AHN NOV 21 2019

alaska highway news THURSDAY, nov. 21, 2019 | VOL. A-75 NO. 47

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Regional district votes to petition province for support for farmers after tough year

Oilmen celebrate revamped bonspiel, look ahead to 60th edition in 2020

Conservation Officer Blake Parker wins Outstanding Officer award

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winter warmth

matt preprost photo

The Fort St. John Country Quilters donated more than 40 care quilts to Meaope House and the Salvation Army last week, which will go to residents using their services to escape addiction, poverty, and family violence. “It’s nice to have something nice and handmade, and that goes a long way to making someone feel valuable,” said Cameron Eggie, executive director for the Salvation Army. The Quilters made and donated 83 care quilts this year, which also went to the birthing centre and kidney dialysis unit, Peace Villa, and the North Peace Pregnancy Care Centre. Pictured: Quilters Linda Bourcet and Leanne Lindsay with Tatiana and Cameron Eggie of the Salvation Army, Nov. 12, 2019.

Spring consultations for Taylor Bridge replacement Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca Engineering and public consultations on replacing the Taylor Bridge will soon begin, the provincial government said says.

“People expect a safe and reliable highway network and those who live and work in Taylor, Fort St. John or anywhere in the north Peace demand no less,” Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said Thursday, November 14.“We are actively working on a long-term plan for the Taylor Bridge. We are undertaking engineering work to make sure there’s a crossing there that will serve the region for decades to come.”

Ministry officials have already prepared a business case for a replacement. A new, two-lane structure is expected to cost at least $250 million. The ministry will now carry out geotechnical, hydrotechnical and environmental investigations “to prepare options for consideration,” the government said.

Consultations with First Nations and public engagement begins in spring 2020.

The bridge sees 7,500 vehicles a day, with one third

matt preprost photo

The Taylor Bridge carries an average of 7,500 drivers a day across the Peace River.

of that commercial traffic.

While local ministry officials have expressed a preference for a two-lane replacement, they have also studied the potential for a four-lane bridge, or whether to resurface the existing steel deck and eliminate the yearly welding program.

The government has yet to announce funding for a replacement or upgrade of the bridge. Mayor Rob Fraser, who met with Minister Trevena several times this fall, said the province hinted the

2019 Christmas Song Book This year, once again, the Alaska Highway News will be giving a portion of the proceeds from the Christmas Song Book to the North Peace Pregnancy Care Centre

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

work was coming at the annual convention of B.C. municipalities in September, but noted it’s still early days.

“We’re really happy that they’re moving forward with at least investigative surveys of the area,” Fraser said. “It takes a lot of time to build bridges and design bridges, but at least we are seeing some movement.”

The province recently awarded a contract to stabilize a section of the South Taylor Hill, Fraser noted, which the ministry has said will

prepare the area for future expansions. “Between those two, it shows us that there is a commitment from them to keep moving,” Fraser said.

“We’re not going to stop pressing them to make some kind of decision on that bridge because it impacts our community over the long term ... we really need to know what is they’re going to put across the river, then we can really start engaging th community on what our piece of the highway looks like here.”

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A2 | INDEX | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

PAGE 2 VIEWS

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

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New ways to look at old memories

L

ooking at mental health through the eyes of a child gives you a different perspective.

When I was a little girl we had a neighbour who was deemed ‘crazy’ by everyone. In hindsight, he no doubt struggled with something like schizophrenia because his actions were in line with a disease of that nature. I dislike the term ‘crazy’ and I apologize for using it here, but it was reflective of the terminology used during the decades of my childhood.

There were many terms used back then that we would never use in the 21st Century but that is an entirely different column.

I only knew him as Billy (last name left out on purpose). He lived a quarter section away, kitty corner to our farm.

In the dead quiet that you experience in a rural setting, we could hear him from time to time – his untethered voice carried over the swaths of canola and into our back yard.

One night I recall seeing a fire in the distance and my parents explaining that Billy had sat himself up in the tree and made a campfire. I think that the police were called and they made the 60 mile drive to our community to retrieve Billy from the tree and take him to safety. Safety was probably the hospital and a psychiatric hold.

Billy was really the biggest threat to himself – his torturous mind conjuring up various scenarios that necessitated him wearing wire around his head or neck. I can only speculate that wire was worn to protect himself from something or to communicate with someone.

We were wary of Billy – when we rode our bikes on the graveled roads and came near his last known whereabouts, we would look over our shoulders and pedal a little faster.

Our tires would spin deeper into the loose gravel and for a moment we would not be moving forward – panic filled our hearts and minds until the tires would grab and we would continue on our way.

One time, we were piled into my mom’s car and making our way to town when my sister and I got into a fight. Mom slammed on the breaks and told us to get out and walk. We could either walk home or walk to town – our choice.

I can’t recall if it was me who started to get out first or my sister, but whatever the case, as we opened the car door, Billy reared up from the ditch. Terrified and reacting without thinking, mom floored it with the car door open. She went about 50 feet and came to a stop allowing us to ensure all appendages were back in the car and to shut the door.

Billy could be seen in the rearview mirror standing on the road.

I have no clue why he had been lounging in the ditch. He might have been sleeping or taking a rest from the long walk to town.

Billy is long gone now; he would have passed away decades ago. I still think about him from time to time wondering if he ever found the mental solace that he desperately needed. As an adult, I could now hear his story and truly understand what had happened.

JUDY KUCHARUK

Judy Kucharuk is a lover of sarcasm, witty people and footnotes, and lives in Dawson Creek. 



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Have something to say about something you read in these pages? We like letters: editor@ahnfsj.ca

MARIA LUISA FRUNS

Alien Messages: Guiding the city’s homelessness We are having a conversation with Cameron Eggie, Fort St. John Salvation Army Executive Director. Cameron is a young First Nations man who contemplates the world with the sharp, empathetic eyes of someone who has been to hell and back again and gained not an ounce of cynicism in the process, but tons of insight about the downfalls and the phenomenal resilience of human beings.

Kalpana: “Cameron, do you think the right to a home should be listed among the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?”

Cameron: “I do believe that housing is a right, but it can be complicated since it also comes with basic responsibilities. At our shelter, people arrive in different states of intoxication and addiction and the two main reasons why we could refuse anyone would be if they are a threat to themselves or to other people. In that case, we often are forced to call the RCMP. We have violent people asking for their legitimate right to food and shelter but at the same time posing a risk to themselves and other guests. For example, an individual who, in his frustration, assaults staff or other guests, in my opinion, this person has forfeited his right to shelter at our place. It’s a tough call, especially in winter, when it could be a life and death decision. It gets complicated when it’s simply as a yes or no answer and the complexities often occur when the decision involves other people. What we see as the biggest clash is when the right for someone to be inside conflicts with the right of another to be safe.”

Charo: “In Europe and the U.S. there is an experimental program called Housing First, where they place homeless in rental apartments so that they can start their lives from a comfortable pos-

ition. In Finland and Spain, this system is having an 85% success rate. Do you think this model could apply in Fort St. John?”

Cameron: “Yes, actually that’s what we are doing at the Salvation Army. We offer our guests a home for up to four years in the transitional housing program.

Oftentimes, they will say, ‘I need to get out of the shelter, I need to do something with my life.’ For others, who are navigating addiction or mental illness, it can be a difficult journey. There are two levels of transitional housing, one where a guest may still be navigating addiction or mental health concerns, but are working on their health; and another what we call abstinence focused, which allows a safe space for those whom are fighting for their recovery. There they have their own bedrooms, but share common areas, have chores, which gives them a sense of community. In the last step, though, they find the problem of the lack of affordable housing.”

Kalpana: “Yeah, and I guess the added challenge of living by themselves again and the risk of relapse.”

Cameron: “Exactly. Living alone is largely a Western concept but I don’t think it is natural. I think the Eastern European or First Nations society model, which is more focused on community living, is more natural than the loneliness of the American way of life.”

Kalpana: “I agree. In India we are completely unfamiliar with this concept of personal space that is at the core of Canadian Society.”

Cameron: “Exactly! We’re trying to sell people a way of life that doesn’t really work well. I believe we need to re-think that.”

Charo: “What do you think is the main factor that helps people succeed while in your facilities?”

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Cameron: “I’d say it’s the security of having their needs covered. To think, ‘I don’t have to fight for survival today: I have food and I have a bed’ — that gives them the much needed mental space to think, ‘OK, now what do I want to do with my life?’ and to use our resources properly and sit down with our staff to develop individual case plans.”

Kalpana: “What percentage of First Nations people do you have in your shelter?”

Cameron: “I’d say 40 to 50% of our clients are First Nations.”

Kalpana: “It’s ironic to see the original inhabitants of the land seeking shelter in their own land.”

Cameron: “Yes, but many don’t consider it “our” land. We are caretakers, not owners.”

Charo: “How does homelessness affect people spiritually?”

Cameron: “Well, it’s dehumanizing, for everyone. We often talk with men who are incredibly discouraged and who have to come to terms with the reality that they can’t sustain themselves and tend to their most basic needs, it makes it even more difficult when we live in a society that says you have to hit certain ‘markers’ to be considered successful.”

Kalpana: “Well, in India a homeless person would not receive the care and attention your clients get from the Salvation Army.”

