Prince George Free Press - January 31, 2014 by Prince George Free Press

FRIDAYJANUARY 31

PARKING: City council works the angles downtown

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IT’S A SNAP

Bill BAILEY/Special to the Free Press Miss Quincy and the Showdown perform a set during the opening weekend of Cold Snap. Events continue this week.

Schools adjust for 2015 Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com A decision made almost four years ago will have an impact on next year’s school calendar in School District 57. On Feb. 23, 2010, trustees approved the scheduling of spring break in the 2014-15 year to coincide with the Canada Winter Games. That means the spring break next year will be from Feb. 16 to 27, and while everyone agrees that isn’t a great set up, DPAC president Sarah Holland says there don’t appear to be any better alternatives. “Any solution the committee looked at

seemed to be worse,” she said after the current trustees voted to have the calendar adopted at the Feb. 25 meeting. “It’s difficult having spring break that early,” Holland says. “The secondary schools will have three days of their second term before the break, and I’m sure teachers are unclear what they’re going to be able to in that short time.” One element which complicated things was the adoption last year by the provincial government of the new Family Day in February. Next year, the holiday falls on Feb. 10, one week before the spring break here. “The district has the option of moving things around still,” Holland said, “but one thing we did ask is that they not change Family Day.

“It’s nice to have a day when you can just be with your family.” The proposed calendar, as required by provincial regulations, is now available for pubic input before the next board meeting on Feb. 25. The board has until March 31 to submit an approved calendar, meaning if there are any changes made at the Feb. 25 meeting, another month of public consultation would be required, and a special meeting would need to be held in late March to approve the calendar. Holland said one thing became clear during meetings of the partner groups on the proposed calendar. “There will be educational challenges, but I’m confident staff and teachers will meet those challenges.”

Iverson named new fire chief After several months as ‘acting’ fire chief, John Iverson is now the city’s new fire chief. The position has been open since last summer when John Lane unexpectedly stepped down. The city conducted a national search for a new chief but, in the end, promoted from within. Iverson joined the city as a firefighter in April 1987, and was promoted to the rank of captain in July 2009. During his career, Iverson had considerable involvement with the IAFF Local 1372 and the Professional Firefighters Association, and held various positions for nearly 20 years. He was promoted to the management ranks as the deputy chief of operations, in March 2011, and has served as the acting fire chief since August 2013.

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Tuition and fee hikes approved at College of New Caledonia The College of New Caledonia’s Board of Governors voted Friday in favour of raising tuition and mandatory fees by up to two per cent this fall. The move is predicted to generate about $100,000, depending on enrolment. “It will help a little bit, but frankly it’s a drop in the bucket as we look to cut another $1.2 million from our budget once again this year,” said CNC interim president Bryn Kulmatycki, in a press release. “We’ve had to cut

millions from our budget for several years now and it has become very difficult to do.” The college is working to resolve a predicted $1.2 million budget shortfall for the 2014/15 fiscal year, due to rising costs and overall funding, which has been stagnant. “We will continue to look for cost savings with our usual measures, such as reducing expenditures, reallocating unused budgets, as well as early retirement incentives

and voluntary severance packages,” Kulmatycki said. “But we have been doing that for years and it likely won’t be enough anymore, which means we will likely have to look at further efficiencies and reductions.” Colleges are required by provincial legislation to plan for a balanced budget every year, which means changes to the budget are necessary in order to deal with the projected shortfall. Final 2014/15 operating budget approval will occur at the board meeting April 25.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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Baron does his job Police service dog finds missing woman

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A woman who got lost near Ginter’s Field was found in the wee hours Tuesday by Baron, a police service dog. Police received a call at about 11:40 p.m. Monday night that a woman, sufHave you delivered a baby fering from medical conditions and in need of urgent medical care, was missing. in the last 3 months? She had left her residence near Ospika Or know someone who is pregnant? Boulevard and Massey Drive and had not returned. Call: Leandra Hooker-Armstrong Officers enlisted the assistance of 1-866-856-8442 Baron and his handler. At approximately welcomewagonpg@hotmail.com 1 a.m., Baron successfully tracked the missing woman to a wooded area 20 metres from a trail in Ginter’s Field. She Welcome Wagon has had collapsed, was barely conscious and information and gifts to present unable to speak or walk. on these occasions. Officers carried the woman out of Visits are done by appointment the trail to waiting paramedics. She was transported by the BC Ambulance Northern Region & Surrounding Area Service to the University Hospital of Call: 1.866.856.8442 Northern BC for treatment. www.welcomewagon.ca In addition to her on-going medical condition, it was learned that she was severely hypothermic at the time she was found. “The dedication of our officers, including Baron, is second to none,” said Inspector Brad Anderson, the officer in charge of Operations for the Prince George 2010 LTD. RCMP, in a Where Wh h quality makes the difference press release. “I am very Parkhill Centre 556 NORTH NECHAKO RD. proud of the PH 250.563.1002 or FX 250.563.1535 work they do every day to help members Photo courtesy RCMP of this comPolice service dog Baron helped find a woman who had gone missing from her munity.” home late Monday night.

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Class-size ruling impacts locally DPAC president says province must increase district funding Allan Wishart and Tom Fletcher Sarah Holland is wondering what the immediate impact of a B.C. Supreme Court ruling which rejected provincial legislation restricting teacher bargaining will be. “Kindergarten registration is starting soon,” said the president of the School District 57 District Parent Advisory Council. “The ruling affects the class-size restrictions, so it could be interesting.” The B.C. government is considering an appeal of the ruling that rejects legislation restricting teacher bargaining and assesses a penalty of $2 million plus court costs. “It doesn’t reflect government’s view of the case and the facts in the case,” Premier Christy Clark told a Kamloops radio station Tuesday. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said he is “disappointed” by the ruling, and ministry staff will study it before deciding on a possible appeal. Fassbender said he disagrees with the judge’s conclusion that the government tried to provoke a strike by reintroducing provisions that had been struck down by the same judge. “What we need to do is to review the judge’s ruling in detail to see what the implications are, but clearly my message to school districts, to parents, is it’s business as usual in our schools,” Fassbender said. Holland said the ruling could have a major effect on local schools. “Some schools are already capped for

kindergarten under the legislation, so what happens there? What does this do for Grades 1 to 3 classes that were at the cap?” The B.C. Supreme Court ruling rejected the provincial government’s effort to keep class size and special needs support off the bargaining table with teachers, and ordered the government to pay $2 million in damages to the B.C. Teachers’ Federation. In a ruling released Monday, Justice Susan Griffin said the B.C. government’s replacement legislation, passed in 2011, is as unconstitutional as the 2002 law called Bill 28 that removed class size and special needs support from union working conditions. “The court concluded that the government did not negotiate in good faith with the union after the Bill 28 decision,” Griffin wrote. “One of the problems was that the government representatives were preoccupied with another strategy. Their strategy was to put such pressure on the union that it would provoke a strike by the union. The government representatives thought this would give government the opportunity to gain political support for imposing legislation on the union.” The ruling strikes down the portions of the new legislation that have not already expired. BCTF president Jim Iker said the ruling returns contract language that was in place in 2002, and he expects that the province’s 60 school districts will have to rehire teachers and special needs assistants to reduce class size. He said there were 1,200 education

specialists affected by the 2002 legislation, including teacher-librarians and counsellors. “It’s good for us, it’s good for public education, it’s good for British Columbia and for our students,” Iker said of Monday’s ruling. NDP education critic Rob Fleming called the ruling “real blow to the B.C. Liberals’ credibility,” adding it traces back to

Premier Christy Clark’s time as education minister in 2002. Holland said one thing is clear after the Supreme Court ruling. “The provincial government has to come through with more money for districts on this. The districts are going to be facing higher costs if they have to hire more teachers, and the government has to provide the money for that.”

The Big Green Monster

Submitted Photo Godzilla attacks, Godzilla attacks ... or so it would seem looking at this creation by Jay Dupras for the Snow Daze Snowman Building contest.

Council approves downtown angle parking plan, but no funding set aside Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com Council is looking for a new angle downtown. And it could cost about $6.3 million. Council is looking at changing Second, Fifth, and Seventh avenues to angle parking. The work would involve retaining the existing concrete sidewalk and the complete removal of the existing filler strip, curb and gutter, wheelchair ramps, roadway and sub-base within a proposed bulb out. The new bulb-out will be constructed with erect curb and gutter with wheelchair ramps. The surface of each bulb out would be constructed with interlocking con-

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crete pavers. Crosswalks, traffic signs, and catch basins will be relocated specific to each intersection. Additional construction activities may include fire hydrant relocation, streetlight installation, planter construction, and traffic signal upgrades. Bulb-outs provide a defined separation between the travelled roadway, parking, and pedestrians. The change would create another 220 parking stalls downtown, according to Bill Gaal, the city’s superintendent of operations. Coun. Cameron Stolz equated the move to building a new parkade downtown. Involving the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Improvement Area in discussions about the project was on Coun. Lyn Hall’s mind.

“It’s important to have these folks voice their opinion,” Hall said. The two business groups were instrumental last year in convincing council to abandon plans to bring pay parking back to the downtown. Council unanimously endorsed the $6.3 million proposal, staying away from an $8 million option, which would see full-constructed bulb-outs, and a $1 million option, which would see painted bulb-outs. The approval, however, doesn’t mean the project will proceed just yet. The project will move to the city’s list of ‘unfunded’ capital projects and be considered at budget time. The project will be a follow-up to changing Fourth and Second avenues to two-way streets this summer. The cost of that project is just under $4 million.

By Kevin Loring FEBRUARY 13 MARCH MARCH 5 “A genuinely great piece of theatre about our nation’s dark secret” - Vancouver Sun

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Assaults lead to jail time presents… Winner of 11 International Awards

Community Alert WA N T E D C Crime Stoppers is asking the ppublic’s assistance in locating the ffollowing person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As oof 0915hrs this 29th day of January 22014, Kalen William Joel JOSEPH ((B: 1993-08-22) is wanted on a Kalen William Joel British Columbia wide warrant for JOSEPH THEFT UNDER $5000. JOSEPH is 183 cm or 6’0” described as a First Nations male, 73 kg or 161 lbs. 183 cm or 6’0” tall and weighs 73 kg or 161 lbs. JOSEPH has black hair and brown eyes.

WA N T E D Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the following person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0915hrs this 29th day of January 2014, Charles Joseph COLVILLE (B: 1984-08-10) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for Charles Joseph ROBBERY, EXTORTION, and 3 other charges. COLVILLE is described COLVILLE as a Caucasian male, 193 cm or 193 cm or 6’4” 6’4” tall and weighs 86kg or 190 86 kg or 190 lbs. lbs. COLVILLE has blonde hair and blue eyes. COLVILLE should be considered violent.

WA N T E D Crime Stoppers is asking the public’s assistance in locating the ffollowing person who is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant. As of 0915hrs this 29th day of January 2014, David Warren GIRROIR (B: 1974-07-22) is wanted on a British Columbia wide warrant for ASSAULT David Warren and 4 other charges. GIRROIR is GIRROIR described as a First Nations male, 157 cm or 5’2” 157 cm or 5’2” tall and weighs 58 58 kg or 128 lbs kg or 128 lbs. GIRROIR has brown hair and brown eyes. GIRROIR should be considered violent.

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In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 7: Carmelita L. Abraham was found guilty of possession of stolen property with a value greater than $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime and breach of a recognizance, sentenced to 13 days in jail and placed on probation for nine months. Nicholas R. Basil was found guilty of two counts of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, sentenced to 16 days in jail, placed on probation for nine months and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Earl J. Patrick was found guilty of assault, sentenced to 18 days in jail and placed on probation one year. Patrick was also found guilty of a second count of assault and two counts of failing to comply with an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to 18 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Robert D. Prince was found guilty of assault with a weapon and sentenced to 16 days in jail. Patrick was also found guilty of failing to comply with an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Prince was also found guilty of two counts of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking and sentenced to

Appreciation Awards

Allan WISHART/Free Press RCMP Supt. Eric Stubbs, left, Assistant Fire Chief John Heaslip, and Supt. Craig Parnell of the BC Ambulance Service receive appreciation awards from Hussan Kutbi and Ahmed Alhari of the Saudi Arabian Students Association of Prince George. The association made the presentation in recognition of the work the forces do to provide safety for the city.

one day in jail. Quintin S. Teegee was found guilty of two counts of failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to eight days in jail. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 8: Delbert W. Joseph was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000 and failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to 60 days in jail. Rebecca A. Egnell was found guilty of operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol reading over .08, fined $1,000, assessed a victim surcharge of 300 and prohibited from driving for one year. Egnell was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, fined $1 and assessed a victim surcharge of 30 cents. Jade T.J. Gray was found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking and placed on probation for six months. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 12: Cody J. Davis was found guilty of failing to provide a breath sample when ordered to do so, sentenced to 60 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Davis was also found guilty of operating a motor vehicle while prohibited, sentenced to 14 days in ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING jail, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and Monday, February 17 prohibited from driving for two years. Sophia L. Desrochers YMCA Highland Family was found guilty of Development Centre assault and assaulting a peace officer and sen155 McDermid Drive tenced to one day in jail. Time: 7pm Kristy A. Giroux was found guilty of operat-

ing a motor vehicle while impaired, fined $1,000 and prohibited from driving for one year. Candida E.D. Reid was found guilty of driving while prohibited, fined $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $75 and prohibited from driving for one year. Ivan C. Skin was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to 14 days in jail. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 13: Charlena R.L. Abou was found guilty of assaulting a peace officer, sentenced to 45 days in jail, placed on probation for six months, assessed a victim surcharge of $50 and prohibited from possessing firearms for two years. Abou was also found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to 30 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Carmelita L. Abraham was found guilty of breach of recognizance, sentenced to one day in jail and placed on probation for six months. Patrick R. Baker was found guilty of driving while prohibited, fined $2,000 and assessed a victim surcharge of $600. Brandy C.K. Benson was found guilty of breach of recognizance, sentenced to one day in jail, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Brent Brekkass was found guilty of false pretense or false statement, received a conditional sentence of four months, was placed on probation for 12 months and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $3,752. Jeremy L. Lowley was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance and two counts of failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to one day in jail. Lowley was also found guilty of a second count of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance and a third count of failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to one day in jail and placed on probation for two years. Corey R.D. McMullen was found guilty of driving with a suspended licence, fined With over 30 years of experience, I can help you preserve your freedom, reputation and livelihood. $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $75 and For an appointment call 564-4454 prohibited from driving 980 Fourth Avenue, Prince George • aartsenlaw.com for one year.

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Doctors get feel-good stories Website aims to attract physicians for the lifestyle It may not be a critical shortage, but Northern Health is looking to fill 66 physician positions across the North. To hopefully help in that

recruitment process, it has launched a new interactive physician recruitment website that showcases physicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional lives, and enjoying their

time-off in northern B.C. The website is unique as it creates a space for physicians to tell their stories to physicians interested in living and working in northern

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B.C. The website can be found at physicians.northernhealth.ca. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This new website is a unique and innovative method of recruiting physicians to rural and remote areas of the province,â&#x20AC;? said Health Minister Terry Lake in a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The personal stories from doctors in northern B.C. will help capture the benefits of living in the North for those who are thinking of relocating to this area of British Columbia.â&#x20AC;? The interactive website includes video testimonials from physicians engaging in activities they enjoy, and in their place of work. The two current physicians featured on the site are Dr. Charles Helm from Tumbler Ridge, and Dr. Quinton Du Preez from Fort St. John. Testimonials from physicians in other communities in the Northern Interior, Northwest, and Northeast will be added in the near future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re glad to have a close partnership with our physicians in northern B.C. and that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to be advocates for their communities,â&#x20AC;? said Dr. Ronald Chapman, Vice President of Medicine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new website will help physicians to tell their stories and encourage others with similar interests to join them in northern B.C.â&#x20AC;? In Dr. Du Preezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video testimonial, he talks about the joys of raising a family in Fort St. John, and the

friendships he has built with other physicians in the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a place to practice, it is not just about finding a suitable place to work. Instead it is about finding a community that embraces your family and offers a range of opportunities for both professional and personal development,â&#x20AC;? said Du Preez, a member of the North Peace Division of Family Practice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fort St. John has done that for us, and I wanted to share that message with other physicians thinking about relocating to northern B.C.â&#x20AC;? The website also highlights some of the incentives for physicians to move to the North such as a one-time cash bonus of $15,000 for doctors moving to Prince George and $20,000 for relocating elsewhere in the North, up $15,000 in moving expenses covered, and a one-time payment of $100,000 for doctors who commit to working three years in a designated rural community. Northern Health in partnership with current physicians and local communities was successful in recruiting more than 50 physicians and specialists to the region in 2013. Other recruitment activities include arranging site visits, attending medical fairs to showcase northern B.C., and working closely with the Northern Medical Program.

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Prince George Public Library teen librarian Michael Cruikshank reads Look at Me to an attentive group during Munschmania on Saturday. The library had hundreds of youngsters in for the event, featuring the works of Canadian author Robert Munsch combined with face-painting, noisemaker-making and other activities.

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Former school to become water-bottling facility A zoning amendment to turn the former McLeod Lake Elementary School into a water bottling facility received third reading by the Fraser-Fort George Regional District board last week. A public hearing was conducted at the board meeting, and following the close of the hearing the board approved third reading to amend the Official

Community Plan and zoning bylaw designations on the site from public/institutional use to light industrial/manufacturing use to allow a water bottling facility. The application was put forward by Soul Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aqua Water Corporation. Financial Officer Appointed The board has appointed Natalie Wehner as general man-

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ager of finance and an officer for the Regional District of FraserFort George. Wehner was previously with the City of Campbell River and has 15 years of local government financial management experience. She is a certified management accountant and has fulfilled the statutory role of chief financial officer for four municipalities.

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The rush to get going on liquefied natural gas has seemingly gone right past the Wet’suwet’en First Nation … through which pipelines will surely run. And they are not happy. In August the Wet’suwet’en sent a letter to Premier Christy Clark requesting a meeting so Crown consultation on the new LNG export industry could begin. According to Wet’suwet’en Chief Karen Ogen, they are still waiting for a meeting. “Time is running out,” said Ogen. “If Wet’suwet’en is to participate meaningfully in the LNG industry choices and plans for our aboriginal title lands, the BC government must provide us with the necessary

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information to begin Crown Consultation on the new LNG industry. Taking First Nations support for granted and treating consultation with Wet’suwet’en First Nation as an inconvenient after thought is not consultation in good faith.” The Wet’suwet’en have given the province until Friday to provide information to the band or it will “pursue the steps necessary to ensure that the province fulfills its constitutional obligations.” Clark, who was in full LNG promotion mode in Prince George last week at the Premier’s B.C. Natural Resources Forum, said the Wet’suwet’en are just one of many First Nations groups the province is seeking to consult with. “We have been deeply engaged with aboriginal communities across the province,” Clark said. “There’s a lot of them. Different communities see different levels of consultation. Effectively, we’re meeting with all of them.” While Clark hasn’t sat down with the Wet’suwet’en personally, she said Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Rustad has. “We still have more work to do though,” Clark said. “I think that was reflected in the letter. First Nations have waited far too long to be a part of our economy and we want to make sure they are included and benefiting from economic development.” While not saying she would meet with the Wet’suwet’en,

Bill PHILLIPS/Free Press Premier Christy Clark meets reporters during the Premier’s B.C. Natural Resources Forum in Prince George last week.

