THURSDAY, MARCH 2 2017 VOL. 74, NO. 9
SERVING FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
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BC HYDRO GIVES SLOUGH A REPRIEVE
BOXERS READY FOR GOLDEN GLOVES
LOCAL SCOUT EARNS TOP HONOUR
NEWS A4
SPORTS B1
COMMUNITY B9
A HAIR RAISING LESSON
MLA Pimm agrees to peace bond Last summer’s assault charge dropped
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JONNY WAKEFIELD reporter@dcdn.ca
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Students in the North Peace were treated to visits last week from Science World, which brought up some fun and interesting experiments to show off. Above, students at Charlie Lake Elementary learned about static electricty using a Van de Graff generator. Turn to A9 for the full story.
Council looks to address the rural urban divide in emergency response MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca
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Fort St. John city council plans to take a deeper look into a recent report from British Columbia’s Forest Safety Ombudsman that highlights an attitude among emergency service providers that rural living is a “choice� that comes with less levels of service compared to urban centres. In his report, ombudsman Roger Harris notes those living or working near an urban centre expect to be taken to hospital in less than an hour, while those in rural BC have no such assurances.
Harris notes it recently took emergency responders 24 hours to transport a stroke victim from a location three hours north of Fort Nelson to Dawson Creek, a trip that would have taken less than an hour by helicopter. Elsewhere, a worker waited more than 12 hours at the site of his accident north of Prince George before he was rescued and transported to a hospital. The report further outlines a rural-urban divide, where attitudes gleaned from interviews with BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) and BC Emergency Health Services (BCEMS) workers suggested
that those living in rural B.C. “made a choice� and could not expect the same levels of service as in the Lower Mainland. “We should look at this very clearly,� Mayor Lori Ackerman said this week. “The residents of northern British Columbia do need to be able to expect a higher level of service. There are good recommendations in this report and that’s what we’re going to take a look at at an upcoming meeting and maybe taking a resolution to the North Central Local Government Association.� See EMERGENCY on A3
Tension crack forms along dam haul road JONNY WAKEFIELD reporter@dcdn.ca
A 400-metre crack has formed along a haul road on the Site C dam construction site, leading BC Hydro to reassign 30 workers while the area is assessed. BC Hydro released details on the issue Feb. 24. “During the construction of a haul road to support this excavation work, a tension crack has appeared� on the north bank of the dam site, a release reads. While such cracks are not unexpected in the area, “this particular crack requires attention due to its significant
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400-metre length,� BC Hydro says. In an interview, Site C spokesperson David Conway said work was continuing on the rest of the site and that the issue would not affect the over-
all construction schedule. It is the first time a news release has been issued about a geotechnical issue on the dam project since construction began in summer 2015.
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Pat Pimm has agreed to enter a peace bond, bringing to an end legal proceedings on a charge of assault laid against the Peace River North MLA last summer. On Feb. 27, Pimm appeared in court in Dawson Creek to formally sign the peace bond. Under the bond’s conditions, Pimm is to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and refrain from contact with the complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban. Agreeing to a peace bond is not an admission of guilt, said Greg Cranston, Pimm’s lawyer. The bond is set to last eight months, during which time Pimm could forfeit $500 if he breaks any conditions. Pimm declined to comment on the incident to judge Richard Blaskovits, or outside the courtroom following the decision. He wore a dark suit with no tie, and was accompanied in court by his daughter. “He’s very, very embarrassed about this whole thing,� defence lawyer Greg Cranston told the judge. Pimm was involved in an altercation at the Dawson Creek rodeo grounds Aug. 13, 2016, during the annual exhibition and stampede. Despite the end to formal proceedings, a publication ban remains in place preventing media from reporting details that could identify the complainant, special prosecutor Michael Klein said. Pimm stepped down from the B.C. Liberal caucus shortly after the incident, citing an “allegation� that required him to obtain legal counsel. Cranston, who returned as Pimm’s legal counsel following a medical issue, said the incident has cost Pimm significantly since he was “removed� from caucus. “They made it clear to him that he really wasn’t a favoured member of the legislature anymore,� Cranston said of the B.C. Liberal party. Pimm announced he would not seek re-election in Nov. 2015. A spokesperson for the B.C. Liberals declined to comment on Pimm’s future with the party.
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