Cameron: “Yes, I know, we are very fortunate in Canada to have social systems in place, as broken as they may seem at times, to catch those who fall through society’s cracks.”

Charo Lloret is from Spain; Kalpana Loganathan is from India. Each week, they’ll reflect on their experiences immigrating to Canada and settling into their new homes in Fort St. John.

William Julian Regional Manager wj@ahnfsj.ca

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Tim Cramer Graphic Artist compose@ahnfsj.ca CONTRIBUTORS

Matt Preprost Managing Editor editor@ahnfsj.ca

Dillon Giancola Sports Reporter sports@ahnfsj.ca

Lynn Novack Circulation Manager circulation@ahnfsj.ca

Judy Kucharuk, Charo Lloret , Kalpana Loganathan, Maria Luisa Fruns, Evan Saugstad, Larry Evans, Sam Stackhouse, Bronwyn Moser, Bob Snyder, Dr. Corinna Goodine, Norma Rrae

Write to us by snail mail, or email your letters to editor@ahnfsj.ca.

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thursday, november 21, 2019 | NEWS | A3

Farm season a disaster, producer meet Nov. 27 Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca Snowmobilers and ATVers are advised to stay off farm fields this winter as the region’s farmers wait until spring to harvest their crops.

Producers faced a cool, wet season this year, with much of this year’s crop still on the fields. Regional district directors called this season a disaster for the agriculture industry and voted Thursday, Nov. 14, to write the provincial government and advocate for supports.

“Due to the unfavorable weather conditions, many farmers were not able to harvest their crops and they will remain in the fields until they can be harvested in the spring,” the regional district said in a public notice Friday.

“Driving snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles on the crops will damage them, resulting in fewer crops being viable in the spring. If you need to get around a field, choose to drive around the edges than through the middle of the field.”

Most of the region’s canola crop has been swathed and harvest will take place in the

spring. The majority of cereal crops have been downgraded in quality as a result of late maturity, moisture, and early frost. A large portion went unswathed and at risk of higher over-winter losses.

A special board meeting with producer groups will be held Nov. 27. The regional district says it has not declared an agricultural emergency at this time.

“The agriculture community is a disaster; and this will carry forward from 2019 to 2020,” electoral director Karen Goodings said Thursday.

“We need to let the province know this is a huge concern. It’s not just the grain producers, it’s everybody.”

Average temperatures in the Fort St. John area were nearly a full degree below average this summer, at 14.3 C. The airport weather station recorded 224 millimetres of rain between June and August, up from a three-month average of 192 millimetres.

The poor weather was a challenge for farmers across the Peace region — the County of Grande Prairie declared an agricultural disaster earlier this month.

operation christmas child matt preprost photo

Fifty volunteers gathered at Peace Lutheran Church on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, to fill 413 shoe boxes with toys, home-stitched bags, hygiene products, and school supplies as part of Operation Christmas Child. The boxes will be delivered to children around the world facing poverty, war, and natural disasters. From left: Gwen Brown, Avalin Alexander, Mikala Croteau, Florence McDonalds, Tillie Brown, Heather Carnell, Imelda Plemel, and Kathy Thorlakson.

MP Zimmer sworn in for third term Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Bob Zimmer was officially sworn in Thursday, Nov. 14, as the member of parliament for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies.

Zimmer won a third term in the Oct. 21 federal election, with 38,473 ballots ture of the winter, which will marking his name, or 70% of help to limit the threat of the popular vote. excessive rain in the alpine “There is more work to be regions. done than ever with issues “Meanwhile, near normal like Western alienation, a to above normal snowfall and struggling forest industry near normal temperatures and getting our energy secare expected for the central tor back to work and I look and southern Rockies.” forward to getting back to Daily average temper- it,” Zimmer said. atures in Fort St. John range Zimmer, first elected in between -11.4 C and -12.8 C 2011, returns to Ottawa during the winter months, again as part of the official while average monthly Opposition. Prime Minissnowfalls range between ter Justin Trudeau and the 26.8 centimetres to 32.7 cm. Liberals won a minority Meanwhile, colder-than- government with 157 seats normal temperatures are ex- — 13 seats short of a majorpected for much of Canada, ity government. with a “polar vortex” sweepNational political puning across central Canada dits see the NDP and Green through the eastern Prairies, Party, which won 24 and 3 the Great Lakes, and into seats respectively, as holdQuebec. Jet streams in the ing the balance of power in Pacific and Atlantic oceans a minority government. will keep coastal regions However, Zimmer said on relatively milder at times, election night that he saw though there may still be a opportunity for the Contwo-week period where win- servatives to work with Truter shows up out of the blue deau and his diminished on the Pacific coast. government, which lost 27 Conditions will also likely seats from the 2015 election. be favourable in British Col- The Conservatives, meanumbia’s ski areas, despite the while, were up 22 seats from slightly higher temperatures. 2015.

B.C. and the Yukon are also Zimmer said his hope is the only parts of the country the two parties can work where spring could show up together to complete proearly in 2020. jects like the Trans Moun— With a file from tain pipeline expansion, The Canadian Press advance the liquefied nat-

Near normal winter forecast Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca Northeast B.C. is expected to see near normal temperatures and precipitation this winter. The Weather Network released its seasonal forecast for Canada on Monday: “A mild winter is expected along the B.C. coast and across much of northern B.C., while near normal temperatures are expected from northeastern B.C. to the southern interior. The north coast region is expected to see above average rainfall and alpine snow. For southern coastal areas, we expect fewer than normal rainy days. However, the dry pattern will break down at times with the potential to see several weeks’ worth of precipitation in just 5 to 10 days. This should help the final precipitation totals approach seasonal.

“While a mild and dry forecast is not what skiers want to hear, there are reasons to remain optimistic about the ski season. The periods of active weather should coincide with the periods of cooler weather, allowing ski areas to pick-up substantial snowfall at times. Also, we do not expect the Pineapple Express to be a regular fea-

house of commons photo

MP Bob Zimmer with his wife Val. Zimmer was sworn in as MP for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies, Nov. 14, 2019.

ural gas industry, and make headway on the forestry downturn in B.C. But he didn’t rule out a quick return to the polls either.

Earlier this week, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said it’s up to Trudeau to ensure his throne speech set for Dec. 5 attracts enough support to keep the government standing.

Scheer said common ground exists between him and Trudeau on items both promised during the election, including making maternal and parental benefits tax-free and funding public transit in Toronto.

The introduction of a tax cut will be the Liberals’ first order of business.

Scheer said he’ll wait to see whether that agreement is reflected in the throne speech. A Commons vote to approve the speech as a general plan for governing

is considered a measure of confidence. With a minority government, the opposition parties could easily trigger an election by voting to reject it.

“It’s up to Mr. Trudeau to find common ground to get his throne speech passed,” Scheer told reporters.

“I highlighted the areas we would be focusing on, the parts of our platform that we believe should be implemented, and it’s up to him to decide what to do with that.”

Scheer and Trudeau also discussed the new North American free-trade agreement, whose ratification could be an early priority.

The Liberals introduced a bill to formalize the deal before the election, but it has to be reintroduced in the new session.

Supporting Our Communities

— With files from The Canadian Press

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A4 | news | thursday, november 21, 2019

Site C apartment complex opens; energy efficient design celebrated Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca A new 50-unit affordable housing apartment complex built in conjunction with the Site C dam opened in Fort St. John on Friday, November 15. BC Hydro and BC Housing joined elected officials for ribbon cutting and a tour of the completed sixstorey building next to the fire hall after two years of construction.

“Long before we started construction of the Site C dam, we were engaging with the city and the regional district about the workforce that was going to be coming to Fort St. John, and we clearly heard there were concerns about the impacts of the influx of workers,” said Shanna Mason, BC Hydrdirector of environment and regulation for Site C. “One of the things we did to help mitigate that, and in response to the concerns we heard, were to build the worker camp to house the workers on site, and we also committed to building this affordable housing unit that we were able to use during construction for some of our families and our workers that are up here for the construction phase, and then be able to be a legacy benefit

bc hydro photo

Mayor Lori Ackerman cuts the ribbon on a new 50-unit BC Hydro and BC Housing apartment complex in Fort St. John alongside Shanna Mason of BC Hydro and Shafin Damani of BC Housing, Nov. 15, 2019.

for decades to come.”

The apartments include 35 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom units.

Five units are wheelchair accessible.

BC Hydro is currently renting 25 of the units, with another 15 units rented to BC Housing tenants.

Designed by Low Ham-

mond Row Architects of Victoria, and built by Western Canadian Property Group, the apartments were built to passive house standards to make it as energy efficient as possible.

The building was oriented from north to south against conventional wisdom to ensure every unit gets access to

direct, natural light. Each end of the building features a series of fins — extensions of the walls to show just how thick they are to keep the building as airtight and insulated as possible.

“It’s based around having a tighter envelope, higher insulated walls, high performance windows ... which reduces

air leakage. That, coupled with an energy efficient system, and you have amazing performance of a building,” Shafin Damani, development manager for BC Housing.

“So, we not only have affordable housing here, it’s cost effective from an operations perspective.”

Mayor Lori Ackerman said she was proud the city was home to the new building, the largest passive housecertified building in B.C., according to BC Hydro.