Clark said she wants to meet with as many First Nations communities as she can. Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said that Clark is playing lip service to the Wet’suwet’en. “That seems to be the deficit of this premier who wants to do the photo-ops but doesn’t want to do the hard work of actually negotiating with people who matter,” Cullen said. Ogen said that while the Wet’suwet’en are waiting for meaningful Crown consultation, the province has been meeting with LNG industry “behind closed doors” and expects taxation, royalty and

regulatory legislation will be unveiled in the spring sitting of the legislature. “Wet’suwet’en people have taken our case to the Supreme Court of Canada in the landmark Delgamuukw case where the Court held that aboriginal title has an ‘inescapable economic component’ and that choices about the use to which our aboriginal title lands will be put are the right of our community to make,” said Ogen, “By proceeding unilaterally to develop a new industry on the backbone of our territory, the province is running roughshod over those constitutional guarantees.”

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CNC is hosting the first annual DigiTalks North B2B (business to business) event on Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1. The event is intended to connect small and medium sized businesses with firms that specialize in the development and maintenance of productivity-enhancing digital technologies. There will be a tradeshow set up in the CNC Gathering Place (Atrium) starting Friday morning at 9 a.m. There will also be informative presentations on both days designed to inspire and educate. “The goal is to generate new business, new contacts as well as more interest in digital technology and a growing level of productivity for northern businesses to

enable them to compete regionally, nationally and globally,” said organizer Zelda Craig, in a press release. Two keynote speakers are scheduled for Friday and Saturday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. in Room 1-306. Friday’s keynote speaker, Tom Bechtel from Value Stream Solutions, will talk about the importance of Enterprise Resource Planning, and how it can support Lean thinking and quality initiatives in small, medium and large enterprises. Attendees will learn common-sense planning techniques and tools that can be done on paper, spreadsheets or with some of many price-friendly software solutions. Saturday’s speaker, Steve Dotto, has been host and executive producer of Dotto Tech, a nationally syndicated TV show, for more than 15 years. Lunches Dotto will talk about under $10 “Taking Control of Vegan & Gluten Free Your Tech” to ensure Fridays & 5-8 p.m. Options companies don’t become Saturdays Dine In or Take Out slaves to technology and understand what Bring this ad and receive a technology they actually with your order. need. Registration is required to sign up for the Hours: keynote speakers. Visit Tues.-Thurs. the Speaker Schedule 11 am-7 pm to register at www. Fri.-Sat. 1085 Vancouver St., Prince George digitalksnorth.ca/event11 am-8 pm 250-596-4800 • www.zaffroncuisine.ca schedule/

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Coldsnap Chops

their fight for help to Ottawa Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com Bruce Moncour is a veteran who served in Afghanistan. He was severely injured there … accidentally strafed by an American A-10 Warthog. The injury, a penetrating wound to the head, resulted in doctors removing five per cent of his brain. He was in Ottawa this week, along with other veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, calling on Ottawa to reverse the planned closure of Veterans’ Affairs offices across the country. “We’re calling on the government to halt the policy of ‘delay, deny, die,’” he said from Ottawa Tuesday morning. Joining him were a handful of veterans from across the country, including Les Dammann, a former Canadian Ranger who lives in the Prince George area. “Since the Prince George office closed there has been a tremendous strain on veterans,” he said. “Veterans aren’t getting the services and benefits they are entitled to. What message does that send to our veterans?” They were among a delegation of veterans and Public Service Alliance members who were expecting to meet with Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino Tuesday evening. Fantino reportedly arrived late for the meeting and then dismissed the veterans, without discussing the issue. He has since apologized for how he treated the veterans. The Prince George office was closed in January 2012, resulting in the loss of two client service agents. The office had two case managers in 2007, but when they left they were not replaced. Veterans are now serviced out of Service Canada offices. Veterans say the Veterans’ Affairs offices were geared towards veterans, and that Service Canada offices often deter veterans because they lack private consultation areas needed for veterans who may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or other injuries. They say it is a reduction in service. Prince George-Peace River MP Bob Zimmer doesn’t agree. “To say that Canada’s veterans will receive diminished service because of the VAC closure is simply not true, as the same services are available at the Service Canada desk,” he said in a letter to the Prince George Free Press. “In Prince George the Service Canada desk is located in the same building as the old Veterans Affairs office.” Zimmer said help will be available at every

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one of Service Canada’s 600 locations across the country, a dramatic increase from the 33 Veterans Affairs Canada offices located only in urban centres. Each Service Canada location will have staff trained by Veterans Affairs Canada to help people with their benefit applications, answer questions, and assist them in accessing other services, Zimmer said. Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris said in December he knew about the Veterans Affairs offices being closed across the country, but wants people to wait and see what the results will be. “They’re trying different ways to deliver help to the veterans in whatever way they can. This is probably the biggest transformation Veterans Affairs has undergone.”

Bill BAILEY/Special to the Free Press The Axe Murderer half of The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer shows his skills during their show as part of the Coldsnap Music Festival.

YOUR CITY MATTERS JANUARY 31, 2014

to give their time to ensure their community is a better place to live, work and play. Council Commissions provide residents of our community the opportunity to participate on the development of our municipality. At this time the City Manager’s Ofﬁce is accepting applications for Membership on the Prince George Heritage Commission. The Commission meets monthly, does research and provides information and recommendations to Council and City Staff.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING Regular Council Meeting Monday, February 3, 2014 – Council Chambers – 6:00 p.m.

COUNCIL, COUNCIL COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND BOARDS MEETINGS Standing Committee on Finance and Audit Wednesday, February 3, 2014 – 2nd Floor Conference Room – 12:00 p.m. Advisory Committee on Development Design Wednesday, February 5, 2014 – 2nd Floor Conference Room – 12:00 p.m. Select Committee on Prince George’s 100th Anniversary Thursday, February 6, 2014 – Annex – 12:00 p.m.

COUNCIL COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES MEMBERSHIP Prince George Heritage Commission Apply for the Prince George Heritage Commission!

Applications are available on the City’s web site www.princegeorge.ca/cityhall/committees/, or may be picked up at City Hall, 1100 Patricia Boulevard. For further information or to have an application form mailed to you, please call 250.561.7602. Applications or resumes received by the City Manager’s Ofﬁce, Director of Legislative Services by the February 7, 2014 deadline will be considered by City Council at its Closed Meeting of February 24, 2014. **Applications in their entirety, will be included in a Regular Council Meeting Agenda, and forwarded to Council for consideration. Those Agendas may become public and the City of Prince George will use personal information collected for the purposes of committee appointments and committee member listings.**

PROCLAMATIONS • January 2014 is proclaimed “Alzheimer Awareness Month”

Deadline for Applications: 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 7, 2014 Prince George is a City full of volunteers willing

• January 24 – February 1, 2014 is proclaimed “Coldsnap Music Festival Week”

2014 DOG LICENSES 2014 DOG LICENSES ARE NOW ON SALE. If the dog is sterilized the license is $33 and if the dog is not sterilized the cost is $75. Dog tags can be purchased online at www.princegeorge.ca, by mail, by telephone 250-561-7600, Service Centre at City Hall, BC SPCA, Bosley’s Pet Food Plus, The Bone & Biscuit, Day N’ Night Store (Hart Hwy), Dog Gone Bakery, Ospika Pet & Farm Supplies, Petland, and Total Pet. Licensing your dog is a key factor in responsible pet ownership. A current valid dog license allows for quick identiﬁcation if your dog is found at large or impounded.

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS Blackburn Community Association The Blackburn Community Association currently has spaces in their Preschool and Out-of-School Care programs! The Blackburn Li’l Rascals Preschool and Out-of-School Care licenced programs are open Monday through Friday. The program is located at 2455 Blackburn Road (basement of RJ Blackburn House). Please contact Amanda Conway at 250-9636871 for more information about how to enrol your child for 2014! Beaverly West Leisure Society Beaverly West Leisure Society is looking to hire After School Care Leaders and a Pre-School Teacher. For more information please email beaverlywest@gmail.com or see the full job postings in Kijiji Prince George under jobs/daycare.

Experience not necessary, but may be considered an asset for speciﬁc positions. Drop off or forward your resume to: reception@princegeorgetoyota.ca

1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 Tel. (250) 561-7600 • Fax (250) 612-5605 www.princegeorge.ca • ServiceCentre@city.pg.bc.ca

Friday, January 31, 2014

Prince George - NEWS - Free Press

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Prince George - NEWS - Free Press

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Mischief charges result in jail, probation In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 13: Steven E. Scott was found guilty of hunting at a time not within the open season, fined $1,200 and assessed a victim surcharge of $360. Bobby T. Smith was found guilty of driving while prohibited, fined $150, assessed a victim surcharge of $150 and prohibited from driving for one year. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 14: Derek K. Green was found guilty of breach of recognizance, sentenced to eight days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Ursula F. Monk was found guilty of assault with a weapon, sentenced to 20 days in jail, placed on probation for one year, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and prohibited from possessing firearms for five years. Monk was also found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order and failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to 14 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Crystal D. Whittell was found guilty of assault with a weapon and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, sentenced to one day in jail, placed on probation for nine months and prohibited from driving for one year. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 15: Sean K.D. Broadley was found guilty of operating a motor vehicle while impaired, fined $1,000, assessed a victim surcharge of $300 and prohibited from driving for 18 months. Broadley was also found guilty of driving while prohibited, fined $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $150 and prohibited from driving for 18 months. Broadley was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to 12 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Timothy V.A. Gagnon was found guilty of failing to comply with a probation order and sentenced to one day in jail. Walter P. Hall was found guilty of mischief and failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to one day in jail, placed on probation for six months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Zackary W.E. Isaac was found guilty of causing a disturbance and failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, sentenced to 12 days in jail and placed on probation for one year. Steven D. McMaster was found guilty of driving with a suspended licence, fined $500, assessed a victim surcharge of $150 and prohibited from driving for one year. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 18: Jason J. Peters was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Evan D. Potskin was found guilty of mischief, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. Terence B. Swanson was found guilty of mischief

and placed on probation for 12 months. Tracey L. Zuzek was found guilty of failing to produce a breath sample when ordered to do so, fined $1,000, assessed a victim surcharge of $100 and prohibited from driving for one year. Zuzek was also found guilty of assaulting a peace officer, received a conditional sentence of three months, was placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Julia S.M. Christiansen was found guilty of causing a disturbance, sentenced to one day in jail, placed on probation for 89 days and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 19: Fraser E. Gerrard was found guilty of uttering threats and mischief, sentenced to 30 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Jeremy M. Grant was found guilty of driving without due care and attention, fined $1,000 and assessed a victim surcharge of $150. Walter P. Hall was found guilty of mischief, sentenced to 30 days in jail, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $200. Hall was also found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to four days in jail, placed on probation for 12 months and assessed a victim surcharge of $200. John F. Reikort was found guilty of mischief, placed on probation for nine months and assessed a victim surcharge of $50. In Provincial Court in Prince George on Nov. 25: Sahvana R. Baraniuk was found guilty of failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking or recognizance, sentenced to one day in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. James N. Grey was found guilty of theft of property with a value less than $5,000 and failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking, sentenced to five days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Cole S. Martin was found guilty of two counts of theft of property with a value less than $5,000, sentenced to 30 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100. Martin was also found guilty of a third count of theft of property with a value less than $5,000 and failing to comply with a probation order, sentenced to 40 days in jail and assessed a victim surcharge of $100.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Francophone Lunch

Allan WISHART/Free Press Volunteers from Le Cercle des Canadiens Francais de Prince George served up lunch to local seniors Tuesday at Lakewood Alliance Church as part of the Francophone Winter Festival. The lunch also included entertainment from students at Ecole Lac des Bois.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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Submitted Photo Ron Brent Elementary School students Aiyana, Ethan, and Dallas put the finishing touches on Olaf, from the movie Frozen – their entry in the Snow Daze Snowman Building Contest.

Consumer Protection for Homebuyers Buying or building your own home? Find out about your rights, obligations and information that can help you make a more informed purchasing decision. Visit the B.C. government’s Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) website for free consumer information.

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New Homes Registry Keeps Homebuyers Informed This helpful, easy-to-use, online resource is available from the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) website at www.hpo.bc.ca. Savvy homebuyers are using it to make more informed purchasing decisions. The New Homes Registry provides free access to find out if a home has a policy of home warranty insurance and is built by a Licensed Residential Builder, or whether it’s built without home warranty insurance. Homebuyers can obtain valuable information such as the name and contact number of the warranty provider, the builder’s warranty number and whether an owner-built home can be legally offered for sale. Every new home built for sale by a Licensed Residential Builder in British Columbia is protected by mandatory third-party home warranty insurance. Better known as 2-5-10 home warranty insurance, this coverage includes: two years on labour and materials, five years on the building envelope (including water penetration), and 10 years on the structure. It’s the strongest system of construction defect insurance in Canada. Visit the HPO website for free access to the New Homes Registry which is optimized for mobile devices.

www.hpo.bc.ca Toll-free: 1-800-407-7757 Email: hpo@hpo.bc.ca

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Widening Our World award given to company for work with developmentally disabled Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) last week recognized Prince George’s Jay Maybin of Waste Management for his contribution to creating employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities by presenting him with a provincial Widening Our World (WOW) Award. CLBC presents WOW Awards each year to recognize people who are building inclusion for adults with developmental disabilities in B.C. Maybin was nominated by a local service provider, Employment Action, for the way he led his team to look to hire adults with developmental disabilities for their business. Working together with Employment Action, they have found a way to leverage the diverse talent of adults in Prince George to enhance the company’s business growth and provide jobs for local people with diverse abilities. Jay is one of four people receiving CLBC WOW Awards this year. “We want to challenge other businesses in our community to think out

of the box and hire people who traditionally have not been thought of and who have skills that can contribute positively to our workplace,” Maybin said in a press release. “Building a diverse and inclusive workplace is truly rewarding for everyone involved.” Maybin received his award at a special presentation in Prince George last week at his workplace. Maybin and his team from Waste Management are employers that went looking to hire adults with developmental disabilities. They found a way to leverage the diverse talent of adults in Prince George who want to work to enhance their business growth, creating a solution that provides a long-term job opportunity for people with developmental disabilities. Maybin and his team took a stepby-step approach to outline exact job duties, to be clear about what type of employee they were seeking, took time to meet with support staff to identify individual work traits, and met with individual’s family members.

Submitted Photo Social development minister Don McRae presents Jay Maybin of Waste Management in Prince George with a Widening our World award. McRae made the presentation in Prince George last week.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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Canadian Senate - here I come Dear Prime Minister Stephen Harper: Please accept this as my application for the Canadian Senate. I feel I am an excellent candidate for the Upper Chamber. I know you have had a tough time appointing journalists to the Senate but, truth be told I never liked Pamela Wallin’s reporting and Mike Duffy … well, he wears polka-dot ties. While it is true that I am not, or ever have been, a Conservative Party member, just think of the political hay you could make by appointing someone who isn’t from your inner circle, who isn’t a bastion of the oil industry, and who doesn’t speak French (OK, the last one might not play that well in some circles, but we don’t care about Quebec anyway, right?). I have built a house here in Prince George, so, yes, I actually live in the area I would be serving unless you appointed me, however, I would be willing to relocate, (at least on paper), to PEI or elsewhere. Being appointed to the Senate would afford me the time and money to put the finishing touches on my new house. You could say it’s part of your jobs plan that we keep waiting for … economic development in the west and all that. Your humble lemming, Bill Phillips Dear Liberal leader Justin Trudeau: Please accept this as my application for the Canadian Senate, when you get elected prime minister. I feel that I am an excellent candidate for the Upper Chamber. Your predecessor had a tough time appointing journalists to the Senate, so it’s time to get it right and un-sully the bad name yellow journalists have in the Red Chamber. While it is true that I am not, or ever have been, a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, you have removed that priority this week … I think. But think of the political hay you can make because I won’t be an independent Liberal who happens to be a senator, or was that a Liberal senator who happens to be an independent, or an independent senator who happens to be Liberal? Can’t remember what you’re calling them these days, but memory loss is a good quality for a senator, isn’t it? When I was growing up your father’s name was a dirty

word in our house, so just think of the generational reparations you can make between French and English Canada. While I don’t speak French, I can do a pretty good imitation of Jean Chretien’s accent. Your true Grit, Bill Phillips Dear NDP leader Tom Mulcair: Please accept this as my application for the Canadian Senate, when you get elected prime minister. I know you want to abolish the Senate, but you can probably make a few appointments before you do. The pension payout would certainly be welcome. While it is true that I am not, or ever have been, a member of the New Democratic Party, Dave Barrett stayed at my house once when I was a kid. But why do you want to abolish the Senate? Do you somehow think that Canada’s social safety net is for the poor and disadvantaged? I feel that I am an excellent candidate for the Upper Chamber. Your predecessor had a tough time appointing journalists to the Senate, so here’s your chance to prove that it wasn’t a partisan thing. Socially yours, Bill Phillips Dear Green Party leader Elizabeth May: Please accept this as my application for the Canadian Senate, when you get elected prime minister. I realize that may be some time from now, but by then I should be old enough and senile enough to make a great

senator. While it is true that I am not, or ever have been, a member of the Green party, I do own a hybrid car (plus a honkin’ big four-by-four, but we won’t go there). I’m not really sure what you want to do with the Senate. There isn’t much information because you are apparently working on issues that impact ordinary Canadians, something I wouldn’t have to worry about if you appointed me to the Senate. Green with envy, Bill Phillips P.S. I have chosen to e-mail all four letters since it’s unclear when Canada Post will get them to the superbox put up at the corner of Sussex Drive and Alexander Street ... would hate to see any of our leaders hoofing down there at this time of year.

Labelling children can be detrimental PAUL STRICKLAND Special to the Free Press

Some experts question the central role for medications in managing hyperactive or distracted children commonly described as sufferers of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In the 1990s results from a study commissioned by National Institute of Mental Health in the U.S. indicated that medications like Ritalin and Adderall were far more effective for treating these conditions than counselling or behavioral therapy alone. The medications by themselves were also found to be essentially as effective as medications and therapy combined, journalist Alan Schwarz wrote in The New York Times Dec. 29. Now some child psychiatrists who helped write the study have expressed concerns that the study oversold the benefits of drugs, discouraging home- and school-focused therapy. “Recent papers have also cast doubt on whether medications’ benefits last as long as those from therapy,” said Schwarz, a guest this month on CBC Radio One’s news commentary program, The Current.

