

As the vibrant colors of autumn arrive, so do new driving challenges. Fall is a transitional season marked by fluctuating temperatures, frosty mornings, wet leaves, and shorter days. These conditions can make roads slippery and visibility poor, increasing the risk of accidents. Taking a few extra precautions can help keep you and others safe on the road during this unpredictable time of year.

Watch for Frost and Slippery Surfaces

As nighttime temperatures dip, frost can form on roads, bridges, and overpasses—especially in the early morning. These areas freeze faster than regular pavement and may look just wet, not icy. Drivers should reduce speed, increase following distance, and avoid sudden braking or sharp turns. If your vehicle starts to skid, steer gently in the direction you want to

go and avoid overcorrecting. Be Cautious with Wet Leaves

Fallen leaves can be as slick as ice when wet. They also hide potholes, road markings, or other hazards. Drive slowly through leaf-covered roads and avoid hard braking or quick acceleration. Clearing leaves from your driveway and vehicle can also prevent slipping and improve safety.

Adjust for Reduced Daylight

As fall progresses, daylight fades earlier, and evening commutes often happen in darkness. Reduced visibility can make it harder to spot pedestrians, cyclists, and wildlife. Make sure your headlights, brake lights, and turn signals are clean and working properly. Consider turning on headlights at dusk and dawn— even before it’s fully dark—to improve visibility.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Fall is a good time to check your tires, brakes, and windshield wipers. Ensure your tires have enough tread for traction on frosty or wet roads. Keep your windshield and mirrors clean, and top up with washer fluid designed for cooler temperatures.

Stay Alert and Plan Ahead

Foggy mornings and sudden weather changes are common in autumn. Leave extra time for travel, stay alert, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. As animals become more active during fall, especially deer, be extra cautious near wooded areas and rural roads.

Driving in fall requires awareness and adaptation. By slowing down, watching for frost and wet leaves, and adjusting to darker evenings, you can help ensure a safer journey for yourself and everyone sharing the road.

Fall Is Perfect for Hiking and Taking Photos

Autumn is one of the most breathtaking times of the year to explore the outdoors. As temperatures cool and the landscape bursts into vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold, fall offers the ideal backdrop for hiking and photography. Whether you’re venturing deep into the wilderness or strolling along a local trail, the season invites you to slow down, breathe the crisp air, and capture nature’s fleeting beauty.

Perfect Weather for Outdoor Adventures

Fall hiking conditions are some of the most comfortable of the year. The intense heat of summer has faded, replaced by cool, refreshing

air that makes long treks more enjoyable. Trails are often quieter, too, as the busy summer crowds have dispersed. This peaceful atmosphere allows hikers to fully immerse themselves in nature, appreciating the crunch of leaves underfoot and the earthy scent of the forest.

A Photographer’s Dream Season

For photographers, both amateur and professional, fall provides endless opportunities. The soft, golden sunlight of autumn creates warm tones and natural contrast that make colors pop on camera. Early morning and late afternoon— known as the “golden hours”—are particularly magical times to

shoot. Whether you’re framing a mountain ridge blanketed in fiery foliage, a reflection on a calm lake, or close-up shots of fallen leaves, every scene feels picture-perfect.

Tips for Enjoying Fall Hikes and Photos

When hiking in fall, dress in layers to adjust to changing temperatures. Trails can be slippery with fallen leaves or morning frost, so wear sturdy, supportive footwear. Always bring a small backpack with water, snacks, and a fully charged phone or camera. If you’re out taking photos, remember to pause and enjoy the view with your eyes—not just through a lens.

Preserve the Beauty

While it’s tempting to collect colorful leaves or venture off-trail for the perfect photo, be mindful of your surroundings. Stay on marked paths and respect wildlife. Leave nature as you found it so others can experience the same beauty. Fall truly is the perfect season for hiking and photography. The mix of cool air, vibrant colors, and peaceful trails makes it a time to connect with nature and capture moments that define the season. So grab your camera, lace up your boots, and head outdoors—the best views of the year await.