“As B.C.’s energy capital, we recognize energy is not just a commodity, it’s a responsibility,” Ackerman said.

“So, when we were talking about this affordable housing unit being built for the (Site C) project, but then being turned over to the community, we really urged BC Housing BC Hydro to ensure it was passive standard.

“This is an opportunity to showcase better ways of building, especially in Canada, in a colder climate.”

The full 50 units will be turned over to the community for low- and moderate-income families when construction of Site C is complete. The complex cost $20 million to build, according to BC Housing, of which BC Hydro says it contributed $13 million.

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Fort St. John • Sergey Adereyko Walter (born 1982) was issued a one-year probation order for uttering threats.

• Brandon Roy Horne (born 1989) was issued a one-year probation order for personation with intent to gain advantage. Horne was fined $500 and issued a oneyear criminal driving ban for driving while disqualified.

• Ross Clausen (born 1995) was issued a one-year $500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage.

• Indigo River Moran (born 1996) was fined $500, issued a one-year driving ban, and ordered to pay a $75 victim surcharge for driving without due care and attention.

Dawson Creek • Stephen Brian Naylor (born 1955) was fined $1,500 and issued a 12-month criminal driving ban for driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08.

• Kyle Gaynor (born 1990) was fined $500 and ordered to pay a $75 victim surcharge for driving while prohibited. Gaynor was issued a suspended sentenced with a one-year probation order for wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

• Braden Denis Willett (born 1996) was fined $1,500, issued a one-year probation order, and ordered to pay a $225 victim surcharge for driving without due care and attention.

— Matt Preprost

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thursday, november 21, 2019 | NEWS | A5

CITY HALL

NEWS G

Highlights from the city council meeting held Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019: Cemetery review ordered Fort St. John city council wants a review of the city’s cemetery bylaw after a family’s longstanding memorial was wrongly dismantled last month.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Lori Ackerman gave notice of motion that will ask city staff review of the bylaw’s provisions for memorials and ornamentals.

The city faced swift backlash in late October after workers removed a family’s handcrafted memorial at the Fort St. John Cemetery without notice or permission.

The wooden cross and fenced plot marking the Letendre family grave had been standing for a decade and more, and was quickly put back.

The city’s cemetery bylaw states memorials must be made of either granite or bronze — marble and wood aren’t allowed.

It also gives the cemetery caretaker permission to remove “alternative landscaping or non-permanent adornments,” among other provisions.

The city asks residents to remove any non-permanent ornaments, such as flowers,

by October 1 of each year to avoid being damaged by winter maintenance.

By giving notice of motion, the matter will be formally brought forward for con-

matt preprost photo

Kate Stringer and Elizabeth Zeunert of the North Peace Justice Society with city council, which proclaimed Nov. 17 to 23 as Restorative Justice Week.

sideration at council’s next meeting, Nov. 25.

Other business • Council approved a new Financial Policy Framework, a suite of amalgamated policies that will be used to craft the city’s annual budget, from setting tax rates, to setting aside reserves for capital infrastructure, to how permissive tax exemptions will be considered and awarded, and much more.

• Council approved adding four properties to the city’s growing list of homes with illegal secondary suites. Bylaw contravention notices were approved for 10412 109 Street; 10413 109 Street; 11715 96A Street; and 11603 93 Street. The notices will be registered with the land titles office.

• Council reappointed

Connie Surerus as a public committe member for BC Hydro’s Generate Opportunities Fund, which doles out grants to area non-profits as part of its conditions for building the Site C dam.

• Council approved all council members to attend the 2020 Council of Forest Industries Convention in Prince George from April 1 to 3, 2020. The convention is a meeting of industry CEOs and executives from across North America and overseas, as well as suppliers, financial institutions, law firms, and government and First Nations leaders. The trip is estimated to cost $1,965 per councillor, charged to council’s travel account.

• Council approved a road closure for the construction of the Festival Plaza. The small sliver of roadway adjacent to 100 Street was initial-

ly a road allowance when the street was four-laned, however, it was never used as a road, but as driveway access and a boulevard, city staff note in a report. The closure will allow it to be amalgamated into the festival plaza land.

• Council approved Council Memberships, Conferences and Travel Policy No. 20/19, which includes an amendment that provides automatic authorization for councillors to attend the annual BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George. The average cost for the forum annually is approximately $19,000 if all councillors attend, according to a city report. The forum “is a positive, non-partisan arena to discuss and learn first-hand the latest news, trends and opportunities linked to the resource sector in BC.

Bylaws • Council gave first three readings to Water Regulation Amendment Bylaw No. 2504, 2019, which will increase water rates from $1.65 to $1.77 per cubic metre.

• Council gave first three readings to Sewer Use and Regulation and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 2503, 2019, which will increase sewer rates from $1.69 to $1.81 per cubic metre.

Proclamations • November 17 to 23 was proclaimed Restorative Justice Week.

• Fridays in January and February 2020 were proclaimed Games Wear Day to encourage residents to show support for the BC Winter Games to be held February 20 to 23.

The FSJ Association for Community Living extends sincere thanks for helping make our 14th Annual Of the Vine event a huge success!

THIS YEAR’S GENEROUS SPONSORS LIVE AUCTION DONORS Bailey Helicopters & SJA Promo BLG Law Firm Browns Social House City of Fort St. John

Presented by

SomeThyme Gourmet Catering The Flower Hut The Northern Gourmet Tipsy Tumbleweed Tavern

Mighty Peace Brewing Pacific Northern Gas Roy Northern Land & Environmental

SILENT AUCTION DONORS Alpha Training Solutions Amazing Escapes Artisan Farmhouse Audielicious Baron Oilfield Supply Bell Media & Amy Titley Blooming Smiles Borealis Clothing Co. Brauns Flooring Brian White Canfor Woodlands Staff Cat Ruddell Clay Wedge Studio Cornerstone Yoga Dale Lynn Plotkinow Dayna Manning

Ecora Engineering & Resource Group Home 2 Suites by Hilton Jodie Dixon - Epicure Katy Peck – Canadian Acres McElhanney Mr. Mikes Northern Lights Winery Northern Metallic One Love Healing Peace Valley Line Locating Pembina Pipeline Corporation Roustabouts Roy Northern Land & Environmental Sand & Stone Jewelry – Kim Livingstone Shannon Butler – Kilnhouse Shattered Images Hair Removal

Shell Canada Sterling Management Services Sticks n Stones Pottery Sticky’s Candy Super 8 Hotel The Sign Post Tips & Toes Nail Spa Todd Energy Tourmaline Oil Trevor Bolin Unvined – Lea Dowd Velocity & Highmark Versatile Fitness What The Heck Your Plate Or Mine Zoo Foods

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPONSORED, DONATED AND ATTENDED THIS EVENT! YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED AND HELPED US RAISE OVER $53,000 Save the Date: Next year’s Of the Vine Event is October 17th 2020

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A6 | NEWS | thursday, november 21, 2019

Blake Parker named B.C.’s Conservation Officer of the Year Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

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Fort St. John’s Blake Parker has been named B.C.’s conservation officer of the year for 2018.

Parker is the 27th recipient of the Outstanding Officer of the Year Award, the environment ministry said in a news release Monday.

“Conservation officers have a very difficult and very critical job. They are on the front lines every day responding to human-wildlife conflicts, conducting investigations and enforcing a number of provincial laws,” Minister George Heyman said.

“They are also integrally connected to their community, delivering outreach services and public education.

The work of Blake and other conservation officers is vital to communities throughout B.C.” The ministry noted Parker and his family’s history of working in conservation. Growing up in Fort St. John, Parker would tag along with the B.C. conservation officer to investigate wildlife complaints, getting a first-hand look at what his father did for a living, the ministry said.

Parker, now 37, is the acting sergeant responsible for the B.C. Conservation Officer Service’s North Peace zone, the ministry said.

“My dad is quite proud of me. I still look up to him,” Parker said in a statement. “People in Fort St. John know my name because of my dad and they know me from growing up there, so having pre-established relationships has been helpful. A lot of our work comes from people sharing information with us.”

Parker began his career as a conservation officer in 2007 in Smithers.

After a four-month introduction to the job, he moved to a one-man office in Dease Lake, where he worked for three-and-a-half years conducting trapline patrols, angler patrols, helped RCMP with search and rescue operations, and wildlife enforcement during hunting season.

B.C. Conservation Officer Service photo

Blake Parker, acting sergeant responsible for the B.C. Conservation Officer Service’s North Peace zone, is the 27th recipient of the Outstanding Officer of the Year Award.

In 2011, Parker moved to Dawson Creek. Training jet-boat operations and firearms team have been among the highlights of his career.

“It’s rewarding seeing other people grow and develop, making them safer and giving them more skills that can help them be more effective in the field,” Parker said.

“I really enjoy field work and getting outside to do patrols. I hope to continue on this path and just stay positive, have fun and provide some guidance for other conservation officers to follow.”

Doug Forsdick, chief conservation officer for the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, called Parker an accomplished officer.

“A leading firearms trainer with extensive backcountry experience, he is always courteous and fair in everything he does,” Forsdick said.

“Blake is always ready to share his experiences to help teach and mentor new, young officers. Practical and dependable, Blake can always be counted on to make the right decisions in the field. With a work ethic that is unparalleled, Blake exemplifies everything a model conservation officer should be and is absolutely deserving of this recognition.”