On the same program Dr. Gabor Mate, a family physician in Vancouver, said the hyperactivity and distracted behavior often attributed to ADD and ADHD frequently arise from serious stresses in both society as a whole and within the child’s family, where parents are working long hours and have little time to show affection for their children. There is little support in the community because members of the extended family don’t live nearby and neighbours aren’t usually available to help. Dr. Mate doesn’t say that medications should never be used. But the tendency at present is too often to use medications to control hyperactive children rather than looking at their surrounding environment, he said on The Current. “ADD kids are temperamentally, highly sensitive creatures -- that’s what predisposed them to developing ADD in the first place -- so they’re often canaries in the coal mine,” he said in an interview Dec. 25 with New York journalist Amy Goodman on her Democracy Now radio program. Quite often children showing the symptoms of ADD are not ill or suffering from a disorder but have inherited the mindset

of our distant ancestors in hunter-gatherer societies, says the American psychotherapist Thom Hartmann. Distractibility, impulsivity, and a love of novelty, sensation and risk were all things which would be adaptive in a society where food was acquired by hunting and gathering, he says in his book Healing ADD (1998). “The ‘distractible’ hunter would constantly be scanning the forest or jungle as he looked for food and watched out for dangers and predators,” Hartmann writes. “While that scanning behavior is maladaptive in a classroom, it would become necessary for survival in a primitive environment.” Psychiatric labels like ADD and ADHD can be destructive of a child’s self-image. It conveys to him, his family and his friends that he has a diseased mind, he contends. Members of our society have an unfortunate tendency to label people and then refuse to think beyond the label they have applied. “In this regard, even the labeling of a person with the term ‘Attention Deficit Disorder’ is a form of wounding,” Hartmann observes. “It’s an instant stigma. Few could imagine it being a pleasant experience to stand up among friends and peers to say,

‘I am the person with a deficit,’ or, ‘I’m the disordered one among this group.’ “ Some children said to be suffering from ADHD are creative and talented students who are bored by standard lessons they already understand. Bright students experiencing boredom in a regular classroom also daydream, fail to pay attention and get into power struggles with authorities. Where there is little funding for gifted education, teachers and psychologists sometimes label these children as ADHD, and then they end up being assigned to classes for the learning-disabled where they’d be even more seriously bored, Hartmann said in an essay published in 2000. The B.C. government has been underfunding K-12 education in recent years and now spends about $1,000 less per pupil than the average for provinces across Canada, Jim Iker, president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, said on CBC Radio One’s B.C. Almanac program on Tuesday. Programs for gifted students have suffered, he added. We have to be careful with the labels we apply to other people, especially children. They can have consequences in policy and on methods of medical treatment.

Prince George - NEWS - Free Press

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Friday, January 31, 2014

When a whole bunch of little items turn themselves into a much bigger one There are some weeks when I have an idea for a column, and the whole thing just flows from my brain to my fingers, with little effort on my part. There are other weeks where I know I don’t have enough on one topic for a full column, but I have enough little pieces to do a column of amblings. This week doesn’t fit into either of those categories. I don’t know if it’s the weather or what, but I’m having a lot of trouble getting my mind to focus on writing anything of any length these days. (Please keep your nasty remarks to yourself. Thank you.) I could write about Blacktop Blockheads, but I don’t think I’ve seen any new varieties on the streets around the city. I could write about a sub-species of Blockheads, that being the people who haven’t figured out what “Yield” and “Merge” signs mean, but I’ve covered them before and obviously the drivers in question aren’t paying

attention (to my column or the signs or the League Baseball teams starts in about two traffic laws). weeks, but then I realize people with seven I could write about the Super Bowl, and how feet of snow in their front yards don’t want it still seems pretty silly that they take two to be reminded that spring is coming that weeks off after the conference championships, quickly to some places. but then I realize if they only had one week, I could write about how the NHL is the American networks wouldn’t be able to fit closing down for two weeks so its players all their pre-Super Bowl shows in. can be at the Olympics, and wondering I could write about all the stories being what the guys who aren’t going are going written about the possibility of a terrorist to with that time off. attack at the Winter Olympics in Sochi and I could write about any of these things, how American athletes are afraid to have their but I don’t think I could stretch any of ALLAN’S AMBLINGS families join them there, and how none of the them even to ambling length, let alone a ALLANWISHART full column. stories I’ve seen so far mention that there was a bombing at a previous Olympics. It hapMaybe the sun will shine by the end pened in Atlanta in 1996. No, it wasn’t a terrorist attack, of the week, and next week my brain will be back to but it was a bomber who got past security. co-operating with the rest of me. (I said, no nasty reI could write about how spring training for Major marks.)

■ OPINION

Harper rapped for the wrong reasons VICTORIA – Prime Minister Stewhich of course is caused mainly by phen Harper’s latest visit to B.C. was the Alberta “tar sands.” portrayed as these things are today: I won’t dwell on this routine besieged by protesters, hiding from idiocy, except to say the number of an ever-vigilant media, cynically hurricanes that struck North Amercampaigning for the 2015 federal ica in 2013 was zero, and that hasn’t election. happened since 1994. Also, “climate TV couldn’t get enough of the justice” is like “social justice,” in that two “environmental activists” who both require confiscation of earned dressed as waiters to slip wealth. onstage at a business DePape is the former breakfast in Vancouver. Senate page fired in 2011 They’re not envifor a similar sign stunt. ronmentalists, just She’s now a professional all-purpose protesters Harper hater, with supusing the flavour of the port from the U.S.month. They are associbased Tides Foundation ated with a group calling among others. itself “No One Is Illegal,” One of the issues a collection of anarchist Harper didn’t take kooks that wants to questions on was the B.C. VIEWS do away with national consolidation of 11 TOMFLETCHER federal fisheries libraries borders, and of course capitalism. into two, one of them in As their now-famous sign said, Sidney, B.C. they want “climate justice now.” OrThis is portrayed as part of ganizer Brigette DePape explained Harper’s so-called “war on science,” to a co-operative CBC TV host that and has been compared with the the recent typhoon in the PhilipRomans burning the library of Alexpines that killed thousands of people andria in ancient Egypt. was caused by global warming, Fisheries Minister Gail Shea

defended the cost-cutting measure by pointing out that almost all access to these libraries is now digital, so maintaining 11 duplicated sets of printed reports is a waste of taxpayer dollars. An anonymous federal scientist fired back on his blog that the head of one of these libraries retired before the contents could even be catalogued, much less completely digitized for online access. So this material wasn’t even properly organized? Users were supposed to browse until they stumbled on something pertinent? The ministry reported that the average number of people other than federal fisheries staff who used these libraries averaged between five and 12 per year. That’s for all 11 facilities combined. And if anyone has even one example of information that was available and isn’t now, they should identify it. Harper’s got plenty to answer for, no question. To take one of many examples, spending our borrowed money on TV ads for a “Canada Job Grant” program that hasn’t even been introduced in Parliament, much less set up, isn’t just wasteful.

It’s dishonest and cruelly misleading to the unemployed people the ads pretend to offer help. Harper’s visit to B.C. added a couple of scripted events, starting with softball questions at the Vancouver business breakfast. Then he was off to a photo op at the Kinsol trestle on Vancouver Island, where he announced three more years of funding for the Trans-Canada Trail. I’m as relieved as anyone that Harper is not killing this modest federal project that started in 1992, but this is not news. It was a fake public event to justify the cost of a trip so Harper could address a new Conservative riding association. And how is the federal deficit after eight years of tight-fisted Conservative rule? We’re only borrowing about $1 billion a month now, down from the Harper government all-time record deficit of $55 billion in 2009. Some cost cutting is in order all right. Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Twitter: @tomfletcherbc Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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36. Battleship color 37. Kilt fold 39. Naught 41. Great rage 42. Get hitched 44. Threshold 46. Tangle up 50. Not true 53. Scramble (for)

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20. Fascinated 22. Chatter 24. Jolt suddenly 25. It gives a hoot 27. Make tracks 29. Looking for oil 30. Head flanker 31. Drain-opener chemical 33. Bored reaction 35. Bro’s sib 38. Pekoe portion: 2 wds. 40. Existence 43. Serious theater 45. Huge 46. Wicked 47. Diamond team 48. Deliver 49. Stately trees 51. Glitch 52. Consumes 55. Prune

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Friday, January 31, 2014

I’m all in favour of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let’s start with typewriters. - Solomon Short

BILL PHILLIPS | 250.564.0005 | editor@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com

Angling for a $27,000 parking stall

oliticians and high-level bureaucrats often shake their heads at why taxpayers often shake their heads at decisions coming out of government. Here’s an example why there’s so many people in town shaking their heads these days. Last week Prince George city council approved a plan to change parking on Second, Fifth, and Seventh avenues to angle parking. Not a bad idea. As Coun. Cameron Stolz pointed out, it will create 220 new parking spots downtown … roughly the equivalent of another parkade. Given the debate last summer about parking downtown, adding 220 parking stalls without actually building a new parkade is a no-brainer. The kicker? Changing three downtown streets from parallel to angle parking costs almost as much as actually building a new parkade. What has us, who don’t regularly inhabit the hallowed halls on Patricia, shaking our heads is that no one who does inhabit those halls of power blinked an eye at the $6.3 million price tag. We suppose we should be happy they didn’t jump at the $8 million package presented to them. But we are soundly disappointed that there was absolutely no discussion on the $1 million package. And, it should be pointed out that council made the plan an unfunded capital project, which means they haven’t approved spending the money … yet. The question though, is: Does it really take $6.3 million to change the streets to angle parking? The suggested work would involve retaining the existing concrete sidewalk and the complete removal of the existing filler strip, curb and gutter, wheelchair ramps, roadway and sub-base within a proposed bulb out. The new bulb-out will be constructed with erect curb and gutter with wheelchair ramps. The surface of each bulb out would be constructed with interlocking concrete pavers. Crosswalks, traffic signs, and catch basins will be relocated specific to each intersection. Additional construction activities may include fire hydrant relocation, streetlight installation, planter construction, and traffic signal upgrades. Couldn’t they just paint some new lines? That’s pretty much what the $1 million option called for, so even that doesn’t come cheap. By the way, just for paint for all three options is $31,000. It was also pointed out at last week’s meeting that Second and Fourth avenues will be changed back to twoway streets this summer. The cost for that: just under $4 million. Bear in mind that council hasn’t approved the angle parking plan, but if it does, it will cost taxpayers about $10 million to change two streets to two-way traffic and three streets to angle parking. This from a council that has nickel-and-dimed the taxpayer in an attempt to get costs under control. Do the math … $27,000 per parking stall and no one at city hall was falling off their chair. Shaking your head yet?

Entitled to ourselves Entitlement! The perspective of what we are entitled to many doors of opportunity which led to a fulfilling career. in life has changed over the last few decades. While there is The individual who completed his apprenticeship in a heavy nothing wrong with having high expectations, how we react construction trade was sure he had made the right decision. to the frustration of those expectations indicates a potenHis trade was always in demand but he found that being tially dangerous shift in our society. away from home for so much of his time was a significant The core change is the trend for us to believe that someone drawback. He was missing out on raising his family. He or some institution should take on the responsibility for our abandoned the trade and good reputation he had diligently needs. The sense of responsibility for the worked for and started over again in an entirely results of our own decisions has diminished. different field. He now has supper at home every A brief interview on CBC highlighted the night, takes his kids to their sports and doesn’t difficulty of a doctoral graduate who could regret making the change even though his previous not find a permanent teaching job in the trade would have paid him much more. academic world. Blame was passed on to the There are thousands of similar stories of individuniversity hiring practices. While studuals balancing their desires with what is practical. ies in Medieval History may be interesting, Each of them made a decision on what their prioriand enlightening, it is a skill not widely in ties were. They found other outlets to still pursue demand. their interest or found the change in focus was just Having a passion for one field of knowlas interesting and just as rewarding. edge or another is not uncommon. In fact it All of us have the responsibility for charting our ONSIDE is to be applauded. The unfortunate fact of own way through life. It is not the responsibility of VICBOWMAN government, some institution or society in general life is the field one is so passionately interested in may not be a very good basis for to promise you a job in your chosen field. There earning a living. If we aspire to having a home, a family and are lots of people who are working at jobs which they are those other things we wish, then we need a paycheque to “overtrained” for because they chose to work and study a support us. Just one of the realities of life we must live with. skill which is in little demand. The problem is not new; it has been faced by many othThat is sad, but the blame for lack of demand for their ers. The potential astronomer who upon taking a look at skill set is something they should have considered before the lack of opportunity in that field opted to study applied continuing. science and spent a good and prosperous life as a successful When we make poor decisions, as we all do, we must take design engineer. The mathematician who lived in the world responsibility for those decisions, not moan and groan about of numbers examined the future and saw little future in that how others have failed us. We are quick to take individual field other than one of hopefully becoming a professor of credit for our good decisions and unfortunately the reverse mathematics one day. A shift to a business education opened is also true.

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Slow down the fast track Mega-projects getting the go-ahead with less public consultation Editor: In the Enbridge Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel process, a vast majority of people who participated said no to this project. And yet, the federal Conservative government fasttracked the process, rushing the panel which reached a yes and 209 (mostly non-enforceable) conditions attached. This process is only one example of a troubling pattern that is unfolding here in B.C. when it comes to mega-projects that will have far-reaching implications for northern B.C. residents, future generations and many other species and that is: An increasing lack of opportunity to have any kind of say. Overlapping with the Enbridge process we had the B.C. government’s Site C Dam fast-track review process, one that was so speedy you had to be on the computer pretty much full time to have opportunity to submit written comment in

the short timeframe after which the abbreviated oral hearings sped through. This process which deals with the question of whether a valley of farmland by the Peace River should be converted to a mega-dam for electricity that would power industry and potentially raise our electricity bills even higher (to pay for the dam to go in) has excluded thorough review by the Agricultural Land Commission and BC Utilities Commission despite the issues at stake that have been hotly contested in B.C. for generations already). More recently, we have another example of a fast-track exclusionary review process with the Trans Mountain expansion project for the oil pipeline that runs through Jasper Park down to Vancouver. For this review and presumably any other future pipeline reviews to participate you must apply and prove you will be directly affected by the proposed project or you are one with

relevant information or expertise that directly relates and then and only then someone will decide whether you may be allowed to participate. This mounting trend toward excluding concerned citizens and established regulators is troubling to say the list and I would argue, points to a substantial deterioration of Canadian democracy, administrative fairness and our right to be heard on issues that will profoundly impact us, future generations and the direction of our country as a whole. Right now, who actually is making the decisions on issues with such far-reaching impacts on all of us particularly with respect to the resource sector and environment? We need to collectively wake up and stand up for democracy in this country and province like previous generations did. Democracy is not merely a spectator sport. Mary MacDonald Prince George

What is Bennett telling feds? Editor: B.C. Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett has been to Ottawa twice in the last two months lobbying for the New Prosperity mine. Is he telling the federal government to disregard the environmental science that says the mine at Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) is a bad idea? Is he telling the federal government to disregard the findings of the independent panel of mining professionals and the assessments by esteemed scientists from around the world who are saying the proposed mine will have significant environmental and cultural impacts that can’t be mitigated. Bennett says he went to Ottawa to make sure the federal ministers were aware of the facts of the project. Yet Bennett doesn’t have his own facts straight. He says New Prosperity is just a normal open pit mine like all the other mines in BC, and that it could be built in an environmentally responsible way. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bennett is wrong that New Prosperity is normal. The proposed mine will turn Fish Lake into an aquarium, relying on pumps in perpetuity to circulate the water. No project in the world, let alone British Columbia, has ever attempted anything like this on such a large scale. Ever. A top aquatic scientist from UBC told the panel that Fish Lake would be dead within ten years, even with the pump circulation system. Bennett’s head seems firmly planted in the sand. He says he can’t understand why the federal panel ruled there is a likelihood of significant environmental impacts on Fish Lake. Maybe he should read the panel report and quit trying to spin it. Maybe he should have attended the hearings like many of us did, so he could speak factually on the issues. It seems that New Prosperity is a pipe dream in Mr. Bennett’s mind. He is heavy on platitudes and rhetoric saying the mine “could” be built in an environmentally responsible way, yet when shown the facts and details of the environmental science that shows it can’t be, he is quick to look the other way. It’s a sham when economic interests overrule the environmental science in an environmental review process. No wonder environments around the world are going to hell in a hand basket. Let’s hope that Federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq does the right thing and rules against this New Prosperity proposal, and isn’t bullied by corporate interests and small-minded politicians from BC who put money first. Sage Birchwater Williams Lake

Does Zimmer represent his constituents in Ottawa or Harper here? Editor: An open letter to Prince George-Peace River MP Bob Zimmer I was annoyed, but not surprised, by your defence, in the Free Press, of the prime minister’s attack on the services of Canada Post while postage prices are soon to be drastically increased. It is odd that you wax eloquent over fear that Canada Post may run a deficit while remaining silent on such extravagance’s as Mr. Harper’s tax-paid junket to Israel,

accompanied by no less than 200 hangers-on. You should be defending home delivery of mail in the North, considering winter conditions here as well as our growing cohort of senior citizens. Here is a question for you, to which I do not really expect a response: Do you represent the citizens of your riding to Ottawa or do you represent the will and whim of Stephen Harper’s regime to us? James Loughery Prince George

Prince George - VOICES - Free Press

Friday, January 31, 2014

“ The Joint Review Panel’s recommendation is an important step toward building a better pipeline.”

My name is Janet Holder and I am the leader of the Northern Gateway Project. This past December, my team came one step closer towards our goal of building a better pipeline. After weighing the evidence in the most comprehensive, scientific review in Canadian pipeline history, the Joint Review Panel of the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency provided its recommendation. The Panel concluded that Canada and Canadians would be better off with the Northern Gateway Project than without it. They also provided 209 conditions we must meet before we build the project or before we start operations. From the beginning, Northern Gateway has committed to building a safer and better pipeline. The Panel’s conditions are an important step towards that goal. They reflect the input of thousands of British Columbians and Canadians, and include many of the commitments we made in our submission. But our work is far from done. As a proud British Columbian, I assure you that my team will continue to work hard towards meeting all of the final conditions set out by the Joint Review Panel, just as we’re working hard to meet the Province’s tough conditions. Building a better pipeline isn’t easy. It takes hard work and complete dedication to meeting the highest standards possible. The Joint Review Panel’s recommendation is an important step toward building a better pipeline.

Sincerely,

Janet Holder Leader of Northern Gateway

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Friday, January 31, 2014

TERESA MALLAM | 250.564.0005 | arts@pgfreepress.com | www.pgfreepress.com

COLD SNAP GOES BOOM BOOM Bill BAILEY/Special to the Free Press Livin’ in the VLA with the Boom Booms and local singersongwriter Derek Joyce, part of Coldsnap.

Canadian singer burning bright with smokin’ hot vocals Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Royal Wood got what he wanted from his new album, The Burning Bright. “I wanted to be fulfilled artistically,” the Canadian singer-sognwriter says from Leduc, Alta., one of the stops on a tour which saw him at the Prince George Playhouse on Jan. 28, as the feature performer in Smokin’ Hot Vocals, part of the Coldsnap Festival. “I’m at a different place in my life than I was for my last album (We Were Born to Glory). This album is the most honest I’ve ever done. “There was no filter on the songs this time.” Born to Glory came out in 2012 and was a huge success. Wood saw his marriage break up in early 2013, and that was one of the reasons he roamed far and wide in the production of the new album.

