THURSDAY, july 5, 2018 Vol. 75, No. 27
Serving Fort St. John, B.C. and Surrounding Communities
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They walked, they trotted, they motored, they smiled — a little bit of rain and some storm clouds didn’t stop Fort St. John from making the most of Canada Day this year. Hundreds of revellers turned out for public festivities, lining 100 Street three to four people deep to catch the parade as it wound its way through downtown and back to Centennial Park before an afternoon of music and fun. Turn to A10 for more photos from the parade.
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Mr. Big sting used to secure murder arrest matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
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Evidence from a contentious undercover police technique will figure prominently in the upcoming murder trial of Leon Wokeley. Wokeley appeared in BC Supreme Court in Fort St. John Tuesday morning, where his matter was adjourned to August, with a pretrial conference to be held later this month. Court heard that 113 hours of recordings were compiled as part of a Mr. Big investigation targeting Wokeley, accused of killing Pamela Napoleon and burning her body in 2014. Crown pro-
secutor Joseph Temple told Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Duncan the operation involved more than 100 “scenarios,” 23 of which were recorded and that will need at least six weeks of court time to hear. Details of the Mr. Big operation will be subject to a voir dire, a trial within a trial to determine whether it will be admitted as evidence. Details of the operation will also likely be subject to a publication ban due to its undercover nature. The Crown also has forensic evidence and civilian witnesses as part of its case, Temple said. The trial is expected to take up to 10 weeks once
scheduled. Duncan ordered a pretrial conference be held in the next two to three weeks, for the Crown and defence to determine how the case will be structured, and to set future hearing dates due to the complexity and expected length of the trial. Wokeley is charged with murder, arson, and indignity to human remains. He has pleaded not guilty and has chosen to be tried by a judge alone. Mr. Big sting operations have often been used during undercover police work to elicit confessions from suspects. See MR. BIG on A9
New elementary school announced matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
The province has approved plans for a new elementary school in Fort St. John. The province announced the Northeast Elementary school via news release on Thursday, June 28. “Our government has committed to addressing the backlog of capital projects in fast-growing communities,” Education Minister Rob Fleming said in a statement. “We’re investing in our children and working hard to build schools that are desperately needed.”
The province will contribute $30.8 million toward building the two-storey school across from the Fort St. John Hospital, which will include a neighbourhood learning centre, a daycare, and multi-purpose spaces for community use. School District 60 will pitch in $300,000, according to the release. Construction is planned to start in summer 2019, and ready for students in fall 2021. It will have a capacity of 505 spaces for students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. “We’re excited to have approval from the Ministry of Education to move for-
ward on a second new elementary school,” said Jaret Thompson, deputy chair of the Peace River North School Board, said in a statement. “Our district has been challenged with space pressures for some time, and we’re glad to begin work on this second innovative learning space, situated in the northeast side of the city.” The school’s name, Northeast Elementary, is temporary, and will be named following the school district’s protocols. See SCHOOL on A9
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New fire chief in Charlie Lake matt preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca
Dale Widsten has been named fire chief of the Charlie Lake Fire Department. It’s a promotion for Widsten, who steps into the role after serving as the department’s deputy chief for the last five years. “I’m very excited about this position and I have lots of new ideas to put forward at the fire hall,” Widsten said in a statement. “I started my fire service career in Charlie Lake. I know that the men and women at the CLFD are second to none and I look forward to leading them into the future.” Widsten’s career with the department began in 2011 as a volunteer, according to the Peace River Regional District, which operates the fire hall. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2012, and appointed deputy chief in 2013. Widsten has been the department’s lead training officer, according to the regional district, with volunteers receiving 1001 Professional Firefighting Standard training. Widsten has also supported the department during incidents including the wildfires and evacuations in 2016, and recrutiment at the fire hall has increased, the regional district noted. Widsten had been serving as acting fire chief in the place of former chief Dan Ross, who moved to Alberta for a new job in May, and officially takes command over a volunteer firefighting force of 30. As deputy, Widsten had taken on acting fire chief duties several times over the last five years as chiefs came and went, all of which Widsten says were crucial to his job at hand. “I’m also thankful to the chiefs that I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the past several years,” Widsten said. See FIRE CHIEF on A3
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