Successful Diwali festival gives back The success of the First Public Diwali Festival of Lights in Fort St. John on October 25 was so overwhelming that organizers had significant excess funds and donated $620 to the Women’s Resource Society.

Diwali is the biggest festival in India, and similar to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s all rolled into a few days.

Given Fort St. John’s receptiveness to this year’s event, organizers say

they will make this an annual event and plan for a bigger public Diwali Festival of Lights next year.

The group that made the event possible is composed of Alan Moreno Yu, Shubhdeep Kaur, Ashwini Acharya, Gagan Arora, Rahul Devgun, Raj Salyan, Majajan Jatti, and Samrat Mehla. The donation was received by Lisa Jewell of the Women’s Resource Society.

— Alan Yu

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ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 | NEWS | A7

My Prostate; My journey – Part 4: Life without a prostate

A

lthough September is known as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, I have chosen to tell my prostate journey for Movember, Men’s Health Month.

I have also chosen to discuss subjects that are not normally found in our local newspaper; one’s personal health, one’s sexual health, and one’s cancer.

If the discussion of a man’s body parts, or medical procedures or men’s sexual health offends you, then skip the rest of this. Just be assured I am still alive, still kicking, and still adjusting to life with cancer and cancer treatment.

Recovering from retropubic prostatectomy surgery is akin to recovering from a hernia operation, except for one thing: that dam catheter. No big deal with no lifting and no physical exertion for six weeks. Yes, Karen gave me hell for mowing the lawn, and watering the garden and such, but that wasn’t exertion to me. I did give up golf — temporarily — as well as home projects, as either of those can cause one to forget just what one is not supposed to do.

Living with a catheter for two weeks was no fun. Not that it really hurts, as it is more like something that is permanently antagonizing you. Add a low-grade infection and I almost removed that dam thing myself – went as far too look it up online and it is easy.

I persevered and was back to North Van to have it removed and a post-op discussion with my urologist.

Toxicology reports showed that my prostate was cancerous, but the lymph nodes showed no signs of cancer.

My urologist believed they removed it all, but there was a very small chance it could still be present somewhere else, and only time would tell. If it was, then I would need to have some sort of radiation treatment, depending upon its scope, scale, and location.

The doctor believed that in two or three months I should see most of my urinary control return, but in the meantime, told me to keep up the Kegel exercises, as they will strengthen one’s valves and allow them to respond.

It felt so good to get that tube out of me, but I did miss the memo about taking pads, as one’s valves are now stuck on full open. Thankfully, the doctor found me some, and I went home. I soon found out that a lot of things make you pee (and, as was soon pointed out by Karen; now you know how women feel after childbirth).

Coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, passing gas, or in some cases, just relaxing.

I also found out that pads made for women work just as well and are cheaper than those made for men. Large packs please!

I now write this in October, four months after my prostate was surgically removed. My first post-surgery PSA in September showed 0.09, and that’s about what my urologist expected.

Based on his experience and what they observed during surgery, my cancer had breached the prostate with a very small “focal point.” He gave me a 70/30 probability that my cancer was gone, but there is still that chance it can reappear elsewhere.

And, if it does, back I go, most likely for radiation treatments. My next PSA is

 EVAN SAUGSTAD in December.

My urinary function is pretty much back to normal, but, like walking on ice, one still needs to pay attention.

If you don’t, one can still lose control.

As to other functions? It will never be the same as before. I am still trying to convince the little guy to come out of hiding, stand up and be counted. Information does say to keep working on it, keep practicing. The body does have an amazing ability to restore damaged parts, so there is always hope.

Just like the old saying that there is more than one way to skin a cat, one can look to other options and processes. I also hope the other adage, a leopard can’t change its spots, doesn’t apply in my case.

Living in Fort St. John and requiring urologist care does require travel. We can’t get this type of care or service here, so off we must go. In my case, it was about a dozen trips spread out over four years. As Northern Health’s bus system did not meet my needs, I chose to pay for it myself, and claim the costs against my income.

Looking back, and knowing what I now know, would I change anything? Would I consider more waiting to see what happens? Would I consider hormone and radiation treatments?

Maybe, but maybe is mostly about if one was 100% certain the nerves could be spared, and the doctor can’t tell you that until they are in the middle of the operation. As I’m not one to dwell on what might have been, I am happy to live with what I have, and who I am.

What I am thankful for, which was also noted by one of my doctors in Vancouver, was that my Fort St. John family doctor wrote me a prescription for a PSA that may have saved my life. I had no other signs that I had prostate cancer, and in all likelihood, would not have known until some other complications surfaced. By then, it may have been too late.

As one of my senior golf buddies said, after having his prostate removed several years ago, “I would rather be a live steer than a dead bull.” I can now agree with that one.

I hope this sheds some light on what prostate cancer can be, and in the meantime, if you are over 50 and have not had a PSA, ask your doctor to prescribe one. If you wish to skip that part, book your own appointment and pay the $35 and get your own.

Life is good. Life is worth living, and remember, cancer can affect us all, so please support Movember as Men’s Health Month, give generously and help fund cancer research and men’s health.

Evan Saugstad is a former mayor of Chetwynd, and lives in Fort St. John.

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Tervita team members will be onsite to discuss current landfill operations and future expansion plans and will be available to respond to questions.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019 | 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

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CITY BEAT

Updates from November 12, 2019 Council Mee�ngs FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK PRESENTATION At the Commi�ee of the Whole mee�ng, Council received a presenta�on from staff regarding the updated and improved financial policy framework for the City of Fort St. John. The Framework will inform decision making in all aspects of municipal administra�on and should be thought of as a “living document” that will guide the City as it changes and adapts over �me.

The City has created this framework as a reflec�on of their commitment to maintaining and improving upon its solid financial posi�on for the benefit of its residents so that future genera�ons may enjoy the same level of financial stability and prosperity as its current ci�zens.

BC 2020 WINTER GAMES PRESENTATION At the Regular Council mee�ng, Council received a presenta�on from Fort St. John BC Games Society staff regarding the planning status of the BC 2020 Winter Games that will be hosted in Fort St. John February 20-23, 2020. The presenters noted that a variety of City facili�es and a number of schools within School District 60 will be used as sport venues and accommoda�on sites. To make the games possible 2000 volunteers are required; currently approximately one third of the required amount of volunteers has signed up to assist with the Games. Volunteers are required for tasks such as meal prepara�on, hospitality, and support at compe��ons. Anyone interested in volunteering can register online at www.bcwintergames.ca.

APPLE INITIATIVE PRESENTATION At the Regular Council mee�ng, Council received a presenta�on from Chris�ne Bourgeois and Courtney Baumeister, School Health Facilitators for School District 60, regarding the APPLE School Program. APPLE Schools is a charitable founda�on, currently funded by the federal government, corporate donors, charitable founda�ons and philanthropists, with a vision of healthy kids in healthy schools. The program focuses on promo�ng healthy living for everyone in schools. It improves the lives of more than 20,000 students annually in 74 schools across Bri�sh Columbia, northern Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Manitoba by improving their healthy ea�ng, physical ac�vity, and mental health habits.

PROCLAMATIONS • November 17-23, 2019 was proclaimed as “Restora�ve Jus�ce Week” in the City of Fort St. John. The campaign raises awareness regarding the non-adversarial, non-retribu�ve approach to jus�ce that the restora�ve jus�ce program provides; it instead emphasizes healing in vic�ms, accountability of offenders and the involvement of ci�zens in crea�ng healthier, safer communi�es. Council and the public were invited to par�cipate in a restora�ve jus�ce yoga session on November 16 at Cornerstone Yoga studio.

•

Fridays in January and February 2020 have been proclaimed as “Games Wear Day” in the City of Fort St. John.

The campaign raises awareness regarding the importance of the BC Winter Games as a development opportunity for athletes and stepping stone towards higher level sport compe��ons. BC Games and We Are North branded merchandise will be available for purchase to wear on Fridays and show support for the Games.

COUNCIL TRAVEL At the Regular Council mee�ng, Council received authoriza�on to a�end the 2020 Council of Forest Industries (COFI) Conven�on in Prince George, BC from April 1-3, 2020.

FESTIVAL PLAZA ROAD CLOSURE APPLICATION At the Regular Council mee�ng, Council received an applica�on to obtain approval from Council to ini�ate the process of contac�ng the u�lity companies, Ministry of Transporta�on and Infrastructure (MOTI) and property owners within a 100 metre radius regarding the proposed road closure for the fes�val plaza road. This parcel of land hasn’t been used in decades and is currently a driveway access and boulevard that is adjacent to the old Visitor Informa�on Centre (VIC) property.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING At the Regular Council mee�ng, Council approved the scheduling of a Special Commi�ee of the Whole Mee�ng to further discuss the Downtown Ac�on Plan. The revitaliza�on of the City’s Downtown is iden�fied as a stand-alone strategic priority in Council’s strategic plan. It is cri�cal that adequate �me be provided to allow Council to fully explore the concept design for the 100 Street project. This mee�ng has been scheduled for November 18, 2019 at 1:00 pm in City Hall Council Chambers.

BYLAWS • Sewer Use and Regula�on and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 2503, 2019 was introduced and read for the first three �mes by �tle only.