“On the last album, we did it in a limited time, and it ended up feeling like just a project. This time, I did it for me.” That meant spending some time in Ireland, his ancestral home, as well as in Los Angeles, working with Bill Lefler. “I didn’t set out to write songs with a specific topic,” he says. “I just found things coming out as I was feeling them. “At the end, I kind of stepped back and went, ‘Wow’.” Some of the songs reflect the time spent in Ireland, with a very Celtic feel to them. Others don’t, and Wood says one big decision was made. “I was thinking about doing a double album, with the songs split, but then I thought it would be more powerful if the two sides were mixed together. I’m a big fan of the concept record, but this didn’t feel like the one for that approach.” With We Were Born to Glory having topped the charts, Wood wasn’t sure how

the record company would react to the new style he was finding on The Burning Bright. “It started out in a very honest, unfiltered manner. As I started to let more and more people in, we tried new things, but we kept it honest. “I was very curious what the company was going to think. I think they were worried, and I was a little worried about that, but in the end, everyone felt the opposite. They were all fully behind it.” Forever and Ever, the first single off The Burning Bright, is a much ‘pop’-pier song than many of the others on the album, but Wood says he thinks it was the right choice. Listeners seem to agree. “Forever and Ever has been my most successful single ever,” he says. “If you can show a different side of you, fans will love it. It gives them a better picture of who you are.” Royal Wood Wood says he has plenty of songs still “Right now, all my focus is on the live waiting for an album, but that’s in the show we’re putting together.” future.

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CNC students learn from artist Two CNC fine arts students are enjoying a rare opportunity to work with world-renowned artist Adad Hannah. Maureen Alm and Riley Wium are helping Hannah create a living por-

trait depicting Prince George in 1914, said Julia Whittaker, CNC art history instructor. The photograph, which uses live models and real furnishings, is a scene from the Fort George Hotel and Virginia Hall, which burned to the ground a short time later. The project was unveiled to the public at Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George Jan. 16 and runs through March 30. “Hannah has been developing a project in the North Gallery that revolves around the idea of Fort George’s Virginia Hall, which ALSO... SELLING 75-100 CARS, ON HAND 3-5TRUCKS, REPOS 10SPORT VEHICLES FROM opened on January 16, ON HANDWILL WILLBEBEAPPROX APPROX 5BANK REPOS & 20&&VEHICLES FROM VANS UTILITY 1914, exactly 100 years VEHICLES FROM MAJOR FLEET, VEHICLE MANAGEMENT to the date of our openLEASE, DEALER, PRIVATE & ing, and which burned FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. ALSO...Selling 125 Cars, Trucks, Vans and SUVs from ALSO... Selling 75-100 Cars, Trucks, Vans & SUVs down 10 months later,” Major Major Fleet Fleet Lease, Lease, Dealer Dealer & Private Financial Institutions said George Harris, YOUHAVE HAVEAAVEHICLE VEHICLEFOR FORTHIS THISAUCTION, AUCTION ITIT MUST MUST BE BE ON ON THE THE GROUND GROUND BY Two Rivers Gallery cuIFIFYOU MONDAY, AT 5PM - SPACE PERMITTING - SEE SALE MONDAY,SEPTEMBER FEBRUARY23RD 3 AT 5PM - SPACE PERMITTING - SEE YOUYOU SALE DAY!DAY! rator, in a press release. Adad Hannah is an Central Interior artist known for his Auctions Ltd. work that challenges 4174 COWART RD. Prince George assumptions about (250) 562-5200 • FAX (250) 562-9616 the media in which he CASH • INTERAC • BANK DRAFT TERMS OF SALE •• CERTIFIED CHEQUE • LETTERS OF CREDIT Website: www.ciauctions.bc.ca works. He has worked with museums like the

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Prado in Madrid as well as smaller communities like 100 Mile House to create exciting artwork. Hannah was born in New York in 1971, spent his childhood in Israel and England, and moved to Vancouver in the early 1980s. He lives and works between Montreal and Vancouver. “For our students, this is an invaluable opportunity to work with such an established artist as well as curators like George Harris at the gallery and Bob Campbell of Exploration Place,” Whittaker said. “Although the students are doing this of their

own accord as an extra project, it will serve them well in the future as part of their resumes.” Hannah re-stages famous paintings or other artwork, by working with models to create living pictures. As his models hold a pose, he films and photographs the scene. The videos, at first glance, appear to be static images though over time one notices figures wavering and the rise and fall of chests as the models breathe – a living image that blurs the line between video and photography, according to Hannah’s website, adadhannah.com/

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Allan WISHART/Free Press Claire McCaffrey, 3, seems more interested in the picture mom Kim Swift took of her and the hat she made for Munschmania than she is in the hat itself. The Prince George Public Library was overflowing with youngsters for the annual event on Saturday, celebrating the works of Canadian author Robert Munsch.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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www.laughopolistv.com Free Press file photo Jimmy Rankin has played Prince George before, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back April 22 for a show at Artspace.

Jimmy Rankin show April 22 Jimmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming back. Jimmy Rankin will return to Prince George on April 22 for a show at Artspace. Rankin first achieved fame with his siblings in the Rankin Family, a group which focused mainly on their Celtic

heritage in their music, and has since moved on to a stellar solo career, which has seen him more in the roots and country fields. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a busy few months for Rankin, who did a Christmas tour is support of his Tinsel Town album, and is

back on the road now, with a new album, Backroad Paradise, due out in the spring. The first single, Cool Car, is set to be released in February. Tickets for Jimmy Rankinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show on April 22 at Artspace are available now at Books and Company or at the door.

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Full schedule of events slated for Black History Month in February CNC and the Prince George African Heritage Society are once again teaming up to present a number of events during the 17th annual Black History Month Celebration in February. Organizers say the events are a way of celebrating aspects of African culture in a wider Prince George context. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black History Month celebrates the diverse roots of the nation and country we call Canada,â&#x20AC;? said George Kaweesi, CNC instructor and Black History Month organizer, in a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These events remind everyone that our community is made up of those from near and far and they share a common goal of trying to make it better.â&#x20AC;? Kaweesi added Black History Month also serves as a reminder that people of African heritage have made some significant contributions to this community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These events help us appreciate and recognize the contributions of people with African heritage and reminds everyone that we should all work together to build a better society.â&#x20AC;? Schedule Of Events â&#x20AC;˘ February 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First annual Black

History Soccer Tournament and Dance. DJ is Kay Kay Obi â&#x20AC;˘ February 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Night of Song at First Baptist Church at 7 p.m. Tickets $10 â&#x20AC;˘ February 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Family Day at CNC from 2 to 5 p.m. Free admission children, adults welcome. Contact Jacob Madjitey, 250-564-4820 or e-mail pgafricanheritage@gmail.com â&#x20AC;˘ February 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Caribbean Cooking Demonstration 7 p.m. First Baptist Church, 483 Gillette St. Email pgafricanheritage@gmail.com. Tickets $20 available at CNC Bookstore and Chances Are Consignment Store, above Books & Company. Call Colleen Dyson 250-613-6239. â&#x20AC;˘ February 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Main Event at CNC: Dinner 6:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;7:30 p.m. Presentation: Mandela: The Man and His Legacy 7:45 p.m â&#x20AC;˘ February 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; South African Cooking Demonstration 7 p.m.: First Baptist Church, 483 Gillette St. Email pgafricanheritage@gmail.com. Tickets $20 available at CNC Bookstore and Chances Are Consignment Store, above Books & Company. Call Colleen Dyson 250-613-6239. â&#x20AC;˘ February 28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cultural performances, music, food at CNC from noon to 2 p.m.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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New co-ordinator for AIDS Walk Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Shannon Froehlich still sees an unfortunate attitude towards AIDS and HIV. “I think there is still a little bit of a stigma about HIV,” Froehlich says. “It’s starting to get better. There’s more of a push for treatment in the region, which is helping.” Froehlich is the support services manager at Positive Living North, and the new co-ordinatior for the Scotiabank AIDS Walk. “Sandra (Sasaki) had been doing the job for a number of years,” Froehlich says, “and she thought it might be time to get someone new, who might have new ideas, in place.” Froehlich is no stranger to the AIDS Walk, since she has been on the planning committee for the past few years. “It is usually a year-round job, since we’re al-

ready working on the letters we send out asking for funding support. We usually take about a month off after the walk, then get right back into planning for the next one.” Froehlich says people are starting to realize a few things about HIV and AIDS. “HIV is not a death sentence. We have one person here who has been living with HIV for about 30 years. They get treatment for it, but they are living with it, just like many other diseases. “The AIDS Walk represents a disease that needs recognition and support, just like diabetes or other diseases.” Money raised by the walk stays in the region to fund local programs. “We have programs that help people with getting food,” Froehlich says, “we have a transportation program for people who may have to go to Vancouver for treatment, we help with funeral arrangements for relatives of people here who couldn’t afford to travel for the funeral, we help

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$37.84 52.23 36.24 31.98 31.45 27.18 42.64 46.37 45.30 29.31 34.64 33.58 27.71 33.04 35.71 18.12 18.22 37.84

COLLEGE HEIGHTS AREA Route 3011200 3011600 3012200 3012500 3012600 3018500 3018900 3019100 3029200 3029300 3029500

# of.. Approx Streets in Route Papers Monthly Malaspina, Princeton, Rochester 90 47.97 Domano, Gladstone, Guelph 56 29.85 Cowart, Oxford, Rideau, Simon Fraser 61 32.51 Cambridge, Eton, McGill, Notre Dame 51 27.18 Dalhousie, Simon Fraser, York 44 23.45 St. Lawrence, Vista Ridge 33 17.59 Gladstone, Marionopolis, Moncton 51 27.18 Dalhousie, Laurentian, McGill, Simon Fraser 52 27.71 Southridge, St. Anne 28 14.92 McGill 34 18.12 Malaspina, Newcastle, Prince Edward 56 29.85

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Hemlock, Ingledew, Patricia, Queensway 54 Emmet, Lonsdale, Rebman, Upland 104 Redwood, Spruce, Victoria 75 17th, Tamarack, Upland 70 Bowser, Vine, Willow, Yew 27 Pearson 38 Redwood, Spruce, Victoria 62 20th, Spruce, Tamarack, Upland 98 McCollegh, Diefenbaker, Quince, Victoria, Pine 96 Ford, Oak, Pine, Quince, Victoria 52 Kaslo, LaSalle, Lillooet, Moyie 55 Ford, Norwood, Oak, Pearson 48 Jasper, Moss, Wiggins 64

28.78 55.43 39.98 37.31 14.39 20.25 33.05 52.23 51.17 27.72 29.31 25.58 34.11

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people go on retreats they otherwise couldn’t afford.” As the only AIDS service office in the north, Positive Living North covers the region from Quesnel north, and has clients in Fort Nelson and Port Simpson. “We recently opened a satellite office in Smithers,” Froehlich says, “and we have an educator in Dawson Creek, but we’re still the only service office in the north.” Last year’s AIDS Walk had about 300 people attending, which Froehlich says was down from previous years. “It was still more than we used to get, but we hope it continues to grow.” This year’s walk is set for Sept. 13 at Masich Place Stadium. For more information on the AIDS Walk or Positive Living North, call Froehlich at 250-5621172 or e-mail her at sfroehlich@positivelivingnorth.org.

Allan WISHART/Free Press The name has changed, but Shannon Froehlich is the new AIDS Walk co-ordinator for Positive Living North.

Ryah needs some help for necessary medical care A sweet, gentle soul needs the public’s help to get the medical care she needs. Ryah, a dog surrendered to the North Cariboo District Branch of the BC SPCA because her guardians couldn’t care for her, needs cruciate ligament surgery on both legs in order to give her a chance at a pain-free life. “Despite the amount of discomfort she is experiencing Ryah due to her injured knees, Ryah is resilient and determined to enjoy every opportunity in life and loves playing with dogs and people,” said North Cariboo District Branch manager Angela McLaren, noting that when Ryah is excited, she has a strange ability to curve her body and wiggle at the same time, often hitting herself with her furiously wagging tail in the process. “She is without a doubt an absolute advocate for the pit bull breed. She’s extremely affectionate and happy and loves all people, including children, and socializes well with other dogs and cats.” It is estimated that the surgery Ryah requires will cost around $3,500.

This girl has a certain magnetism that has already proven to change the perceptions some people have about pit bulls, McLaren says. “Ryah is a true representation of what a pit bull can be: loving, devoted, gentle and adaptable, as well as having an undeniable ability to overcome physical discomfort to allow her positive personality to shine through.” As a non-profit organization, the BC SPCA is supported through public donations. Anyone who is able to help Ryah and other animals like her in need at the North Cariboo District BC SPCA shelter can donate online or visit in person, at 4011 Lansdowne Rd., Prince George.

Prince George - COMMUNITY - Free Press

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Students Step Up in video Former Kelly Road students put together anti-gang message A pair of former Kelly Road students have been recognized for a video that presents an anti-gang message. Chelsey Cherkas and Kayla Thorell were named as the winners of the Step In/Step Up anti-gang video contest. Step In, Step Up is a multi-dimensional youth program designed to encourage youth in the community to Step In, by getting involved, and Step Up, by leading the charge to prevent gang activity and recruitment in our community. One aspect of this project was an ‘anti-gang’ themed video contest open to youth aged 13 to 18. The video had to be a 60-second public service announcement with an anti-gang message. In all, 14 entries were received and from that, five finalists were selected. The winning video was

professionally reproduced and made into a public service announcement for local television. On Friday January 17, the winning entry was revealed at the Cineplex Theatre in Prince George. Cherkas is currently living in Alberta where she plans to enroll in a criminal justice program in the fall, with the hopes of eventually going to law school. Thorell is currently attending the College of New Caledonia and hopes to enroll in the nursing program this September As a reward for winning the competition, both were involved in the professional production of the video and received a $250 gift certificate for London Drugs. Kelly Road Secondary School received a digital video prize package valued at over $1,200. The winning submission began airing on CKPG

TV on Monday, January 20 and is also available for viewing at the City of Prince George Community Policing page or on YouTube and on our website at www.pgfreepress.com. The Prince George RCMP offered its congratulations to Chelsey, Kayla and the Kelly Road Secondary School Digital Media Film and

Digital Photography classes. In addition, they would also like to congratulate all of the other students and schools that entered this competition. By the quality of productions and the high amount of interest in the project, it is clear that everyone involved Stepped In and Stepped Up.

Winston’s Dining Room OPEN 3-DAYS ONLY

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HAPPY D A Y S Make this Valentine’s Season a memorable one for you and your loved ones with an exquisite 3-course“table d'hôte”menu created by our very own Winston’s Chef Tony! Photo courtesy Prince George RCMP Chelsey Cherkas, teacher Rob Bennett and Kayla Thorell attended the screening of the antigang video at the Cineplex Theatre recently.

770 Brunswick Street Prince George

Workshop set for 27 Million Voices You’ve got one chance left to hear 27 Million Voices. The 27 Million Voices (27MV) team will be sharing stories and photos from their fieldwork in West Africa. Using these as a platform for inspiration, youth create drawings, paintings, and

mixed medium artwork reflecting what they have learned. A selection of artwork will be displayed at the 27 MV fundraiser later this year. The last in a series of Human Rights Arts Expression Workshops will be held at 4 p.m. at

the Healing Centre on the third floor of the Native Friendship Center on Feb. 6. If you want to join or book a session with your youth group or class, contact Laurel Collins at 250-564-4324. For more information visit www.27millionvoices.org.

250.563.0121 LOUNGE

Don’t put your life on our line. This winter, prevent a senseless tragedy by steering clear of train tracks. Not only is riding a snowmobile on a railroad’s right of way illegal, but you may also be too focused on having a good time to hear a train coming.

cn.ca/ridesafely

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Taking a peek at climate change and the pika When climate change affects a region to the detriment of a local animal population, the species usually has three options: move to a more suitable region, remain and adapt, or go extinct. A researcher at the University of Northern British Columbia has found one tiny animal in B.C. dealing with climate change, which has opted to remain and appears, in an evolutionary sense, well equipped for a Photo courtesy of UNBC fight. The American pika, a small furry mammal with short limbs and “I decided to study the rounded ears, is native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North American pika (proAmerica, and parts of Eastern Europe. nounced pee-kah) along the generation time is one year, and natural selecB.C.’s Coast Mountains because we have observed tion may occur relatively rapidly in this system.” a six-degree temperature change along an elevaIn order to collect the pika’s genetic material tion gradient from sea level to 1,500 metres where for the study, Dr. Henry uses sustainable research the pika lives,” says Philippe Henry, an Assistant methodologies that do as little harm to wildlife Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management and the environment as possible. Using packing at UNBC. “We know from previous studies of the tape “hair snares,” and remote sensing cameras, Dr. pika that it is particularly sensitive to changes in Henry was able to collect more than enough pika temperature, which made it ideal for our study.” data and DNA as he returned to the snares and colThe pika, a small furry mammal with short lected up the tape. limbs and rounded ears, is native to cold climates, “Researchers seeking samples from larger mammostly in Asia, North America, and parts of Eastern mals such as grizzly bears will often use makeshift Europe. Some species live on rocky mountain sides corrals with barbed wire that the animal must work such as can be found in B.C.’s Coast Mountain its way through, often leaving tufts of fur and bits of Range. skin and hide behind,” explains Dr. Henry. Dr. Henry’s research initially involved two “We can’t do that with these little guys because contrasting hypotheses: that the climate is warmthey are going to poke an eye out and that’s obviing and climate change is happening, and that ously no good. Packing tape is light and very small. temperature-sensitive creatures like the pika would You can hike out into remote areas without carrying likely disperse to higher elevations in response to a heavy traps.” warming climate. Dr. Henry and his collaborators are now monitor“What we found was that there was basically no ing pika populations in Banff and Yoho National up-slope movement so there was no response to Parks and using non-invasive techniques to look at the changing climate in that sense,” says Dr. Henry, sex ratios and population sizes. who recently worked on a documentary about pikas “The key for me is to have sustainable and safe incalled “Survival” with the BBC, which will be reteractions with wildlife as researchers. To me, there leased later this year. “This left us with two remaining options for the pika: it was either going to adapt, is a direct connection with this and UNBC’s status as Canada’s Green University.” or it would go extinct at that location.” - UNBC According to Dr. Henry, and fortunately for the little pika, it appears to have all the necessary components for evolutionary adaptation. “We looked at the conditions in the environment and the frequency of certain genetic markers to see if there was any indication of local adaptation,” says Dr. Henry. “We found signals that the creature has been adapting in its environment to climate change YOU ARE INVITED TO A CRUISE INFORMATION and that, in evolutionEVENING WITH UNIWORLD RIVER CRUISES ary terms, for the pika, this seems to be a more WITH JOHN LOVELL viable solution than & Expedia CruiseShipCenters in Prince George moving to a more suitable environment.” “If you have sufficient WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 at 7:00 PM - 542 CENTRAL STREET EAST genetic variation, natural selection can act and the species may survive in that location with a physiological tolerance PLEASE EMAIL TO RSVP BY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3 to warmer temperaebrndjar@cruiseshipcenters.com tures,” adds Dr. Henry. (250) 564 8116 “The pika lives up to *Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Canada Inc. Contact us for more details. BC REG: 28982 seven years, but they reproduce every year, so

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Wellness

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Lining It Up Art Carter contemplates the angles in a game of eightball against Bill Chappel at the Hart Pioneer Centre on Wednesday morning, The two were among those entered in a pool tournament at the centre.