• Water Regula�on Amendment Bylaw No. 2504, 2019 was introduced and read for the first three �mes by �tle only.

UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS

A Commi�ee of the Whole Mee�ng is tenta�vely scheduled for Monday, November 25, 2019 at 1 p.m.

The Regular Council Mee�ng will follow at 3:00 p.m.

All mee�ngs will be held in City Hall Council Chambers and the public is welcome to a�end.

www.fortstjohn.ca

alaska highway news

A8 | community | thursday, november 21, 2019

Salvation Army opens Christmas Central headquarters Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca The Salvation Army in Fort St. John opened the doors Monday to its new Christmas Central storefront to collect food, toy, and cash donations in support of those most in need this holiday season.

The agency has set up at Totem Mall to collect the donations and then sort and pack them into hampers.

It expects to pack 200 food hampers and more than 100 toy hampers this year.

“For us, it’s going to free up a lot of space at the food bank to run operations, nothing actually slows down during Christmas, it only gets busier,” said executive director Cameron Eggie.

“So to offset that by having volunteer hamper packing here at this location, a manned kettle the entire time … it’s a win-win for both of us, the Salvation

Army and the mall.”

The Christmas Kettle campaign also launched on Monday, with a goal of raising $75,000. All money raised stays in Fort St. John to directly support the food bank and family services programs.

“We believe that everyone needs an army and that people need to know they are not alone in their struggles,” Eggie said.

The Salvation Army will have manned kettles throughout town, including Canadian Tire, Save-On Foods, Safeway, Walmart, No Frills, Totem Mall, and the BC Liquor Store.

Some 900 volunteer shifts are needed to be filled this holiday season to pack hampers and man red kettles at stores across the city. Some businesses have committed to filling blocks of shifts.

“That is the most valuable for our planners,” Eggie said, hoping to encourage

matt preprost photo

Tatiana Eggie, Cameron Eggie, and Connie Heath at the Salvation Army’s Christmas Central , Nov. 14, 2019

more to sign up.

But the agency also relies on the hard work of individuals too, such as Connie Heath.

Heath has been volunteering with the Salvation

Army two times a week since 2012 to find fellowship and community when she first moved to town.

“It gives me an opportunity to do the things I love to do,” Heath said. “They’re a

great group of people.”

Christmas Central will be open until Dec. 24. Residents can bring donations directly to the food bank when the mall location is not open.

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PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of Intention – Road Closing Bylaw and Property Disposition When:

Monday, December 9, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

Where: Council Chambers, District Office, 9904 Dudley Drive, Hudson’s Hope, B.C. The District of Hudson’s Hope intends to adopt the District of Hudson’s Hope Road Closure Bylaw No. 911, 2019, DA Thomas Road pursuant to Section 40 of the Community Charter, which will close DA Thomas Road (from Clarke Avenue to the Peace River) and remove the road dedication of such property as highlighted in pink on Map 1.

Map 1

Once the road is closed, the District of Hudson’s Hope intends to sell the property to BC Hydro for a nominal fee of $1.00 for consolidation with other BC Hydro owned property as part of the Site C Project. The rationale for the nominal value is due to the blanket covenant that will be registered in favour of the District for permanent public access to the recreational area and walking trail that is being built and maintained by BC Hydro.

Before making its decision, the Council will hear from all persons who have an interest in this matter. Written briefs may be submitted to the municipal office on or before the date and time of the meeting or verbal presentations may be made to the Council during the meeting.

Want to help make the downtown look a little more lively when Fort St. John hosts 2,000 athletes and sport professionals for the BC Winter Games in February? The Fort St. John Arts Council is looking to hang a series of new decorative banners throughout the downtown as part of a community beautification program. “We find that there are many unattractive, blank windows that are very dirty and it detracts from the look of the downtown core,” the arts council says. Local artist Harriet Stanford designed four banners for the arts council, based on themes of opportunity, natural wonders, creativity, and adventure.

alaska highway news

thursday, november 21, 2019 | NEWS | A9

Fort St. John’s reclaimed water station nearly complete Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Special Delivery

Fort St. John’s new reclaimed water truck fill station is nearly complete and expected to be operational by the end of November.

Announced in 2016, the $7-million facility will reclaim treated sewage water for industrial use, and cut industry’s dependence on the city’s potable water supply.

Two hundred thousand cubic metres of potable water is currently used for industrial purposes each year, according to the city.

“It is anticipated that this new facility will reduce the amount of potable water being used for the oilfield industry for fracking purposes,” city staff noted in a report to

council on Tuesday.

As part of the report, council gave first three readings to sewer bylaw amendments that set initial cost recovery rates of $3.50 per cubic metre. Other fees, penalties, and procedures for haulers using the facility are also outlined in the amendments.

The water reclamation project includes both the fill station on 81 Avenue and a disinfection facility at the south sewage lagoons.

A water main connects the two, and will allow industrial properties along the line to tie in a service connection for a fee.

The project was supported by $5 million in federal gas tax funding, and is expected to have a useful life of 20 years.

matt preprost photo

A disinfection plant at the south sewage lagoons that is part of the Fort St. John’s water reclamation project.

IT’S A BOY !

Wyatt James Parents Cameron & : Kathryn Peters Baby’s Weigh t: 6 lbs 2 ozs Length: 19 in Date: Nov. 3, ches 20 Time: 9:14 am19 Fort St. John , BC

Drop off or mail your FREE birth announcement to:

The Alaska Highway News, or email: compose@ahnfsj.ca

9916-98 St., Fort St. John V1J 3T8

Fort St. John Hospital Foundation Baby Bouquet Wall This is a wonderful way for family and friends to acknowledge these special miracles

ated in the t Wall is loc re Baby Bouque Hospital Birthing Cent hn Jo .

Fort St

Your minimum donation of $125 to the FSJ Hospital Foundation will not only purchase a flower petal, but the money raised will also go towards much needed medical equipment that will help to provide the best healthcare and service possible.

Ph: 250.261.7563 | email: fsjhf@northernhealth.ca

www.fsjhospitalfoundation.ca HOROSCOPE ARIES (MARCH 21 TO APRIL 19) Prepare yourself, because you might be embroiled in arguments about shared property and inheritances for the rest of the year. This might clear up old matters.

For Thursday November 21 2019

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 TO OCT. 22) Everything related to cash flow and earnings will be hyped from now until the end of the year. This means you will work hard to earn money — and spend it!

Saying No to Hosting Duties

GEMINI (MAY 21 TO JUNE 20) You will be productive for the rest of the year because fiery Mars will make you want to work hard.

Don’t be too bossy with others, because you will be delegating!

Oh yeah.

Dear Annie: Christmas is around the corner, and my mother has asked me to host Christmas at my house. (Roughly 30 people will be there.) I SCORPIO (OCT. 23 TO NOV. 21) Fiery Mars will be in your sign for do not feel my house is big the rest of the year giving you tons enough, and hosting an event of energy! Make a point of getting at my house gives me extreme more physical exercise to burn off anxiety! I hosted last year, but only because I was guilted into pent-up steam. doing so. My house is just average size, but it’s the largest of SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 TO DEC. 21) my sisters’ and mother’s. While There will be a lot of activity everyone seems to be having a taking place behind the scenes good time, I’m constantly worin your world. In fact, this ried about how cramped we are, phenomenon will occur for the how messy my house is getting, rest of the year. Only you will if there’s enough food, etc. know.

CANCER (JUNE 21 TO JULY 22) You have lots of energy to play and pursue artistic projects, sports and playful times with children for the rest of the year!

(You also might have some tension with your kids.)

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 TO JAN. 19) You will be strong and aggressive when dealing with groups, clubs and organizations, as well as friends, for the next few months.

You might be competitive with teams.

TAURUS (APRIL 20 TO MAY 20) Practice patience and diplomacy with partners and close friends for the rest of the year. You can do this because you are sensible.

LEO (JULY 23 TO AUG. 22) Your home scene will be interrupted with increased activity, visiting guests or renovations for the rest of the year. Cope as best you can.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 TO SEPT. 22) You will be forceful in all your communications with others for the rest of the year. In addition, you will be busy with errands, small trips and mucho business.

I can’t enjoy myself. I really do not want to host again, but don’t know what to tell them.

Please help. -- Not Feeling the Christmas Spirit

Dear Not Feeling: The magic word is “No.” It really is that simple. And though you truly don’t owe anyone an explanation, AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 TO FEB. 18) Your ambition will be aroused for you have an easy one to reach for, if you must: You hosted last the rest of the year, which is why you will do everything within your year. It’s someone else’s turn.

Let them huff, hem and haw, power to achieve your goals. You and sort it out amongst themhave an agenda! selves. But stand your ground. If you agree to host again and end PISCES (FEB. 19 TO MARCH 20) up resentful, you’ll only have Your desire to travel will be very yourself to blame. strong from now and throughout the rest of the year. You want to see new places, meet new faces and explore the world!

Dear Annie: I’m trying to figure out how the dynamics of the dating world work. I’m 62. I

Annie Lane DEAR ANNIE

met a lady not long ago and she seems really interested in me. In my younger years, I might have flirted back and encouraged the young lady’s affections. But at my age, I’m not interested in leading anyone on. I would like to just be friends with this woman. If she wants more, what should I do? Any advice? -- Not Interested Dear Not Interested: The kindest thing that you can do is to nip this woman’s interest in the bud before it blossoms into a bigger crush. The next time you’re speaking with her one-on-one, whether in person or over the phone, gently say something to the effect of: “I feel I should mention that I’m not interested in dating, but I think you’re terrific and would love to become better friends, if you’re up for that.” Will it be slightly awkward? Yes, but only for a moment, and you’ll breathe easier afterward knowing you’ve been honest.

Dear Annie: Recently, you responded to a reader with some walking tips for safety. Please

add that walkers should wear reflective clothing so that they will be seen. (White/light-colored clothing does not count as reflective.) Far too often, when driving to and from work, I see people out walking in darkcolored clothing. The only reason I haven’t hit one is that I am paying close attention. This is especially important with time changes and longer periods of darkness.

I wear a reflective vest and my dog wears a flashing reflective harness when we walk. I’d rather be safe than sorry. -- MJ from Massachusetts Dear MJ from Massachusetts: Indeed your advice is especially relevant as we’ve now entered those dreadful months when it’s dark by 5 p.m. Reflective vests are affordable (around $8 online and at stores such as Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods) yet priceless in the protection they might afford. I love that you have a reflective harness for your pup, as well, and would encourage anyone who walks a dog at night to take such measures.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2017 CREATORS.COM

alaska highway news

A10 | NEWS | thursday, NOVEmber 21, 2019

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alaska highway news

thursday, november 21, 2019 | community | a11

Building the Taylor to Chetwynd cut-off

I

n 1959, Fort St. John was a happening place, and the McMahon Plant in Taylor was up and running making gas a sought after commodity. Pipelines were being built to transport the gas and they replaced the bridge, which fell down in 1957.

Amidst all the goings on there occurred an event that was 60 years ago this year.

That would be the attempt at putting in an all-weather road from Taylor to Chetwynd via Jackfish Lake. This road was actually put in and used for a time!

As the road from Chetwynd to Taylor had been somewhat cleared but not officially opened by July 16, 1959, reports of tourists making their way up the road began to filter in.

The front page of the Alaska Highway News that week showed a photograph of three lovely young ladies from Switzerland who were cycling from Vancouver to Anchorage. Their names were Sonja Maurer, Ruth Gutscher, and Ella Hitz.

They reported travelling was good, a bit sandy and bumpy, but that saving 60 miles by taking the cut-off was worth the effort.

The three ladies stayed in Fort St. John as guests of Bob Locke before continuing on their way north.

Along with the cyclists were two walkers who planned to hit the new state of Alaska by fall. The travellers were Vern Carroll of Duburque, Iowa, and Hans Bauman of Frankfurt, Germany. Also, heading north was Ted Jacques of Hollywood, California, on a small scooter, complete with crash helmet.

The Alaska Highway News of July 30, 1959, announced the official opening of the cut-off and the story ran as follows.

“Folks travelling from the north side of Peace River to Prince George and points south in B.C. would soon be able to save 50 miles by using the Taylor-Chetwynd cut-off. Decision and action, coupled with the generosity and vision of the business and oil fraternity in this town enabled the board of trade to organize a three day work job which would provide the Northside with a good dirt road between Taylor and Chetwynd and, weather permitting, the move would complete the 30 miles at the north end of the road by the long weekend.

“Ten pieces of heavy equipment were all ready to move. The machinery would move toward the job and everything had been donated, save the cat-skinners who would be paid wages for the job. If these very important workers wanted to follow suit, Fort St. John and the Northside might have started something.

The cavalcade would move toward the PGE bridge and Taylor.

“Volunteer men with trucks and shovels, axes and elbow grease were needed to accompany the machines.

The Board Executive, Al Ennis, Bert Prevost and Earle Chase were organizing and would have the direction of the volunteer effort in hand.

Lots of zip and verve were hoped for in the effort so that the grading and levelling could be done as far as it was necessary to make a road out to the pilot by Monday so that all machinery could be returned back to base for regular work on Tuesday morning.

“Gordon Moore, Frank Oberle and associates from Chetwynd would start at their ends at the same time.

The long weekend was a break for sure. August 3rd

PACS see $108K in grants Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca Parent councils in Fort St. John and the North Peace are splitting more than $108,000 in community gaming grants this year.

The province says the grants for school PAC groups helps to fund a range of extracurricular activities and programs for students.

Here are the grants awarded this year: • Alwin Holland School PAC - $7,160 • Ambrose Parents Partners In Learning Excellence (A.P.P.L.E.) - $6,440 • Bert Bowes Junior Secondary School P.A.C. - $9,220 • Clearview Elementary Junior Secondary School PAC - $2,720 • C.M. Finch P.A.C. - $5,160 • Christian Life School Parent Advisory Team - $2,980 • District Parent Advisory

Council S.D. #60 - Peace River North - $2,500 • Dr. Kearney Middle School P.A.C. - $10,980 • Duncan Cran Parent Advisory Council - $6,120 • Ecole Central Elementary School of the Arts PAC -$5,720 • Margaret Ma Murray Community School PAC - $6,640 • North Peace Secondary School Parent Advisory Council PAC - $20,800 • Northern BC Distance Education School P.A.C. - $8,640 • Upper Pine Elementary Junior Secondary School - $3,560 • Prespatou P.A.C. - $6,260 • Taylor Elementary School P.A.C. - $3,120 The province say its awarded $11 million in gaming grants to more than 1,300 parent advisory councils and district parent advisory councils this year.

As far as the snow goes...

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca Well, it wasn’t a record, but the first snow storm of the season was literally a month’s worth.

According to Environment Canada, 31 centimetres of snow fell on Fort St. John over the Remembrance Day long weekend, with 15 centimetres fall-

ing on Nov. 8 and again on Nov. 9. The city saw trace amounts on Nov. 10, and another centimetre on Nov. 11.

The city sees an average of 33 cm of snow in November.

“It’s unusual to get that much snow in November in one shot,” said meteorologist Doug Lundquist. “We’ve already got our month’s worth of snow.”

larry evans had been declared by the town as a civic holiday.

The hotels (Condill, Fort, Frontier and Taylor) were showering down with a big box of sandwiches, sufficient for 40 men, one for each day. A generous merchant gave 10 pounds of good coffee. Another merchant supplied milk and sugar. The crew would improvise a coffee bar.

“If any generous hearted women wanted to bake some pies and send them along, they would be welcomed. Anything in the way of goodies that appease hungry men’s appetites would be welcomed, Earle Chase said. Teenagers who wanted to come along and swing an axe to brush off low spots and assist Old Sol in drying out ditches would be gladly accepted.

“Once the road was graded it would be a better road than 50 miles of the Dawson Creek road nearing Chetwynd where some fiasco had caused the Public Works Department to pull stakes and leave the road to the hard rocks that didn’t have enough dirt in between them to keep from chafing.

Reports from tourists coming to Fort St. John were bad.

They told the newspaper that of the entire road from Vancouver, the road from Chetwynd to Dawson Creek was the roughest part.

“Everyone who had a stake in this country would benefit from this cut-off.

supplied photo

Sonja Maurer, Ruth Gutscher, and Ella Hitz of Switzerland were cycling from Vancouver to Anchorage when their picture made the front page of the Alaska Highway News in 1959.

Everyone who could work and there was plenty to do, could offer to help. A whole hearted effort on the part of the people to get behind the board would be appreciated.

“By October, if the road was graded and became usable in early August, the habit of using it would be formed and traffic coming from the north would just naturally take the cut-off.

There would be thanks to the people for the foresight and vision to improve the route and make it available to the public.

“Short Tompkins had volunteered to act as foreman on the community road job work. Other operating foremen would be expected to join in relieving. Heavy equipment was forthcoming when the board of trade asked for volunteers to help grade the cut-off. George Middleton handed over his big earth moving machine.

Graders were donated by the town of Fort St. John and Norby’s Construction.

Dozers came from Tompkins, Murray Armstrong and Bert Bowes. Gibbs Oilfield Transport and Mile Zero Transport supplied transportation for the machinery and Mitchell Motors supplied the oil truck. Fuel was donated by Imperial, North Peace Oil and North Star.”

When a local pioneer was recently asked why the Taylor to Chetwynd cut-off ceased to be used by the public, the answer was the bridge over the Pine River, which was part of the cutoff, had washed out three times due to high water and was repaired twice. A third try to keep the bridge operational seemed futile!

Larry Evans is a former fire chief, city councillor, and lifelong historian living in Fort St. John.

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GREY CUP PREVIEW

HUSKIES STAY HOT

CALEDONIA GOLD

Either Winnipeg or Hamilton will win their first title of the 21st Century on Sunday

The Huskies outscored the Navigators 11-1 last weekend to remain in first place

The U17 Northern Strikers dominant in Caledonia Cup win in Edmonton

SPORTS h B2

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BIG WIN FOR BIG LEAGUE The Big League Utilities team, skipped by Blain Alexander and and rounded out by Doug Kimmie, Percy Peterkin, and Mike Farqharson, won the A event at the 59th Oilmen’s Bonspiel on Saturday, November 16, 2019.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

59th Oilmen’s Bonspiel gives event a shot in the arm Dillon Giancola sports@ahnfsj.ca As the excitement around the Oilmen’s Bonspiel waned in recent years, the organizing committee was eager to try and change things up and see if they could inject some excitement back into the annual event.