Allan WISHART/ Free Press

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Winter for seniors shouldn’t involve great falls I went on a quick trip recently. Let me rephrase that. I experienced a trip recently … a near face plant. Skinned one knee, bent a pinkie finger back, and bruised a knuckle. No serious damage, but it was a good personal reminder about the importance of falls prevention. We all know we need to be extra careful outdoors right now, but we may forget to watch out for potential falls hazards indoors too. For more information, check out www. northernhealth.ca/YourHealth and follow the links to Seniors Health and then to Seniors Falls. Don’t know how to check out that website and follow the links? You might want to call us at the Seniors Resource Centre 250-564-5888 to sign up for a Beginners Computer Class. We are also planning additional classes in “Skype for Seniors” and “Facebook for Seniors”. Although my ‘trip’ didn’t cause any lasting physical damage, it sure reminded me that I’m not as young as I used to be. A decade ago, I PAIR) SING COMPLETE might have been able to (WHEN PURCHA catch my balance and stay upright. This past OR 50% OFF DESIGNER FRAMES week, my youngest child

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ranted about her advancing age, which served to further remind me I’m not as young as I used to be. I used to think age was just a number, and that the transition from full-time mom to elder and nana was easy-peasy. It’s not quite as simple as writing a quick bucket list and getting on with it – it’s a life transition that requires some thought and support. Are you experiencing a challenging life transition of your own? You might want to call us at the Seniors Resource Centre 250-564-5888 for an appointment with one of our trained senior volunteers. They will listen and provide one-toone confidential emotional support when you’re feeling down or disheartened. We wish to express our thanks to everyone who supported the P.G. Council of Seniors by buying 50/50 raffle tickets before Christmas – and an extra special thanks to all of the volunteers who helped selling. The winning ticket was No. 107, and Pat Coutts was the happy winner. Congratulations, Pat! We’re looking forward to another 50/50 raffle again this year. Lola-Dawn Fennell is a young-at-heart grandmother, UNBC graduate, and general manager of the Prince George Council of Seniors.

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Hart

Community News

Wigmore takes over at library Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Gillian Wigmore has an opportunity a lot of authors would like. She gets to put her own books on the shelves of a library. “It absolutely goes together,” says Wigmore, a published author, who is the new co-ordinator at the Nechako branch of the Prince George Public Library. “I think a library is a great fit for a writer.” The new job isn’t Wigmore’s first one in a library. “I worked for about five years in the library at CNC,” she says, sitting in one of the comfortable chairs by the stove in the library. “This is different, though. In an academic library, it’s about books, but it’s about books and students. It’s about research. “Here, it’s about books and people. I’m a very people person, so I really enjoy the interaction we have here.” When the job came open, she had no hesitation about applying. “I spend a fair bit of time in

the library, and I noticed the staff looked like they were having fun. They were enjoying what they did.” She has already noticed one problem with the new job, however. “I love books, I love reading. It’s hard sometimes when new books come in to have to put them on the shelves instead of being able to take them home.” Not that there’s much room at home for more books, apparently. “I had been wondering where to donate all the extra books we have at home. Now I know. “This is my other house full of books.” For Wigmore, it’s not just a new job, it’s a new community. “I don’t live in the Hart, so it feels like a new town in some ways. This is such a home-y library. It’s almost like a living room.” She’s been doing a lot of orientation at the downtown branch, but in her time at the Hart Highway branch she’s noticed a couple of things. “The staff seems to know a lot

of the people who come in, so I’m going to like that. It might be tough at first, getting to know all the new people, but I’m sure I’ll do it. “If I don’t always know their names, I’ll probably know them by what kinds of books they read.” That, she says, is a trait that may run in the family. “My dad was the vet in Vanderhoof for a lot of years. Just about everybody knew him, but he sometimes had trouble putting a name to a face when he met someone. “I’m pretty sure he knew most of the people by what kind of animals they had.” This was shaping up to be a busy year for Wigmore, even before she got the new job. “I’ve got two books coming out this year,” she says, “and the staff here know that means I could be off on book tours for a while.” She’ll have another book of poetry coming out in the fall, but before that, something really new. “I have a novella coming out

in the spring,” she says, “my first. It’s really great that the publisher was willing to take a chance on a novella, because it’s an unusual length. But books like The Old Man and the Sea are novellas. “I was just happy they didn’t ask if

I would consider putting it in a book of short stories, because I don’t have any short stories.” What she will have is the job of finding space on the shelves of the Nechako library for a pair of new books by a local author.

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Allan WISHART/Free Press Gillian Wigmore says there’s no real mystery as to why she’s happy in her new role as coordinator at the Nechako branch of the library: “I’m a people person.”

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Hart

Community News

Getting Ready

Emma Bajestani, left, and Olivia Trampuh were two of the skaters from the Northern BC Centre for Skating who were in Williams Lake on the weekend for a regional championship.

Greg SABATINO/ Black Press

Allan WISHART/Free Press Alan Dixon gives Neil Hunter an eyeball test for straightness in the decorations Hunter was hanging for the Feb. 12 Valentine’s Day dance at the Hart Pioneer Centre.

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Elksentre-based skaters do well in Williams Lake It was a very good weekend in Williams Lake for local figure skaters.

Members of the Northern BC Centre for Skating attended the the CNCR Regional Championships, and came back with a lot of great results, including 10 firsts. Justin Hampole was the only skater to double up on firsts, as he won the Pre-Novice Men U16 as well as Group 1 of the Elements 5 competition. Other first-place winners were Olivia Trampuh (Pre-Juvenile U14), Myah Milner (Satr 5 U13), Jayna Mason (Junior Artistic), Kailey Logan (Star 4 Group 1), Olivia Wankling (Elements 2 Group 1), Alex Callaway (Elements 1 Group 1), Ally Norum (Elements 1 Group 2) and Ceilidh Ross (Elements 5 Group 2). Local skaters ending up sweeping the medals in Elements 2 Group 1, with Norum winning, Jessie Drover second and Jessie Harder third. Drover also finished second to Logan in Star 4 Group 1. They also took four of the top six placings in Pre-Juvenile U14, with Trampuh winning, Shelby Scott fourth, Wankling fifth and Mary Chidiac sixth, as well as in Elements 2 Group 1, with Wankling winning, Milner second, Jayna Mason fifth and Audyn Mettauer sixth. In Star 3 Group 1, Harder and Sydney Hoar each won silver while Callaway took bronze. Reese Johnson got bronze in Star 3 Group 6707 Dagg Rd. Prince George, BC 2, Hannah Jones won T: 250-962-9666 | F: 250-962-8450 | www.homehardware.ca silver in Star 3 Group 3, and Camilla Kiland won Hours of Operation Mon-Fri 9-9 | Sat 9-6 | Sun + Holidays 10-6 bronze in Star 2.

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Prince George Free Press

Friday, January 31, 2014

Datebook www.pgfreepress.com Friday Birthday tea, Jan. 31, 1 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Center, 3701 Rainbow Dr. H&H Market, FridaySunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 3955 Hart Highway. Read-to-me Storytime, Fridays, 10-10:45 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. Information: 250-614-0684.

Saturday Pencil drawing workshop, Feb. 1, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Domano Renewal Centre. Information: 250-9644475 or e-mail drc@ pgdiocese.bc.ca. Senior Idol Contest, Feb. 8, 7 p.m., 1692 10th Ave. Information: 250561-9381. Dance to Jonah Borden and the Renegades, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.-midnight, Hart Pioneer Centre. Over 19 welcome. Nechako Public Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd. A Butler’s Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 1156 Fourth Ave. Bible talks, Sundays, 4 p.m., Columbus Community Centre, 7201 Domano Blvd.

Sunday Pancake breakfast, Feb. 2, Hart Pioneer Centre. Snowshoe trip, Feb. 2, Livingston Springs. Meet 8:40 a.m., City Hall parking lot. Information: Brendan 250-614-0915 or nowell. senior@gmail.com. Snowshoe trip, Feb. 2, Giscome Portage and Huble Homstead. Meet City Hall parking lot at noon or Huble Homestead at 1 p.m. Information: Nowell 250-562-7485 or e-mail caledoniaramblers@ yahoo.ca. Northern Eagles Juvenile football, registration and testing, Feb. 2, 2-5 p.m., Northern Sports Centre. Information: headcoach– northerneagles@ outlook.ca or

badrian93@hotmail. com. Nechako Public Market, Sundays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 5100 North Nechako Rd. A Butler’s Market, Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 1156 Fourth Ave.

Monday Canasta, Feb. 3, 7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Tai Chi, Mondays, 1:30 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr.

Cariboo Toastmasters meet Mondays, 7:309:30 p.m., Ramada Hotel, 444 George St. Information: caribootoastmasters. com or Laura (250) 9613477. Northern Twister Square Dance Club meets Mondays, 7 p.m., Knox United Church basement. Information: Gys 250- 563-4828 or Reta 250-962-2740.

Tuesday Bridge, Tuesdays, 1 p.m., Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr.

Center City Toastmasters meet Tuesday, noon, City Hall Annex. Information: 9164. toastmastersclubs.org. Prince George Quilters Guild meets fourth Tuesday of the month, Connaught Youth Centre, 1491 17th Ave. Registration 6:30 p.m., meeting 7 p.m. Information: Echo 250-6120499. Buddhist meditation class, Tuesdays, 7:158:45 p.m., 320 Vancouver St. Information: 250-962-6876 or www. kmcvancouver.org. Spruce Capital Toastmasters meet Tuesdays, 7:25 p.m., 102-1566 7th Ave. Information: Tom 250562-3402. Sweet Adelines women’s four-part chorus meets Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., Studio 2880. New members welcome. Information: Kathy 250563-5170.

Hospital retirees meet, first Tuesday of the

month, 9 a.m., Prince George Golf Club. Information 250-5637497 or 250-563-2885.

A U T O B O D Y LT D .

Community Builder

Wednesday Bingo, Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m., Spruce Capital Senior Recreation Centre, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Whist, Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Senior Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick St. Hart Toastmasters, Wednesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Information: harttoastmasters.ca CNC Retirees meet fourth Wednesday, 9 a.m., D’Lanos. Information: Lois 250563-6928. Army Cadet Rangers free youth program, meets Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Connaught Youth Centre. Information: Sondra 250-963-9462 or Andrew 250-981-8270.

Scotiabank branch manager Trevor Lutes, front right, and staff present a cheque for $2,819 to Judy Nesier, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation CEO. The cheque represents the money left on the ice after the Dash for Cash sponsored by Scotiabank during Hockey Day in Canada on Jan. 18, plus an extra $1,000.

Proud to recognize those who give in our community.

Thursday Bingo, Feb. 6, 12:30 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre. Whist, Feb. 6, 7 p.m., Hart Pioneer Centre.

Metis Elders Craft group, Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, Prince George Metis Elders Society office, 117 – 1600 Third Ave. (Prince George Native Friendship Centre). Little Artists, Thursdays, 10:3011:30 a.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle. Information: 250-6140684. Prince George Grassroots Cribbage Club registration, 6:30 p.m. play 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, 3701 Rainbow Dr. Information: Gerda 250564-8561. Tai chi, Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., Knox United Church, 1448 Fifth Ave. Information: Lister 250964-3849 or listerchen@ shaw.ca. DayBreakers Toastmasters meets Thursday, 7-8 a.m., UHNBC Conference Room 1. Information: Heather 250-649-9591. BC Civil Liberties Union meets second Thursday of the month,

A U T O B O D Y LT D . 2065 - 1st Ave. • 250-563-0883 www.csninc.ca 6 p.m., 1575 Fifth Ave. Plaza 400 Toastmaster Club meets Thursday, noon, Aleza room, fourth floor, Plaza 400 building, 1011 4th Ave. Information: 6252. toastmastersclubs.org/ or 250-564-5191. Prince George Toastmasters meet Thursdays, 7:15 p.m., AiMHi, 950 Kerry St. Information: pgtoastmasters.com, Joyce 250-964-0961.

Old Time Fiddlers jam, Thursday, 7-10 p.m. Elder Citizens Rec Centre, 1692 10th Ave. ECRA Forever Young Chorus meet Thursdays, 12:45 p.m., ECRA, 1692 10th Ave.

Rainbows grief and loss program for ages 5-15, registering for the fall session. No charge. Information: Catherine 250-563-2551. Tea Time for the Soul. Would you like someone to listen to you? Come, listen, and share while enjoying a cup of tea. Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. at Forest Expo House, 1506 Ferry Ave. No cost. For more information, Jesse or Catherine at 250-5632551. Singles and friends, social group of people of all ages and diverse backgrounds, meets Wednesdays, 7 p.m., A&W on 20th Avenue.

Support Groups

Wednesday Tops (take off pounds sensibly) noon, AiMHi, 950 Kerry St. Information: Diane 250-964-6072.

Thursday Tops (take off pounds sensibly) 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Knox United Church,1448 Fifth Ave. Information: 250-5646336 (days), 250-9644851 (evenings).

Prostate Cancer Support Group meets 7 p.m., last Wednesday of the month, UNBC Community Care Centre in BMO Building. Information: www.pgpcsg.org or call 250-562-2825..

Thank You Prince George For Voting Us Best Auto Body Shop! Learning Circle Literacy Program works with adult learners and families on literacy, numeracy and computing skills. Information: 250564-3568 ext. 228, or literacy@pgnfc.com. Do you worry about the way you eat? Overeaters Anonymous may have the answers. Monday, 7:30 p.m., hospital, Room 421. Call Tanya 250-613-2823. Power Play, for children from newborns to five years old, Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m.noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m., South Fort George Family Resource Centre, 1200 La Salle Ave. Information: 250-6149449.

NorthBreast Passage Dragon Boat Society meets first Thursday of the month, 7 p.m., Chronic Disease Management Room, UHNBC. Information: Anita 250-563-2949 or Betty 250-962-7985.

Best Auto Body Shop

Royal Purple meets meets second and fourth Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Information: Dianne 250-596-0125 or Jeanette 250-563-9362.

“GIVE A LITTLE… GAIN A LOT!” Kidney Foundation of Canada - March Looking for volunteers to canvass `Door to Door` in their neighbourhoods, also require Zone Leaders, and District Leaders for the March Drive. E-mail: paul.duperron@shaw.ca Diane Duperron 250-962-7958 Rated PG Rollerderby Society - Feb 15 Roller Derby Game – Feb 15 at the Roll A Dome, 4 - 9pm. Helpers needed to help set up, take down, or if you would like to learn how to be a non-skating ofﬁcial. Email lockdown.alicia@gmail.com Alicia 250-640-0125 Railway & Forestry Museum Looking to train volunteers to engineer and conduct the Cottonwood mini-train for on- and off-site events. Interested individuals should contact Katherine at curator@pgrfm.bc.ca 250-563-7351 For information on volunteering with more than 100 non-proﬁt organizations in Prince George, contact Volunteer Prince George

250-564-0224 www.volunteerpg.com

The Community Datebook provides free community event listings every Friday. Submissions are accepted in written form only – dropped off, mailed or emailed – No Phone Calls please. Datebook runs as space allows, there is no guarantee of publication. Mail to 1773 South Lyon St., Prince George BC V2N 1T3. E-mail datebook@pgfreepress.com

Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press

Friday, January 31, 2014

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Employment

Career Opportunities

THERE IS a critical need for Medical Transcriptionists across Canada. Work from home. CanScribe graduates welcome and encouraged to apply. Apply through MTR at www.hds-mt.com/jobs

250.564.0005

Drivers/Courier/ Trucking Announcements

Announcements

Obituaries

Information ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC The 2014-2016 BC Hunting Regulations Synopsis

Travel

Employment

Travel

Business Opportunities

CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL Best Rates. 1.800.663.1818 century-plaza.com

ANTI-AGING BUSINESS Goldmine! #1 Baby Boomer Market in US. Prime Turn-key locations available. $12K(min. Invest)=$50K+ Yearly! Call today: 1-888-900-8276. 24/7. EXCITING NEW Canadian Business Opportunity. Available in your area! Min investment reqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d. For more info, call 1-866-945-6409. GET FREE vending machines. Can earn $100,000 + per year. All cash-retire in just 3 years. Protected territories. Full details call now 1-866-668-6629. Website www.tcvend.com

The most effective way to reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women. Two year edition- terriďŹ c presence for your business.

Please call Annemarie 1.800.661.6335 email: ďŹ sh@blackpress.ca

Personals Coming Events QUALITY ASSURANCE course for Health Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Commercial Marijuana Program. February 22 & 23 Best Western Hotel, Kelowna, BC. Tickets: www.greenlineacademy.com or 1-855-860-8611 or 250-870-1882.

Information ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Do you think you may have a problem with Alcohol? Alcohol Anonymous, Box 1257, Prince George, BC V2L 4V5 Call 250-564-7550

SHOP LOCALLY Obituaries

A+ Massage gives you complete stress release with a total body comfort massage. (250)617-5283

Employment

1-800-222-TIPS Travel

Timeshare CANCEL YOUR Timeshare. No risk program. Stop mortgage and maintenance Payments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consultation. Call us now. We can help! 1-888-356-5248.

Obituaries

FRASERVIEW CREMATORIUM PROVIDING BASIC CREMATION AND MEMORIAL SERVICES TO PRINCE GEORGE & AREA Columbarium Niches - Scattering Garden 40 Seat Chapel iiff5 '),# &5 ,%5 ( 5R5hkf7klh7jnng

Preplan your funeral and put your mind at ease

Career Opportunities

IN FIND IT THE CLASSIFIEDS

Career Opportunities

Kamloops - Cool Creek Energy Prince George Kootenays Rocky Mountain Energy Rocky- Mountain Energy Immediateopening openingfor forOutside an Outside Immediate SalesSales Account Account Executive in the OilIndustry & Gas Industry Executives in the Petroleum â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ Com/Ind Previouslubrication experienceexperience an asset required â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ Company Vehicle and ts Company Vehicle andBeneďŹ BeneďŹ ts â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ Some SomeTravel Travel Required Required

Only potential individuals will be contacted Please send resume to r.pynn@coolcreek.ca

LONG HAUL TRUCK DRIVERS Lally Trucking Ltd. in Prince George is hiring 5 full-time long haul truck drivers. Requirements: â&#x20AC;˘1 to 2 years experience â&#x20AC;˘class 1 driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license Duties: â&#x20AC;˘perform pre-trip inspection â&#x20AC;˘maintain log book â&#x20AC;˘load and unload cargo â&#x20AC;˘follow safety procedures for transporting goods â&#x20AC;˘communicate with dispatch and clients â&#x20AC;˘reading of road maps for directions etc â&#x20AC;˘strong English language skills Salary $23.00/hour with 40 hour work week. Interested applicants please email resume with driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abstract to: lallytruckingltd@hotmail.com

Interior Heavy Equipment Operator School

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Career Opportunities LEARN FROM home. Earn from home. Huge is a demand for Medical Transcriptionists. Start your online learning today with CanScribe Career College. www.canscribe.com Call 1.800.466.1535 or email: info@canscribe.com

IN ONLY 3-10 WEEKS!

NO SIMULATORS. NEVER SHARE MACHINES. See your Career or Employment Counsellor for Funding Info

PARTS DELIVERY DRIVER James Western Star Truck & Trailer Ltd. has an immediate opening for an entry level position. Must have a valid Class 5 Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s License and provide a clean Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Abstract. This can be a physical job.

Please apply via email to:

jisabelle@jamesws.com or by fax to: (250) 562-3260

THE CITY

Where you can make a difference in your community

Heavy Duty Mechanic

Account AccountExecutives Executive

Education/Trade Schools

LOG HAULERS Attention Truckers! Wildrose Logging Company is seeking Log Haulers! Drivers needed for company owned trucks and sub-contract trucks . We offer competitive wages and rates and always put your safety ďŹ rst! Please forward your resume or company information with a current drivers abstract to hr@isley.ca or fax to 780-532-1250

Drivers/Courier/ Trucking

OR CALL US AT:

1-866-399-3853

Career Opportunities

Build Your Career With Us Looking for your next great career opportunity? Do you thrive in a dynamic and challenging environment with the Ć&#x2030;otenĆ&#x;al Ä¨or conĆ&#x;nuouĆ? growth and develoĆ&#x2030;mentÍ? t dolĹŹo Ć&#x2030;eoĆ&#x2030;le are our moĆ?t valuaÄ?le reĆ?ource and our Ć?ucceĆ?Ć? iĆ? deĆ&#x2030;endent on innovaĆ&#x;ve individualĆ? who are aligned with our organiÇ&#x152;aĆ&#x;onal valueĆ?Í&#x2DC; te currently have the Ä¨ollowing career oĆ&#x2030;Ć&#x2030;ortuniĆ&#x;eĆ? availaÄ?leÍ&#x2014;

ZÄ&#x17E;Ĺ?Ĺ?Ĺ˝ĹśÄ&#x201A;ĹŻ KÄ?Ä?ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x;Ĺ˝ĹśÄ&#x201A;ĹŻ ,Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;ĹŻĆ&#x161;Ĺ&#x161; Î&#x2DC; ^Ä&#x201A;Ä¨Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x161;Ç&#x2021; ^ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ć?Ĺ˝Ć&#x152; ariÄ?oo ZegionÍ&#x2022; tilliamĆ? >aĹŹeÍ&#x2022;

Ĺ˝ĹśĆ&#x;ĹśĆľĹ˝ĆľĆ? /ĹľĆ&#x2030;Ć&#x152;Ĺ˝Ç&#x20AC;Ä&#x17E;ĹľÄ&#x17E;ĹśĆ&#x161; Ĺ˝Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;Ä&#x161;Ĺ?ĹśÄ&#x201A;Ć&#x161;Ĺ˝Ć&#x152; ariÄ?oo ZegionÍ&#x2022; tilliamĆ? >aĹŹeÍ&#x2022;

Bring your HD or Commercial Transport ticket and extensive heavy equipment experience to this role overhauling and repairing a variety of ďŹ&#x201A;eet vehicles and machinery. Preference will be given to candidates who also hold an automotive ticket.

^Ä&#x201A;Ç ĹľĹ?ĹŻĹŻ ^ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ĺ?ĹśĆ&#x161;Ä&#x17E;ĹśÄ&#x161;Ä&#x17E;ĹśĆ&#x161;

This position offers an hourly wage of $34.82 plus an excellent beneďŹ ts package and pension. Please reply in conďŹ dence quoting Competition #14/006 by February 10, 2014 to:

Ĺ?Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ć?Ĺ?Ĺ˝ĹśÄ&#x201A;ĹŻ Ä?Ä?Ĺ˝ĆľĹśĆ&#x161;Ä&#x201A;ĹśĆ&#x161;

Service Centre, City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 Email: careers@city.pg.bc.ca

Career Opportunities

^oda reeĹŹ DiviĆ?ionÍ&#x2022; tilliamĆ? >aĹŹeÍ&#x2022;

^Ä&#x201A;Ç ĹľĹ?ĹŻĹŻ ^ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ć?Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;

>aĹŹeview DiviĆ?ionÍ&#x2022; tilliamĆ? >aĹŹeÍ&#x2022; ariÄ?oo ZegionÍ&#x2022; tilliamĆ? >aĹŹeÍ&#x2022;

dolĹŹo oÄŤerĆ? an uncomĆ&#x2030;romiĆ?ing ÄöcuĆ? on Ć?aÄëty Ć&#x2030;erÄörmanceÍ&#x2022; comĆ&#x2030;eĆ&#x;Ć&#x;ve comĆ&#x2030;enĆ?aĆ&#x;on Ć&#x2030;acĹŹageĆ?Í&#x2022; Ć?uĆ?tainaÄ?le Ä?uĆ?ineĆ?Ć? Ć&#x2030;racĆ&#x;ceĆ?Í&#x2022; and a Ć&#x2030;rogreĆ?Ć?ive environmentÍ&#x2DC; te are an induĆ?try leader in world marĹŹetĆ? and we are looĹŹing Äör Ć?ome great people to join our team!

Host City for the 2015 Canada Winter Games For additional information about the City of Prince George and this exciting opportunity, please visit our website at:

princegeorge.ca

Apply Today! www.tolko.com

www.pgfreepress.com

Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press

Employment

Services

Drivers/Courier/ Trucking

Trades, Technical

Home Care

HIGHWAY OWNER OPERATORS $3500 SIGNING BONUS Van Kam’s Group of Companies requires Highway linehaul Owner Operators based in our Prince George terminal for runs throughout BC and Alberta. Applicants must have winter and mountain, driving experience/training. We offer above average rates and an excellent employee beneﬁts package.

To join our team of professional drivers, email a resume, current driver’s abstract & details of your truck to: careers@vankam.com Call: 604-968-5488 Fax: 604-587-9889 Only those of interest will be contacted. Van-Kam is committed to Employment Equity and Environmental Responsibility.

Education/Trade Schools Food Safety is EVERYBODY’S Business

Northern Health announces a 5yr expiry date as of July 29, 2013.

Now accepting registration: Keeping Food Safe

FoodSafe Level 1 Feb. 8, 2014 IMSS Building 1270 2nd Ave.

Feb. 26, 2014 IMSS Building 1270 2nd Ave.

Mar. 8, 2014 IMSS Building 1270 2nd Ave.

Classes Run 8:30–5:00pm

• Certiﬁed Utility Arborist’s • Certiﬁed Arborist’s • Utility Tree Trimmer’s • Utility Tree Worker’s • Labourers

Quad L Enterprises, a vegetation maintenance co. with work locations in Alberta and BC, is looking to ﬁll the above positions. We offer: • Competitive Compensation • Company Beneﬁts • Excellent Health and Safety Program Please submit resumes with drivers abstract to: hr@isley.ca or Fax: (1)-(780)532-1250

Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. has an immediate opening

for a Mechanical Manager in Dease Lake, BC As part of our management team in our Stikine area, you are responsible for supervising and directing a team of mechanics to maintain our ﬂeet of plow trucks & equipment. You will work closely with the Operations Manager to determine shop & equipment priorities, and manage shop & inventory schedules to meet those priorities. You have previous experience in a similar role, managing employees and budgets. You

For details on these positions and more, visit: ldmltd.ca/careers

ABC Foodsafe School

250-563-2585

Help Wanted

Northern N h BC’ BC’s Àrst Persian restaurant, is hiring a cook to join our culinary team as well as kitchen help or cook assistant. Bring your resume to us in Parkwood Mall at #159, 1600 15th Avenue, Prince George, BC shiraz.cafe.pg@gmail.com North Enderby Timber is looking to hire for various sawmill positions including Heavy Duty Mechanic (Journeyman or Apprentice). Millwright and Fabricator. We offer competitive wages along with a comprehensive beneﬁt package. Please fax resume to 250-838-9637.

Medical/Dental FT Registered Dental Hygienist required. Please mail resume to: Dr. Mirko Pellizzari, 674 Front St., Quesnel, BC V2J 2K8.

Trades, Technical GPRC, Fairview Campus, Alberta needs Power Engineering Instructors. No teaching experience, no problem. Please contact Brian Carreau at 780-835-6631 and/or visit our website at www.gprc.ab.ca

Marine Technician

Primary duties include maint. troubleshooting & repair of diesel & gas marine engines. Knowledgeable in vessel electrical systems. Must have own tools and a valid drivers license. Compensation Based On Experience. Please forward resume to vancouveroutboard@ telus.net

Help Wanted

Transportation

$200 & Under

Commercial/ Industrial

Trucks & Vans

Private in-home care and housekeeping services tailored to your needs. Call for more info 250-649-8783

Firewood, driest wood in town split & delivered $180/cord (250)964-2020

Legal Services

Misc. for Sale

CRIMINAL RECORD? Don’t let it block employment, travel, education, professional, certiﬁcation, adoption property rental opportunities. For peace of mind & a free consultation call 1-800-347-2540.

HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/ newspaper?

NOW HIRING Class 1 Drivers to transport dangerous goods for oilfield service company in northern Alberta. Competitive wages, benefits and lodging. Experience hauling fluids preferred. Send an email to: dispatch@brekkaas.com.

Misc. Wanted Private Coin Collector Buying Collections, Estates, Olympic Gold & Silver Coins, Bills etc. Conﬁdential 778-281-0030

Services

Household Services

Health Products WHY YOUR Fat Friends Will Hate You When You Lose Weight! As Seen On TV, RiskFree 60 Day. Toll-Free 1-800804-1381. www.FatLossFAQ.com

Financial Services DROWNING IN debt? Cut debts more than 60% & debt free in half the time! Avoid bankruptcy! Free consultation. www.mydebtsolution.com or Toll free 1-877-556-3500 BBB Rated A+ GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 1-877-987-1420 www.pioneerwest.com IF YOU own a home or real estate, Alpine Credits can lend you money: It’s That Simple. Your Credit / Age / Income is not an issue. 1.800.587.2161.

STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% OFF! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-4572206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca STEEL BUILDING. “The big year end clear out!” 20x22 $4,259. 25x24 $4,684. 30x34 $6,895. 35x36 $9,190. 40x48 $12,526. 47x70 $17,200. One end wall included. Pioneer Steel 1-800-668-5422. www.pioneersteel.ca

For details on these positions and more, visit: ldmltd.ca/careers

FOUR SISTERS SEWING 250-564-4985

Apply with resume and references in person at the Dease Lake or Burns Lake ofﬁces, or to: careers@ldmltd.ca or fax to 250-692-3930

Rentals

Firewood/Fuel

Apply with resume and references in person at the Dease Lake or Burns Lake ofﬁces, or to careers@ldmltd.ca or fax to 250-692-3930

Available are excellent remuneration and beneﬁts, including housing and relocation assistance for the right person.

Diane Rosebrugh & Dick Rosebrugh, B.Ed.

Fax: 250-563-2572

We also have an opening for a Receptionist in our Dease Lake ofﬁce if your spouse / partner is looking for local employment.

Alterations/ Dressmaking

Group Rates Available

www.abcfoodsafe.com info@abcfoodsafe.com

You will be part of a team of mechanics maintaining a medium sized fleet of trucks and equipment. A valid CVI ticket or ability and qualifications to get one are preferred. This position offers excellent benefits and allowances.

are able to manage and plan effectively with tight deadlines and under pressure.

We also have an opening for a Receptionist in our Dease Lake ofﬁce if your spouse / partner is looking for local employment.

Merchandise for Sale Home Gym, 120 lb weight system $200, Abdour exercise chair $75 (250)964-2635

Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. has an immediate opening for a TJ Heavy Duty Mechanic in Dease Lake, BC

A mature lady interested in doing light housekeeping in your home. If interested call Sandra at (250)981-3752

Landscaping Fall YARD CLEAN-UP Garbage Removal & Gutter Cleaning (250)961-3612 or (250)964-4758 res PAL’S MAINTENANCE

Painting & Decorating Paint Special 3 Rooms $589 incl. prem qlty paint, your color choices, 2 coats, ﬁlled nail holes. Ceiling & trim extra. Free Est. HB Tech Painting 250-649-6285

Snowclearing

TRY A CLASSIFIED AD

Rentals Apt/Condo for Rent

Midtowne

• 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available • Close to hospital & downtown • Rent includes heat, hot water • Elevator to undercover parking • Fridge, stove, quality carpets, drapes • Laundry on each ﬂoor • No pets

To Rent Call:

250-561-1447

Reliable person will shovel snow in bowl area. Phone 250-552-3763 after 3 pm.

HARDWOOD MANOR 1575 Queensway Bachelor, 1 & 2 bdrm Suites Heat/hot water included

Telephone Services

Adult Oriented/Students welcome Incentives for long-term students

DISCONNECTED PHONE? National Teleconnect home phone service. No one refused! Low monthly rate! Calling features and unlimited long distance available. Call National Teleconnect today! 1866-443-4408. or visit online: www.nationalteleconnect.com

(250)441-0126 www.autotrader.ca

Wrecker/Used Parts USED TIRES Cars & Trucks $25 & up

Misc for Rent

Most Sizes Available

For Seniors 55+

15270 Hwy 97 South 250.963.3435

bdrm suites All utilities included except phone & internet. Call Theresa 250-962-5570 1 & 2-

Shared Accommodation 2 bdrm apt to share with mature person. Smoker OK. St Laurant Manor 250-640-0986

Transportation

Scrap Car Removal

FREE SCRAP CAR REMOVAL within 15 km

P&R 250-963-3435

Legal

Legal Notices NOTICE IS GIVEN BY HIGHWAY 16 STORAGE 4422 KIMBALL RD, PG BC Under the Warehouse Lien Act, That a claim is made against the Persons listed below for the goods they have abandoned in storage. All efforts to contact you have failed. If the storage fees and related costs are not paid in full and the goods removed by February 15, 2014, the goods will be seized and sold with the proceeds to be kept against your debts, as per the contract you signed: Shirley Conlon $756.00 Charlene Krinner $1302.00 Dustin Hug $1184.00 Valerie Leclair $1016.79

Help for today. Hope for Tomorrow.

Email: prﬂeet@telus.net MEMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLER’S

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC.

Call 1-800-667-3742

“DO’IN IT RIGHT”

Misc. for Sale

TARPS! TARPS! “BEST PRICES IN TOWN!”

BLUE TARPS

Pine Grove Apts

STARTING AT $2.19

Clean 2 bdrm apts available Student & other incentives No Dogs

WHITE TARPS

Phone 250-563-2221

10X10 weave (Heavy Duty)

STARTING AT $3.99

BLACK TARPS 14X14 weave (Industrial Duty)

STARTING AT $5.49

FOAM SHOP MATTRESS REPLACEMENTS SINGLE TO KING SIZE

X CROSSWORD ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 699

Mature, semi-retired or retired delivery driver needed. Part-time work available. Contact (250) 552-4114 by Feb.7, 2014

CE • OFFI ERCIAL M • COM IL A • RET Space available for rent For all your rental needs Call 562-8343 or 562-RENT

2007 Chev 1/2 ton Silverado Standard Cab, 8’ box, 2 wheel drive, 107,0000 km, winter tires $13,500

10X8 weave (Medium Duty)

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 434

DRIVER WANTED

Majestic Management (1981) Ltd.

Call (250)561-1446

Help Wanted

Local electrical wholesaler in Quesnel requires self motivated, experienced, professional, hard working person with valid drivers licence. For inside sales / warehouse position with room for advancement. Salary based on experience. Please forward your resume & drivers abstract to Adam at 1275 Cariboo Hwy 97 North in Quesnel B.C. V2J 2Y or Email: adam.daly@nedco.ca

Friday, January 31, 2014

2” TO 6” THICK - CUSTOM CUT OR CUSTOM ORDER MEMORY FOAM TOPPER PADS - 3LB DENSITY SINGLE TO KING SIZE - 2” & 3” THICK

CUSHION REPLACEMENTS TORN OR TATTERED? SOFAS, CHAIRS, OTTOMANS, SNOWMOBILES SEATS, TRACTORS

YOU NEED IT - WE WILL CUT IT!

CAMPING FOAM, MEDICAL WEDGES & BOLSTERS, PILLOWS

“ A CUT ABOVE THE REST” FIND US ON FACEBOOK

www.surplusherbys.com PRINCE GEORGE - 1175 2ND AVENUE

1-855-283-8150

Friday, January 31, 2014

Prince George - CLASSIFIEDS - Free Press

CAREERS & OPPORTUNITIES

www.pgfreepress.com

FIND the staff

you need... Now! To be included in the Free Press Careers & Opportunities Pages Call 250-564-0005

Friday issue: 1:00 p.m. Tuesday

250.564.0005 | www.pgfreepress.com

Deadlines for

How to find your niche market Entrepreneurs must understand demographics (NC) Part of being an entrepreneur is having the ability to innovate and to adapt to changes in the marketplace, particularly when it comes to understanding the demographics of your prime customers. Great ideas will come to life by offering new products and services, or by delivering them in new ways. As with any major undertaking, you will need to do your research first to determine which group of people you want to reach and how to get their attention. Consider the following guiding questions: • Is there a group of potential customers with similar wants or needs? • Is the market big enough to support my business? • Who is my competition, and are they currently serving that same market? • Can I adapt my products and services to address the market’s needs, and still be profitable? The best way to learn more about your potential customers is to conduct some market research to find out first-hand what

they want. Let’s say you work in the healthcare field and have learned that a growing number of people are looking for mobile services, or personalized care at home. You might decide to expand your service offerings, or start a new business aimed at meeting a particular set of needs for this area. If you keep an eye on emerging social trends, or changes in demographics like an aging population, you can get in on the ground floor, or adapt accordingly. Once you’ve determined who you want to reach, you can focus on adjusting or developing a marketing plan. You have heard what the market has to say; now it’s your turn to reach out to them. Think about the language and tone you use, and the way you present yourself to them. Perform some test marketing and seek feedback. You can also start your research with free business services by contacting the Canada Business Network website at canadabusiness.gc.ca for more business information.

Students, industry discuss tech training with government With the technology hub in B.C. growing rapidly, students and industry leaders conveyed their skills training needs at a roundtable discussion with the Minister of Advanced Education and the Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services. “B.C. is gaining a competitive digital edge in the global marketplace and post-secondary education and skills training are vital to making that happen,” said Amrik Virk, Minister of Advanced Education, in a press release. “We are here listening to the needs of students and industry ensuring British Columbians are getting the right training.” Close to three-quarters of all future jobs in B.C. will need at least some post-secondary education, he said. Professional, scientific and technical services are expected to continue to be among the most in-demand areas in the years to come. The technology sector is one of the fastest-growing areas of B.C.’s economy. This sector creates jobs for more than 84,000 people at more than 8,900 established companies. It also generates revenues of $18 billion per year and accounts for 10 per cent of B.C.’s exports at $4.1 billion. “Students in B.C. have an opportunity to become leaders in the booming technology market,” said Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services. “It is discussions like these which allow us to find additional avenues for collaboration to address the need for skills training in the technology industry.” The roundtable, hosted by Mitacs - a national research and training organization headquartered in B.C. - was an opportunity for government, industry and students to share their ideas, successes and challenges. “In B.C., we are fortunate to have a highly-qualified pool of talent which is poised to have a significant impact on our technology industry,” said Dr. Arvind Gupta, CEO and scientific director of Mitacs. “Our challenge is to ensure that we create training and research opportunities to ensure that these young innovators can easily transition into the job market.” “The professional development training offered by Mitacs Elevate provided me with the opportunity to develop vital career skills that I needed as a PhD graduate embarking on a career outside of academia for the

first time,” said Sara Bavarian, post-doctoral fellow, Distribution Automation Engineer, Powertech Labs. “In fact, the workshops were instrumental in helping me land the job I’m at today.” B.C.’s technology and innovation sector is broad and includes health sciences to information technology and wireless to digital Prince George Association for Community Living We are recruiƟng employees with full Ɵme or part Ɵme availability to create a posiƟve home life, support people when parƟcipaƟng in community events and assist with planning and implementaƟon of skill building opportuniƟes. You will also assist people with daily living skills which may include personal care. Requirements Ability to enroll in Community and School Support (CASS) Courses 140, 145, 130 & 150, (equivalencies may be considered). Experience with disabiliƟes; knowledge of conŇict resoluƟon/crisis intervenƟon; ability to organize acƟviƟes, establish rapport with clients, observe and recognize changes, and work as a member of a mulƟdisciplinary team. Valid B.C. Class 5 Driver’s License and Driving Abstract; work may require the use of a personal vehicle. Basic computer skills and physical ability to carry out the duƟes are also required. Excellent beneĮts and Municipal Pension Plan provided. With over 400 dedicated employees, AimHi provides advocacy, support and services to people who have special needs.