Little did they know just how successful they would be in achieving that goal at the 59th Oilmen’s Bonspiel, November 14 to 16. Gone was the Wednesdaynight start, the opening ceremonies, and the Thursday-night entertainment; in was a shorter, more compact event, a poker night, and a Rock the Hole event.

“We feel we’ve bred some new life with the new things we added this year. It was very well received, people are excited, and there was a real sense of excitement this time,” said organizing committee member Vic Moskalyk.

“Guys are already anticipating next year.”

The Big League Utilities team of Blain Alexander, Doug Kimmie, Percy Peterkin, and Mike Farqharson are the 59th Oilmen’s Bonspiel champions, winning the A event.

Thomas Kempt won the inaugural Rock the Hole event, outlasting the rest of the field and winning the $870 prize. He also split the main prize from the poker night with Joe Shuster. Darcy Turnbull was third, and Jason Atkings fourth.

Planning any event, let alone

one as long-running as the Oilmen’s Bonspiel is quite the ordeal and takes a lot of work and commitment, but it’s all worth it when it comes together like this year’s bonspiel did.

“The fruits of our labour have paid it. It’s always a lot of work, but when there are people coming up to you telling you that it was excellent and that we did a great job, that’s when we can enjoy it a bit,” said Moskalyk.

The positive feedback and warm feelings doesn’t mean that the committee is going to sit back and rest on their laurels. They are already planning next year’s bonspiel and thinking of ways to make the 60th edition extra special. Nor does it mean this year’s changes ran perfectly.

“There are some ways we can fine-tune the poker night and Rock the Hole event too. We’re not done, and hopefully this is just the start of what’s to come,” said Moskalyk.

Below are the winning teams of each event.

C Event Tundra Process Solutions Skip: Kevin Hrab 3rd: Troy Hebert 2nd: Burke Forster Lead: Chris Spencer

A Event Big League Utilities Skip: Blain Alexander 3rd: Doug Kimmie 2nd: Percy Peterkin Lead: Mike Farqharson

D Event Brad Brain Financial Skip: Ian Titley 3rd: Jeff Holland 2nd: Austin Schmidt Lead: Brad Brain

B Event NALCO Champion Skip: Clint Giesbrecht 3rd: Gary Felix 2nd: Jeff Campbell Lead: Peter Bergen

E Event IMI Critical Engineering Skip: Dave Nurcombe 3rd: Reid von Hollen 2nd: Chris Pelley Lead: Traelen Ollenberger

SUPPLIED PHOTO

The IMI Critical Engineering team, thanks in part to their terrific team uniforms, are the Oilmen’s Bonspiel E event champions.

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b2 | sportS | thursday, november 21, 2019

around the bases grey cup bound I dillon giancola

sports@ahnfsj.ca

mean this in the nicest way possible, but following the CFL is strange.

Most football fans I know mean that in a very negative way, but I love the CFL and there’s nothing quite like the Grey Cup. But in dissecting the matchup in the upcoming 107th Grey Cup this Sunday, November 24, I find myself confused and bewildered at the teams and players who will be taking to the field in Calgary.

First off, the matchup — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers against the Hamilton Tigercats — is the weirdest one I can remember since the Bombers lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007.

I’ll just never get used to Winnipeg being in the Grey Cup. It’s not that I have anything against them, and I’m definitely hoping for a Blue Bombers win, it’s just that they haven’t won a championship since 1990, and that’s the least surprising thing ever. In the 29 years since, Winnipeg has only made it back to six Grey Cups, including this one.

Given that the fact that the league only has eight to nine teams each year, that’s possibly the most embarrassing stat in sports there is, and for the sake of Bomber fans everywhere (if there are such people) I hope they get the monkey off their back this weekend.

schedule

1985: The Fort St. John Senior Flyers beat a struggling Hythe team to move to first place in the SPHL with a 4-0-2 record early in the 1985-86 season.

saturday: Vipers @ Huskies, 8 p.m. North Peace Arena sunday: eagles @ Sturgeon Lake, 2 p.m. sturgeon lake arena Sunday: trackers @ barons, 10:30 a.m. casman centre

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers celebrate defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 20-13 in the CFL West Final football game in Regina, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019.

twitter/ Wpg_BlueBombers

Then there is Hamilton.

The Ti-Cats made the Grey Cup in consecutive years in 2013 and 2014, but have done little before or since.

In fact, they haven’t won it all since 1999. In that way, this should be an exciting, feel-good game, with one hardcore fan base experiencing euphoria and the other likely giving up on football altogether.

That the Ti-Cats were pretty good all season and looked like the sure representative from the East is

alaska highway news

this day in sports history

just bizarre. Their quarterback is Dane Evans, and if you don’t know who that is, join the club. I had to be corrected everytime I said, “Wow, I didn’t know Jeremiah Masoli is this good,” as I watched Hamilton destroy my Edmonton Eskimos last weekend. That’s because Masoli isn’t that good, and only the boy-wonder that is Dane Evans could beat Edmonton that bad. At least, that’s what I’ve been telling myself in the days since so I don’t feel as bad.

Similarly, the Blue Bombers were a strangely-good team all season-long, but I didn’t think they could actually get to the Grey Cup because I refused to believe Matt Nichols had it in him.

As the season went along, and Winnipeg gave up their lead in the West to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders, I thought there was no way the Blue Bombers would hang on and beat those teams in the playoffs, especially considering the fact

that Bo-Levi Mitchell has been in the Grey Cup almost every year that he’s been in the league.

I still stand by the fact that Matt Nichols and Grey Cup champion are two words that will never be used alongside each other.

Fortunately, for Winnipeg fans, Nichols is injured and not playing. Unfortunately for Winnipeg fans, the man who is — Zach Collaros — is the only quarterback I have less respect for as far as his actual talent than Nichols.

The ironic thing is that in his prime, Collaros was a much better player than Nichols.

So, despite the fact that Collaros has played for three teams this season, I’m declaring that he will lead his team, finally, to a Grey Cup title.

When that happens, it will be the craziest, wackiest thing I can remember in Canadian sports. But that’s why we love the CFL and the Grey Cup. There are only nine teams, most of the players have to work in the offseason, and the league’s signature game is played in temperatures that few Canadians willingly go outside in.

I, for one, am glad that the CFL is strange and weird.

And looking at this year’s matchup, it’s sure to stay that way another year. sports@ahnfsj.ca

PRO GOLF WEEKLY UPDATE Golf News, Tips, Trivia & Stats

This Week in Pro Golf

Top News Stories

Last Week in Pro Golf

The fall portion of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season wraps up this week at the RSM Classic Tournament host Davis Love III will be in the field as he unveils the newly-designed Plantation course at Sea Island Golf Club.

What got its start as a nine-hole layout built in 1929 was redone by Tom Fazio in 1999.

He was tasked with bringing two existing nine-hole tracks together. Davis Love III and his brother Mark redesigned the Plantation Course at Sea Island in 2019. Last year, Charles Howell III birdied three of his final four holes and then birdied the second playoff hole for the victory.

Russell Henley penalized eight strokes for violating One Ball Rule Russell Henley went from contending to missing the cut Saturday at the Mayakoba Golf Classic thanks to a costly mistake. Henley was signing balls for fans after his second round when he realized one of the balls was a slightly different model than he regularly uses. Henley said he was unsure how the ball got in his bag but that he used it on hole Nos. 9-12. As a result, Henley was penalized two shots on each hole, eight strokes in all, for violating Rule 20-3, which covers all rules not laid out in the Rules of Golf. “It was a small dash, a different way it was marked that would have been easy to overlook,” PGA Tour rules official Brad Fabel said. “He came to us and said he didn’t know how it had gotten in his bag.” Henley ended up with a 6-over 77, which dropped him to 1-over. Instead of entering the third round at 7-under and in contention for a possible victory, Henley headed home early.

Brendan Todd, Vaughn Taylor tied for lead as Mayakoba Classic extended to Monday

As of press time, the Mayakoba Classic will finish Monday morning. After heavy rains washed out all play on Thursday, tournament officials have been playing catch-up all weekend along the Mexican coast. That meant more than 30 holes Sunday for the leaders, who began third-round play in the morning and will now return to the course at 7:30 a.m. ET Monday with Brendon Todd and Vaughn Taylor tied for the lead.

Lessons from the Golf Pro

FedEx Cup Standings

Course Stats Yards: 7,005 Par: 70 18-hole record: 60 Tournament record: 260 Defending champion: Charles Howell III

One of the big faults that the amateur golfer finds is when they hit a shot into TV Coverage trouble. A professional can find a way Day Time Network to escape disaster, but the general Thursday 12:00pm-4:00pm GOLF rule for an amateur is that trouble Friday 12:00pm-4:00pm GOLF leads to more trouble. The one shot Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm GOLF Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm GOLF that causes the amateur the most trouble is when a tee shot goes into the woods. We’re so mad when our shot is out of the fairway and in a Pro Golf Trivia tree that it usually leads to a second erratic shot.