950 Kerry Street, Prince George, BC V2M 5A3 Phone: 250-564-6408 • Fax:250-564-6801 Email: recepƟon@aimhi.ca

media. It is one of eight key sectors identified in the BC Jobs Plan.

PRINCE GEORGE NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE Our People make a difference in the community

The Prince George Native Friendship Centre, a visionary non-proﬁt society, has been serving the needs of the entire community for the past 43 years. We are seeking candidates for the following position(s) within our organization YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT: Reconnect Youth Village – Youth Care Workers (FT, PT and Auxiliary) Closing date: January 31, 2014 at Noon HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Native Healing Centre – Youth Drug & Alcohol Counsellor Closing date: February 17, 2014 at Noon A hard copy listing the roles, responsibilities and qualiﬁcations of the position are available from the Prince George Native Friendship Centre’s web site at www.pgnfc.com (click on Join Our Team / Careers). To apply, submit a resume, cover letter and three (3) references detailing which position you are applying for, to: Prince George Native Friendship Centre 1600 Third Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3G6 Fax: (250) 563-0924 E-mail: employment@pgnfc.com Applications will be accepted until dates noted on postings, no telephone inquiries please. We thank all applicants, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

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Prince George Free Press

Friday, January 31, 2014

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Welcome Welcom me to the driver’s seat

Durango is yet another example of what Chrysler is doing right. I enjoyed my entire time with it and so did the rest of the family. Zack Spencer

Visit the Durango gallery at DrivewayBC.ca

One bad Durango in a good way The 2014 Dodge Durango test truck was the perfect Christmas treat. This is the perfect kind of vehicle to have when you need to cart around extra kids and family from events like skating parties to Christmas dinners to anything else that needs getting done over the festive season. With three rows of seats and seating for six or seven passengers, the Durango is a large comfortable vehicle for any large family or a family of four that needs to take extra people to soccer or hockey practice. The Durango tester was the top of line Citadel model with a beautiful two-tine interior, large polished wheels and classy looking grille. It was not fitted with winter tires but we had no skiing plans, plus all Durango models come with AWD as standard equipment. Looks I can’t remember the last time a large SUV turned heads but this model had passersby, friends, and family all taking notice. Several neighbours commented on the stylish “racetrack” rear light bar that has migrated from the Dodge Dart and Charger sedans to this big SUV for 2014. Because of standard AWD and other packaging changes, the starting price is higher than direct competitors, the Ford Explorer or Nissan Pathfinder. Both those vehicles have a base model that starts around $30,000, the Durango, in contrast, starts at $39,995 and tops out at $51,995. This Citadel model, with options, is over $60,000. The base model comes nicely equipped with 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and

Bluetooth streaming to name a few. Dodge believes the $43,995 Limited model will be the volume seller thanks to a backup camera with sensors, heated seats over the first two rows and a higher level of interior trim.

take extra passengers regularly, I would opt for the less expensive bench seat that allows room for 7 people inside.

Drive The big update for 2014 is the introduction of an I can’t remember 8-speed automatic transmission to help limit the Inside the last time a large amount of fuel this big Updates to the interior SUV turned heads rig uses. When matched for 2014 include a new to the base 290hp 3.6L steering wheel that conbut this model had V6 the official fuel rating trols two new screens on passersby, friends is 12.4L/100km in the the dash. The first is the and family all taking city and 8.3L on the intuitive and very quick highway. The optional uConnect screen in the notice 5.7L V8 with 360hp uses centre of the console. All Zack Spencer much more fuel and is Durango models, except rated at 15.6L/100km in this top Citadel, get a the city and 9.1L on the 5-inch unit; this trim gets highway. Over two weeks, in almost the 8.3-inch version, which is too bad. 100 per cent city driving and short trips, The second screen is embedded in the I used a whopping 20L/100 in the city. instrument cluster and can be customIf the Durango were allowed to stretch ized. I tried my hand at this but never its legs on the open road that number really mastered it. The biggest selling would have been much better. Handling point for the Durango is the amount of space it offers over three rows for 6 or 7 passengers. My youngest son loved climbing into the third row and could actually stretch out. I even tried it out and can report that adults have plenty of room in any seat. The Citadel model came equipped with a stunning two-tone interior featuring black carpets and tan seats. This contrast won over my wife who wouldn’t have looked twice at a Durango but after the first week she admitted how much she enjoyed the experience. If you

‘‘

’’

is first rate thanks to a Mercedes-Benz derived platform (GL-Class). There is a good amount of road feel but bigger bumps are eaten up with no fuss. Verdict This latest Durango is yet another example of what Chrysler is doing right. It is loaded with the latest technology, has a class leading 8-speed automatic, attitude and room to spare. I enjoyed my entire time with it and so did the rest of the family, we even gave it a name, “The Badongo” I don’t know why, but it really is one Bad Durango. If I can read the tea leaves for a moment, I would bet the EcoDiesel will be coming to the Durango, hopefully sooner rather then better. The Lowdown Power: 3.6L V6 with 290hp or 5.7L V8 with 360hp Fill-up: 12.2L/8.3L/100km (city/highway V6) Sticker price: $39,995-$51,995 zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca

Question OF THE WEEK:

When shopping do you drive into a parking lot space or back into it? Please explain why you have made that decision.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK!

Go to drivewayBC.ca to submit your answer.

Safety Tip: With road visibility limited at this time of year, it is more important than ever to pay close attention to traffic controllers and be patient when driving through construction zones. They are putting themselves in harm’s way to keep construction workers and all road users safe.

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Prince George Free Press

Friday, January 31, 2014

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Predictions of Hybrid extinction are premature Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently equated hybrid vehicles to early amphibians that hopped out of the oceans, learned to survive on land and eventually disappeared. Ironically, if the electric vehicle (EV) evolved in a similar way, Tesla (an exclusively EV company) wouldn’t exist right now and this would probably be in a vibrant Hybrid Age! Despite the early birth of production EV, hybrid (HEV) and now plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales continue to rise, new models continue to arrive and at least three all-new PHEVs are expected later this year. A HEV functions just like, or similar to, a conventional gas-engine vehicle, from a driver/owner perspective. It consumes substantially less fuel, especially in an urban environment, and a regenerative braking system can greatly extend the life of brake friction pads. A PHEV increases the energy saving, money saving, and greenhouse gas reducing advantages by tapping into an electrical source and pulling relatively inexpensive electrical power off the main grid. It then uses this energy to go further on electrical power alone. How far depends primarily on the capacity (size) of its storage battery, but also on the drive system, the terrain and weather conditions and how the PHEV is driven. Lugging around a bigger battery obviously increases the weight of a PHEV and it takes up either passenger cabin or more likely trunk cargo space. The latest

lithium-ion battery packs are lighter and more compact, but the space sacrifice is something that a prospective owner must be willing to live with. Hybrid owner feedback is generally very positive and the fuel savings can be substantial. That said, you generally pay a premium for this technology, but that gap is rapidly narrowing. Last year, GM slashed $5,000 off the price of its popular Chevrolet Volt, the best selling PHEV on the market. While GM marketing promotes the Volt as an “extended range” electric vehicle, as its road wheels are always driven by an electric motor, it’s still classified as a PHEV. A small on-board gas engine generates electricity, when necessary. The new Honda Accord Hybrid (a HEV) further blurs the differences between HEV and PHEV, as it uses the same two-motor powertrain used in the Accord Plug-in Hybrid (a PHEV edition that’s currently only sold in selected markets). At speeds under 80 km/h the road wheels are driven by an electric motor and its Atkinson cycle gas engine is only used to generate electrical power, when needed. The current list price for an Accord EX-L is $29,455 and the Accord Hybrid starts at $29,590, which is only $135 more. The top-line Accord Touring V6 sells for $35,400 and the Touring edition of Accord Hybrid is $36,690, just an extra $290. The price differential is almost nonexistent. Choosing HEV or PHEV boils-down to whether

‘‘

Hybrid vehicles have never been more affordable and certainly well worth consideration, if you’re thinking about buying a new vehicle.”.

’’

Bob McHugh

an owner can take full advantage of the plug-in electrical storage feature and normal driving commutes are within the electric-only speed and distance range of the PHEV. A low-speed urban driving commute allowing the PHEV to be charged at home overnight and topped-up again while at work, during the day, would be an ideal scenario. While the popularity of hybrid vehicles continues to grow, barring a sudden spike in the price of oil/gasoline, a meteoric rise in the popularity of alternatives to the old reliable gas engine vehicle is unlikely. Then again, who knows what the future, or the next twist in evolution, will bring. Hybrid vehicles have never been more affordable and certainly well worth consideration, if you’re thinking about buying a new vehicle. bob.mchugh@drivewaybc.ca

Classic car TV stars By Rob Sass Viewed through the lens of the passage of 40 or 50 years, our favorite classic TV shows seem to have been full of great classic cars. Of course, they were all just new cars then and their presence on our favorite shows was no accident. It was the dawn of the product-placement era, and cars were by far the choicest products to embed in shows like “Green Acres” and “Bewitched.” In those days, the Big Three got near-exclusive sponsorships on the shows plus a credit at the end. Here are some favorite shows and the brand of cars they featured: 1. “The Rockford Files”: One of the last great private-eye shows, former big-screen star James Garner played slick Jim Rockford to perfection. And while Rockford almost never used a gun, he did use a gold Pontiac Firebird on a regular basis. Frequent

continuity errors meant that Rockford could be seen driving several different years of mid-’70s Firebirds in one scene. 2. “Green Acres”: One of the trio of CBS’s hit “rural shows,” along with “Petticoat Junction” and “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Green Acres” was a Ford show, and the cars that received most of the screen time were a series of 1965-67 Lincoln Continental convertibles driven by cranky Oliver Douglas (played by Eddie Albert). Oliver’s Continentals get our vote as the most stylish and elegant star cars on classic television. 3. “Charlie’s Angels”: Every adolescent boy’s favorite show was also a Ford show for most of its run. Two of the Angels drove a Mustang II — Farrah Fawcett’s character, Jill, drove what passed for a Cobra in those days — and ironically, the brainy Angel,

Sabrina, actually drove a Pinto. 4. “The Beverly Hillbillies”: The Hillbillies was a comparatively rare Mopar show —The Chrysler Corporation supplied the vehicles. The snobby Drysdales, a wealthy banking family, could usually be seen in a top-of-the-line Imperial, and Milburn Drysdale’s long-suffering assistant, Jane Hathaway, usually drove a Dodge Coronet or a Plymouth Fury convertible. 5. “Bewitched”: For most of its run, “Bewitched” was proudly pro-Chevy, with tons of Camaros, Caprices and even Corvairs appearing over the show’s long run. But the guy with the wife who could twitch her nose and conjure up any car he wanted rarely had the coolest ride on the show. Nope, it was Darrin Stephens’ boss, Larry Tate, who often showed up in a new Corvette convertible.

ON NOW AT YOUR BC GMC DEALERS. BCGMCDEALERS.CA 1-800-GM-DRIVE. GMC is a brand of General Motors of Canada. */†/ô/¥/¥¥ Offers apply to the lease of a new or demonstrator 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab 4x4 (1SA), 2014 GMC Acadia SLE-1 FWD (3SA), 2014 GMC Terrain SLE-1 FWD (3SA). Freight ($1,650/$1,600) and PDI included. License, insurance, registration, PPSA, administration fees and taxes not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Offers apply to qualified retail customers in BC GMC Dealer Marketing Association area only. Dealer order or trade may be required. ô0%/1.9%/2.5% lease APR available for 48 months on a new or demonstrator 2014 GMC Terrain SLE-1 FWD/2014 GMC Acadia SLE-1 FWD/2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab 4x4 1SA, O.A.C by GM Financial. Annual kilometre limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometre. Down payment or trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payments may vary depending on down payment/trade. License, insurance, dealer fees, excess wear and km charges, applicable taxes, registration fees and other applicable fees not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Offer may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. GMCL may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See participating dealer for details. †* The Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) comprises professional journalists, photographers specializing in cars and trucks. They provide unbiased opinions of new vehicles to help consumers make better purchases that are right for them. For more information visit www.ajac.ca. ^ 2014 Sierra 1500 with the available 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission has a fuel-consumption rating of 13.0L/100 km city and 8.7L/100 km hwy 2WD and 13.3L/100 km city and 9.0L/100 km hwy 4WD. Fuel consumption based on GM testing in accordance with approved Transport Canada test methods. Your actual fuel consumption may vary. Competitive fuel consumption ratings based on Natural Resources Canada’s 2013 Fuel Consumption Guide for WardsAuto.com 2013 Large Pickup segment and latest available information at the time of posting. **When equipped with available 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine. Comparison based on wardsauto.com 2013 Large Light-Duty Pickup segment and latest competitive data available. Excludes other GM vehicles. † Comparison based on wardsauto.com 2013 Large Pickup segment and latest competitive data available. Excludes other GM vehicles. †† The 2-Year Scheduled Lube-Oil-Filter Maintenance Program provides eligible customers in Canada, who have purchased, leased or financed a new eligible 2014 MY GMC with an ACDelco oil and filter change, in accordance with the oil life monitoring system and the Owner’s Manual, for 2 years or 40,000 KMs, whichever occurs first, with a limit of four (4) Lube-Oil-Filter services in total, performed at participating GM Dealers. Fluid top offs, inspections, tire rotations, wheel alignments and balancing, etc. are not covered. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. General Motors of Canada Limited reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ¥ $3,500/$4,000 manufacturer to dealer delivery credit has been applied to the purchase, finance and lease offers of 2014 Sierra Double Cab 4x4 (with SLE Premium Package)/Sierra 1500 Double Cab 4X4 (1SA) (without SLE Premium Package), and is applicable to retail customers only. Other credits available on select Sierra models. Offer ends January 31, 2014. ¥¥ $1,000 manufacturer to dealer lease cash available on 2014 Sierra Double Cab. Other cash credits available on most models. See your GM dealer for details. Offer ends January 31, 2014. ‡ Offer only valid from January 2, 2013 – January 31, 2014 (the “Program Period”) to retail customers resident in Canada who own or are currently leasing (during the Program Period) a GM or competitor pickup truck to receive a $1,000 credit towards the purchase, finance or lease of an eligible new 2013 or 2014 Model Year Chevrolet Silverado Light Duty, Silverado Heavy Duty, Sierra Light Duty, Sierra Heavy Duty, or 2013 Avalanche. Only one (1) credit may be applied per eligible vehicle sale. Offer is transferable to a family member living in the same household (proof of address required). This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. The $1,000 credit includes HST/GST/PST as applicable by province. As part of the transaction, dealer will request current vehicle registration and/or insurance to prove ownership. GMCL reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Void where prohibited by law. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See your GM dealer for details. #Offer valid only to eligible retail lessees in Canada who have obtained credit approval by GM Financial, have entered into a lease agreement with GM Financial, and who accept delivery from January 3, 2014 through February 28, 2014 of a new eligible 2014 model. General Motors of Canada will pay the first month’s lease payment, or first 2 bi-weekly lease payments (inclusive of taxes). After the first month, lessee will be required to make all remaining scheduled payments over the remaining term of the lease agreement. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. General Motors of Canada Limited reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Void where prohibited by law. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ô*Comparison based on 2013 Polk segmentation: Compact SUV and latest competitive data available and based on the maximum legroom available. ‡*Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution. Comparison based on 2013 Wards segmentation: Large/Cross Utility Vehicles and latest competitive data available. Excludes other GM vehicles. ^^The Best Buy Seal is a registered trademark of Consumers Digest Communications, LLC, used under license. Consumer Digest Best Buy was awarded to the 2013 Acadia.

www.pgfreepress.com Prince George Free Press Friday, January 31, 2014

The Toyota Sienna has evolved and adapted to a changing market continuously since its introduction in 1998. Looks: The Sienna van has a very familiar front end. Look no further than the Toyota Venza where it not only shares the same face but also the same platform. In fact, this platform is used in the Highlander, RAV4, and Camry. This new look is attracting buyers that in the past would not see themselves driving a minivan. When I drove it, I felt as if I was driving a crossover, lots of room and power. I like the LED taillights, very bright and easy to see. The optional power sliding doors have retractable windows and are larger making it easier for getting in and out. They are controlled by a push of a button on the key fob. In The Cab: There is plenty of leg room for the driver and front passenger. Unlike previous Sienna vans where the driver’s seat would only go back so far and taller people ended up with their knees up around the steering wheel. This version has full adjustability with a longer and wider seat cushion that can make drivers of any size comfortable. The second row has captain’s chairs that have a one touch walk-in feature and the third row is a 60/40 split one-touch split and stow mechanism that folds seats flat for storage. The XLE Limited comes with a multi-panel moon roof that features two independently controlled sunroofs. The front is a tilt and slide, while the rear just slides. Safety first:There are seven standard airbags, including dual stage front and seat

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mounted side airbags for driver and front passenger, plus a new driver side knee airbag. Side curtain airbags covers the entire length of the van. Power:Power is provided by a 3.5 Litre V6, aluminum block, with 266 horsepower and 245 lb ft of torque. The transmission is a six-speed

automatic with lock up torque convertor and a transmission cooler. Allwheel drive models include Bridgestone run flat tires. Pump frequency: V6 FWD 11.5/8.1L (city/ highway) V6 AWD 12.8/9.0L (city/ highway) Warranty support: Basic 60,000 km/ 36 months Sticker price: Powertrain 100,000 Sienna fwd $29,120 km/ 60 months Sienna LE FWD 8 Pass $33,365 Corrosion PerforaSienna SE FWD 8 Pass $37,205 tion Unlimited km Sienna XLE 7 Pass FWD $39,740 Roadworthy: I had Sienna XLE AWD 7 pass $36,190 the opportunity to

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Versatile Sienna is a minivan in name only ‘‘ When I drove it I felt as if I was driving a cross-over, lots of room and power.”

’’

well, I did notice the transmission constantly shifting down looking for more power when fully loaded with 7 passengers.

ian.harwood@drivewaybc.ca

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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Super Bowl seldom matches hype I realize there are many Seahawks Yes, double digit outcomes have fans in B.C., but please that’s enough decided 28 of the 47 Super Bowls Super Bowl hype already! while 35 of the games have been How many times do decided by five or more we have to hear about points. However, four or Richard Sherman’s anless points have decided tics, the Broncos number six of the last 10 games. one offence against the Interestingly, overtime Seahawks number one has not factored into any defence or how cold of these contests. This weather in New York game could reach unmay affect the players? paralleled drama should Can we just get on with extra time be needed. the game? This is only the second After two weeks of time in the past 20 years hoopla, the Super Bowl the top seeds from each HART BEAT kicks off on Sunday HARTLEYMILLER conference will play in (3:30 PST). On this day, the Super Bowl. millions of North Americans will be The Broncos seem to be peaking partying, eating food, sitting in front at just the right time. Against qualof large screen TV’s, and of course, ity opponents San Diego and New enjoying the most anticipated footEngland in the AFC playoffs, Denver ball game of the year. outscored the Chargers and Patriots Yes, whether you live in Prince by a combined 37-3 over the first George. B.C., Waterloo, Ontario, three quarters. Sure, San Diego and Waterloo, Wisconsin, Pottsville, New England rallied somewhat in the Pennsylvania, or any other city, this fourth, but Denver had both games four-hour spectacle (including the well in hand. lengthy half-time show) has evolved Peyton Manning and the Broninto a North American tradition. cos set several scoring and yardage Indeed, this is a time when fans and records this season, but on the other non-fans alike will tune in, some just hand the Seahawks led the NFL in to catch a glimpse and experience the many categories on defense, which excitement. included yards and points allowed. It is nearly impossible for this No matter how well Seahawks Denver-Seattle game to live up to its quarterback Russell Wilson or Seattle advanced billing, especially since it ace running back Marshawn Lynch is the biggest extravaganza in North plays, this game will be determined American sports. on the amount of pressure that is

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3 x 3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3 x 3 box. Answer can be found in classifieds. PUZZLE NO. 434

New-look rink

Allan WISHART/Free Press The new Kin 1 arena was in action on the weekend, with one of the new features being clearly apparent – see-through fronts to the players’ benches.

applied to Manning. If Manning is given as much time as he was against the Patriots and Chargers, he will pick apart the Seattle defense. There is a myth that good defense beats good offence and that may be true in other sports and perhaps was true a few years ago in the NFL, but with the many rule changes, offences have the upper hand. Vegas odds makers opened the line at pickem. Denver is now favored by 2 ½ by many of the bookies. Arguably, Denver has been the best team all season and I am confidently picking the Broncos to win which will greatly enhance Peyton’s legendary status. Yes, there’s still a couple of days to dissect, analyze, scrutinize, study, evaluate and examine every little detail about these two teams but I’m sure you will agree that kickoff cannot come soon enough. Here are some “out of the ordinary Super Bowl facts”: • Just one in 20 people will watch the game alone. • The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17. • 35 per cent of people who attend the game write it off as a corporate expense. • 80 per cent of all Super Bowl tickets sold go to corporate sponsors of the NFL and of the Super Bowl. • Super Bowl Sunday is second in food consumption behind only Thanksgiving Day. (The R U N • S K I • S W I M • A P PA R E L

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The chances of picking a perfect bracket for March Madness are reportedly 9.2 quintillion to one. Or as likely as Seahawks DB Richard Sherman having nothing to say. Comedy writer RJ Currie (www.Sportsdeke. com)

You can’t make this “stuff ” up. One thing missing at Met Life Stadium this Super Bowl will be the Met Life blimp. Because the weather will be too cold and dangerous for it to fly. Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com) Phone Orders Welcome

Stride & Glide P

From The Quote Rack: A manatee has picked Denver to win – it was Rob Ford in a Broncos jersey. Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

The NFL fined Richard Sherman $7,875 for unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting at the end of the NFC championship game when he made a choking gesture towards the 49er bench. Gosh. That’s almost half the fine he’d have gotten for doing something truly egregious, like wearing the wrong color socks.

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amount of food consumed includes an estimated one billion chicken wings and 28 million pounds of potato chips) • On the Monday following the Super Bowl, an average of six per cent of the workforce in the U.S. calls in sick. • On the same Monday, antacid sales show a 20 per cent increase. • More drivers are involved in alcohol-related accidents on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year (except St. Patrick’s Day). • One out of every 12 people viewing the game on television only does so to see the commercials. • Of the top 10 most watched television programs of all time, nine of them are Super Bowls. • Over 700,000 footballs are produced annually for official NFL use and 72 of them are used for the Super Bowl. Source: /www.yumsugar.com/Super-Bowl-FunFacts-125068 Here is one last stat to digest. For every NFL game, a study shows there is only about 12 minutes of real game action. Therefore, the game may not last long, but the hangovers sure will.

1655A 15th Ave. Prince George (Across from Parkwood Mall) www.strideandglide.ca • 1-866-612-4754 • 250-612-4754

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for hqprincegeorge.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to hmiller@94xfm.com. Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller

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Friday, January 31, 2014

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Dan EBANAL/Black Press Prince Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frank LaBounty takes a shot at the B.C. Wheelchair Curling Championships on Sunday in Coquitlam. LaBountyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rink, skipped by Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Darryl Neighbour, won the provincial title and will go on to the national championships.

LaBounty bound for nationals A Prince George wheelchair curler is going to the national championships, with a chance to be named to the national team. Frank LaBounty was part of the team which won the B.C. championship last weekend in Coquitlam. LaBounty played third on a team which also included skip

Darryl Neighbour and Vince Miele, both from Richmond, and Alison Duddy of Quesnel. The team won the three-way playoff with wins of 10-4 over the Gerry Austgarden team and 6-2 over the Bob MacDonald team, and then a 7-2 win over MacDonald in the final.

The Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship takes place in Montreal from April 28 to May 4. The winning team is not automatically the Canadian representatives for the world championships, as the Canadian Curling Association selects individual curlers for the team.

PG Iceman ready to hit trails, roads, oval and pool Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com When experienced runners in the PG Iceman hit the road on Feb. 9, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to make some adjustments. The 5k run through the streets near the Exhibition Grounds, the fourth leg of the event, has a new route this year. Registrar Jim Van Bakel says there were a couple of reasons for making the change. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The big thing is weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not running through the CN Centre parking lot this year. There were safety concerns with the number of vehicles there. The new route will actually also be closer to a true 5k. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about 4.8k.â&#x20AC;? He says registration numbers for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event, the 27th, are doing well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We may be a little ahead of last year. We find Prince George is a lastminute city, so we expect a number of people registering at the last minute.â&#x20AC;? That, technically, would be 8:59 p.m. on Feb. 5, since the close for entries is at 9 p.m. Van Bakel says there are more than 20 people already signed up to do the solo course, with a large number of teams also already in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a fair number of familiar names in the soloists and the teams. There are also some other people, soloists, who Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still expecting to get their names in.â&#x20AC;? As it does every year, the Iceman will start out at the Otway Nordic Centre at 10 a.m. with skiers doing 8k of freestyle skiing, consisting of

two loops. The second part is a 10k cross-country run from Otway to the Outdoor Ice Oval, where they will do 12 laps of the oval. Then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off on the roads for the second run portion, which will wrap up at the Aquatic Centre for an 800m swim. The junior category sees cutdown distances in the three non-run legs, and the 10k run can be split between two runners. Going Solo Tara Klassen learned one thing last year about doing the PG Iceman solo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Starting your training before Christmas is probably a good idea.â&#x20AC;? Klassen had participated in the fiveleg event as part of a team in the past, but last year she decided to tackle the whole course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the cross-country skiing, two runs (10k and 5k), the skating and the swimming. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On my team, I did the 5k run and the skate, so I was comfortable with those, but I did a lot of training on the skiing and swimming. I even took some ski lessons.â&#x20AC;? She found out two other things as she worked her way towards the event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can never do enough training. You keep thinking the event isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until February, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about it too much until after Christmas, and then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s January, and the race is at the beginning of February.â&#x20AC;? That was when she made her other discovery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had some second thoughts, like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What did I just do?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? However, despite her doubts, things

went well last year on her own. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought it went really well. I was quite impressed by how I did.â&#x20AC;? This year, family needs prevented her from tackling the whole race again. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a four-month-old baby now, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing it as a family event, with my husband and our two year old.â&#x20AC;? The children arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed on the course, so after husband Phil Mullens does the cross-country skiing leg, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take over watching the young ones while Klassen does the two runs and the skate. She will then take over the kids again while Mullens does the swim to finish things off. And while sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of a team this year, she says that could change again. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I definitely will do the solo again. I know now how to do my training for it.â&#x20AC;?

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CN Centre gets REALice Technology could save money on energy at arena Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Hakan Gronlund says it was a matter of convenience. “We could have cut a piece of this pipe out and put it in there,” says the head of global business development for H2O Vortex, gesturing to different locations on a wall in the Zamboni room at CN Centre. “We could have cut there, but here, it was just an extension of the pipe that was already there.” ‘It’ is a piece of piping about a foot long which is designed to save CN Centre and other arenas money in energy costs when it comes to ice making and resurfacing. “We’re working on the settings now,” Gronlund “Where the nations and generations said of the REALice equipment, which was recently worship, connect, & work together” installed as part of a 10-week pilot program paid for by FortisBC. Using the REALice technology basically lowers the 2055 20th Avenue, Prince George temperature of the water in the Zamboni needs to be at. City supervisor of energy initiatives Rod Croome (250) 563-1003 says it was the kind of project he keeps his ears open www.gatewaychristianministries.com for. “It’s a way to reduce our natural gas and hydro consumption,” he says, “and with the pilot program, If you’re out of sight... it’s low risk, high gain for us. “We were all over it when we heard about it.” ...you’re out of business! Jim Kobialko, the program manager of innovative Advertising Works! • 250-564-0005 technology with FortisBC, says the REALice technology is being used around the world, but, “it has a low adoption rate in B.C.” “Perhaps the arena don’t know about the technology. There is also a mindset that you use hot water to resurface the ice, and we have to break through that.” Right now, the staff at CN Centre is in the adjustment phase of the pilot, “looking for the sweet spot for temperatures,” as Croome puts it. The results of the pilot Become a Member of the program are expected to CHBA-Northern BC be released by the end of March.

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Our membership consists of businesses and individuals who are Developers, Builders, Renovators, Sub-Contractors, Suppliers, Service Professionals, Media, Financial Organizations, and Government Agencies. We encourage all individuals, businesses, or organizations who participate directly or indirectly in home building and renovating in Prince George and area to be members.

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Allan WISHART/Free Press The black, foot-long piece of equipment Hakan Gronlund is standing beside it all it takes to convert the CN Centre to REALice. Gronlund, the head of global business development for H2O Vortex, was in Prince George last week to explain how the system can save money on energy costs in arenas.

Cariboo Cougars sweep pair on home ice The Cariboo Cougars seemed to like one end of the ice at CN Centre better on the weekend. In a doubleheader B.C. Major Midget Hockey League sweep over the Thompson Blazers, the Cougars used a strong second period each day to propel them to the win. In Saturday’s 8-3 win, the Cougars got three power-play goals in the second period to move out to a 5-1 lead. Jesse Roach, Scott Cullen and Isaiah Berra got the second-period goals with the man

advantage, while Thomas Webster scored another power-play goal in the third period. Berra’s power-play goal was one of two goals for him in the game. Other Cougars goals came from Chase Dubois, Greg Dakus and Steven Jandric. Jeremy Matte made 16 saves to get the win, with 13 of those saves in the third period. Matte had a slightly busier time Sunday, making 20 saves in a 6-3 win for the Cougars. Once again, the second period was the turning point, with the Cougars turning a 2-1 deficit after 20 minutes into a 4-2 lead. Jandric had two goals in the game, with singles from Berra, Riley Pettitt, Mitch Williams and Darren Hards. The Cougars, who now sit sixth in the BCMML standings with 28 points, are on the road this weekend, travelling to Cranbrook to play the Kootenay Ice. They return home to play the 155 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1P8 South Island Royals at Telephone: (250) 960-4400, Toll Free 1-800-667-1959 CN Centre on Feb. 8 Fax (250) 563-7520, Web: www.rdffg.bc.ca and 9.

For news and updates, check us out online at www.rdffg.bc.ca

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Kings ready for Express stop BCHL squads back on Coliseum ice tonight and Saturday Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com The Prince George Spruce Kings won a hockey game Sunday, but what was more important was a player who wasn’t on the ice. Danny Kiraly was knocked into the boards at the Coliseum in the third period of Saturday’s game against the Coquitlam Express, and was taken from the ice on a stretcher with a suspected concussion. Coach Dave Dupas said Monday, though, that things so far were very positive for Kiraly. “He was at the game (Sunday) and he seemed bright and alert. He wasn’t complaining of any headaches or anything, so right now, we’re very optimistic.” Kiraly was scheduled to follow the BCHL concussion protocol this week, which meant no practice, then some time on a stationary bike before being allowed back on the ice. “If there are any problems at all,” Dupas said, “he won’t be playing this weekend.”

The Spruce Kings took three of a possible four points from the pair of games with the Express, but Dupas was looking at the point that got away. “We let one slip away on Saturday,” he said of the 3-3 overtime tie. “We played well, but we couldn’t finish our opportunities.” That was not the case Sunday, as the Kings won 5-1 to stretch their lead over the Express for second place in the Mainland Division to six points. “We steamrolled them,” Dupas said of Sunday’s game. “We played with the urgency and desperation we’ve been missing since the Christmas break.” The win also kept the spruce Kings just 10 points behind the first-place Langley Rivermen, with three games in hand on the Lower Mainland squad. The teams play each other five times in the Kings’ remaining 12 games, with four of those games at the Coliseum. Meanwhile, Coquitlam will be the opponents again this Allan WISHART/Free Press weekend at the Coliseum, with Cole Todd of the Prince George Spruce Kings cuts in on Coquitlam Express goalie Gordie Defiel in action games Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at 7 Sunday at the Coliseum. The Spruce Kings won the game 5-1, giving them three points from the weekend p.m. doubleheader.

Friday, January 31, 2014

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Lim repeats as mixed winner Skip shuffles team for final, looks ahead to Kelly Cup Allan Wishart allanw@pgfreepress.com Bill Lim is getting used to it. “Courtney (Walch) has missed the final two years in a row,” Lim said after guiding his rink to a repeat victory in the mixed bonspiel at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club on the weekend. “Last year, she got engaged just before the spiel, and missed the final to go to the Bridal Showcase. “Now, she’s getting married in six months, so she missed the final for the same reason.” Each year, Lim has called in a new player to fill the spot. Last year, Falon Burkitt took over at lead, while this year, with Walch playing third, Sydney Gustafson moved from lead to third and Taya O’Neill-Hoaglund stepped in at lead. “I don’t think Taya has done much curling this year,” lim said, “but she came through in the final.” Mike Walch, Courtney’s dad, curled second again this year. The final saw Lim take on Doug Dalziel, and the Lim team got off to a quick start, scoring in the first and stealing one in the second. Dalziel counted one in the third, but Lim got two more in the fourth, the halfway point. “I felt comfortable after four ends,” Lim said, “being up 4-1, but Doug’s team fought back well.” Dalziel scored two of his own in the fifth, then stole one in the sixth when, in Lim’s words, “I missed with both my shots.” That tied the score at 4-4. “I felt it slipping away a bit, but the team recovered and we blanked the seventh to have last

Allan WISHART/Free Press Skips Doug Dalziel, back, and Bill Lim watch as Lim’s lead Taya O’Neill-Haugland (closest to camera) and third Sydney Gustafson sweep a rock to the centre of the house in the final of the mixed bonspiel at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club on Sunday. Lim won the bonspiel with a 5-4 victory.

rock coming home.” For most of the end, Lim’s team was able to keep the house clear, leaving one of his rocks in the top of the 12-foot when Dalziel threw his last rock. “He was trying to come around,” Lim said, “but he wrecked a bit, and I didn’t have to

throw my last stone.” The 5-4 win made the Lim team repeat champions, something he hopes to duplicate at the Kelly Cup men’s bonspiel at the end of March. There could be a problem, though. “I’ve put a Masters team to-

gether this year,” Lim says, “and we’ll be in 100 Mile House on Feb. 7 and 8 for the zones. If we win that, we go to the provincials in Creston in March.” And if they win the provincials, they’re off to the nationals . . . which are the same weekend as the Kelly Cup.

“That would be about the only reason I wouldn’t be curling to repeat in the Kelly, would be if I was at the Nationals.” The B event final on the weekend saw the Don Takahashi rink beat Wanda Anderson, while Bud Burbee took the C event over Ken Pederson.

Cougars even up on eastern road trip after 10-6 win in Saskatoon on Wednesday The Prince George Cougars scored three goals in the first two games of their current eastern road trip. They scored 15 in the next two. The team evened its record on the trip at two wins and two losses with a 10-6 win Wednesday in Saskatoon, a game which saw the Cougars up 7-2 after a wild first period. Cougars coach Mark Holick has emphasized all season that he doesn’t worry about shots on goal as a key stat, and Wednesday’s game bore that out, as the Blades outshot the Cougars 42-37, but couldn’t slow down the Prince George attack. Jensen Harkins and Zach Pochiro led the attack with two goals each. Pachiro’s pair gave him 20 on the season. Singles came from Todd Fiddler, Jordan Tkatch, Troy

Bourke, Brad Morrison, Joe Carvalho and Tate Olson. Olson added two assists, playing in his hometown. Wednesday’s win came after a 6-5 shootout win in Prince Albert. Pochiro was the hero in that game, tying the score with 15 seconds left and then getting the winner in the shootout. Ty Edmonds picked up both wins in goal, with a big stop on a Cameron Hebig penalty shot in the win in Saskatoon. The Cougars wrap up the road trip with games in Moose Jaw tonight and Swift Current on Saturday. They return home to play the Red Deer Rebels on Feb. 7 and 8 at the CN Centre.

THEME GAMES The Prince George Cougars have set up

themes for a number of their home games in the next month. It starts on Feb. 10 with a special FamilyDay matinee game against the Portland Winterhawks. Game time is 2 p.m. on the holiday Monday, and after the game the public is invited to skate with the Cougars from 5 to 6 p.m. Popcorn and hot chocolate will be provided, and Canadian Blood Services will be providing blood-typing on the concourse for fans 17 and over. Two days later, on Feb. 12 against the Winterhawks, it’s Seniors Night with special ticket rates and the chance to visit a number of organizations which will have information kiosks set up on the concourse level. For the Feb. 21 Heritage Night, the Cougars are looking for heritage and multicul-

tural groups which would like to take part, either by hosting displays or by doing brief demos either on the concourse or between periods of the game against the Kelowna Rockets. Any interested groups should contact Sean Farrell at 250-561-0783 or e-mail seanf@pgcougars.com. The Feb. 28 game against the Victoria Royals is Student Night, with special ticket prices for students and children and twofor-one hot dogs at the concessions stands. CN Centre will go to the dogs again on March 1, when Raise the Woof Night is held for the rematch with the Royals. Fans who bring their dogs to the game will have a special section to sit in, with their dog getting a ticket for a seat of its own. Fans will have to sign a waiver when purchasing their ticket.