Consequently, most people race up to find the Who is the oldest golfer to win a shot, just grab a club and hack away. Instead, a PGA Tour event? more sensible plan is the best course of action.

Picking the right club with the proper loft is a) Jack Nicklaus c) Sam Snead essential. Too much loft could lead to your shot b) Vijay Singh d) Gary Player going into the overhanging leaves. Not enough Answer: c) Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro loft will result in the ball getting hung up in the Classic in 1965 at the tender age of 52. woods again.

?

Through Nov. 17, 2019

1) Lanto Griffin 737 pts. / 1 top tens

2) Rory McIlroy 713 pts. / 2 top tens

3) Justin Thomas 662 pts. / 2 top tens

FedEx Cup Standings continued...

Player Points 4) Sebastian Munoz 627 5) Kevin Na 603 6) Sunjae Im 599 7) Joaquin Niemann 587 8) Hideki Matsuyama 566 9) Cameron Champ 561 10) Tiger Woods 500

PLACE YOUR AD HERE!

Top 10s 2 1 2 1 2 1 1

alaska highway news

thursday, november 21, 2019 | sports | b3

Huskies getting help from new places in dominating win streak Dillon Giancola sports@ahnfsj.ca

the fold and see how he can help us going forward,” Alexander said.

As good as the Fort St. John Huskies have been over the last three seasons, they haven’t quite had a run like this.

Not only have they gone 7-0-1 in their last eight games and outscored teams 50 to 14 in that stretch, but they have won their last four games in a row and outscored their opponents 28 to 4 in those wins.

Most recently, the Huskies outclassed the North Peace Navigators 7-1 and 4-0 in two games last weekend, a team that Fort St. John has normally had trouble scoring against.

“This group is really understanding the systems and team tactics a bit faster than some of the groups we’ve had in the past, and it’s starting to show earlier in the season.

It could be catching some teams off guard, but they could catch up in the future,” said Huskies Coach Todd Alexander.

German player fitting in nicely

HUSKIES PLAYER OF THE WEEK Sponsored by Candoo Oilfield Services Inc.

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FORWARD

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

On forward, the team has had German exchange student Nils Nemec on the ice for the last three games.

Nemec heard there was a team and asked if he could try out. Alexander and the coaching staff were open to the idea, and after figuring out the logistics, were able to add him to the team. He scored on Sunday, and has a goal and two assists in three games.

“He loves the game and wants to play for the right reasons so we’re happy to have him. I’m very impressed with his maturity and once he understands the North American game a bit better he’ll only get better,” Alexander said.

League-leading scorer It’s not only the newcomers making a difference.

Third-year defenseman Jared Loewen not only leads the team in scoring but has the most points in the NWJHL with 26 in 17 games.

With half the season to go, he’s on pace to fly by his previous high of 39 points, which he had each of the last two seasons.

“Jared is a testament to practicing hard, and a willingness to get better.

He is always asking questions, trying to add things to his game, but still work on the things he already excels at. His footwork, puck control, and how fast he gets rid of the puck are all second to none, and this year he’s having a special season on the scoresheet,” Alexander said.

Loewen will look to help his team win their fifth game in a row this Saturday, November 23, at home against the Sexsmith Vipers.

New goalie starts off with shutout Just as the many rookies are starting to gel with the veterans, the Huskies have two new players starting to make an impact.

In net, the team has moved on from Jacob Romanowski and will be splitting goalie duties between Tyler McArthur — who is really starting to heat up — and newcomer Braedyn Funke.

Funke, a third-year junior player who has spent time with the Comox Valley Glacier Kings in the VIJHL, got his first start with the Huskies in their 4-0 shutout win of the Navigators on Sunday, Nov. 17.

“Braedyn is a real good player who brings some leadership to our team.

We’re really excited to add him to

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SEASON

GP

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2018-19 FORT ST JOHN HUSKIES 21

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TEAM

2019-20 FORT ST JOHN HUSKIES

HOMETOWN: Armstrong

Marzocco, a third-year junior, is scoring almost two points a game in his return to the lineup after missing the beggining of the season with an injury. Despite playing only six games, Marzocco has a chance to pass the numbers he put up in his first year with the Huskies.

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Prespatou 4-H Community Club ‘Have a Holly Jolly Christmas...’

Too early for Christmas carols? I think not:)

Meeting after weigh-in, everyone was really happy to get out of the cold!

Hello readers!

This is Melissa, back with another report about the Prespatou 4-H Community Club. Our club had our first beef weigh-in on November 11th. We weighed our steers and heifers, I think all of the animals are off to a great start! Our club has 12 members, and thank you Trudy Loewen and Kathleen Wiebe for volunteering to be our club leaders again this year:) We chose our club executives for the year.

Club president is Mikayla Loewen, with her Junior buddy president, Kaylee Wiebe.

Vice President Clayton Wiebe and his buddy Jackson Loewen.

Secretary is Lacey Wiebe and Sydney Loewen.

Reporter, I, Melissa Dick, with Jessica Wiebe.

Treasurer Ruth Wiebe and Emily Wiebe.

Safety Officer Haley Loewen with Sariya Wiebe.

Thank you everyone for reading this article. I hope you all have an amazing rest of the week. Bundle up and good luck with your animals 4-Hers!

The Prespatou 4-H Community Club would like to Thank Home Hardware for sponsoring this article.

Melissa Dick, Prespatou 4-H Community Club Reporter

Melissa Dick

This is Sydney Loewen with her steer at the first club weigh-in.

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B4 | SPORTS | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019

SCOREBOARD

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

PRO SPORTS NEWS BITES

PRO SPORTS NEWS BITES

The New Jersey Devils waived goalie Corey Schneider this week and sent him down to the AHL, marking the end of a long fall from grace for Schneider, who was once highly touted for both the Canucks and the Devils.

Myles Garrett was set to have an appeal hearing for his suspension this week, but it had not been finalized as of press time. Garrett could be suspended into next season for an incident which involved swinging a helmet at Steelers QB Mason Rudolph.

7

SEXSMITH VIPERS

1

Huskies Scoring — Dean Whitcomb, Logan Kimmie, Joel Bourgeois, Jared Winkel, Brady Marzocco, Alex Nimmo, Connor Kindrat.

Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019

FORT ST JOHN HUSKIES

4

FAIRVIEW FLYERS

0

Huskies Scoring —Jared Winkel, Alex Nimmo, Nils Nemec, Aiden Tegart.

SPORTS@AHNFSJ.CA

It was a pretty quiet weekend for Grizzlies sports team.

The senior boys soccer team is gearing up for provincials this week in Vancouver. Their first game is on Thursday, Nov.21 against Moscrop at 11a.m.

The senior girls volleyball team is heading in to their last week of practices before they head to Langley for provincials on Nov. 27.

All four basketball teams begin regular practices this week!

The first tournament for the senior boys, senior girls, and junior boys is Nov. 29 and 30 in Dawson Creek.

Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019

FORT ST JOHN HUSKIES



EMAIL YOUR RESULTS TO

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Fort St. John Northern Strikers Under 17 Girls team won gold at the Caledonia Cup in Edmonton Nov. 8 to 11, 2019.

— Sam Stackhouse

 SPORTS NOTES

NWJHL STANDINGS 1. Fort St. John Huskies 12-3-2 26 points 2. Dawson Creek Canucks 11-5-1 23 points 3. North Peace Navigators 10-6-1 21 points 4. Fairview Flyers 9-7-1 19 points 5. Grande Prairie Kings 4-10-2 10 points 6. Sexsmith Vipers 4-10-2 10 points

PREDATORS OFF TO PENTICTON

Both the Bantam and Midget Predators teams will be in Penticton this weekend for the Fire on Ice Tournament.

INCONNU The Inconnu Swim Club is hosting its first swim meet of the year at the North Peace Leisure Pool, Nov. 30 to Dec. 1.

MINOR HOCKEY Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019

NEBC Trackers

5

LEDUC Roughnecks

3

Trackers Scoring — Kurtis Lee (2), Colby Busche, Markus Ruehl, Raymond Dick.

DILLON GIANCOLA PHOTO

SPEED SKATING The Canada Cup #1 long track speed skating competition originally scheduled for Nov. 2 has been rescheduled for Dec. 6 to 8,at the Pomeroy Sport Centre.

Neil Skauge bowls a strike during mixed league play on Nov. 6, 2019.

BOWLING / FORT BOWLING LANES

Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019

NEBC Trackers

6

LEDUC Roughnecks

0

Trackers Scoring — Nathan Brownlee (3), Shayden Hiebert (2), Justin Brownlee.

NORTH DIVISION STANDINGS 1. NEBC Trackers 8-1-1 17 points 2. GPAC Storm 8-3-1 17 points 3. Peace River Royals 8-4-1 17 points 4. Fort McMurray Barons 5-8 10 points 5. TRAC Wolverines 0-11 0 points

The 2019 Fort Bowling Lanes season is under way. Here are the standings for the Coffee League and Mixed League after six weeks.

High Averages Mens 1. Kevin Alexander - 217 2. Warren Mitchell - 216 3. David Bigcharles - 215

Mixed League

Ladies 1. Carmen Wallace - 196 2. Cindy Dettling - 195 3. Nicole Fuhr - 194

1. Good Time Girls - 68 points 2. Got Balls - 61 3. Freeze Frame - 55 4. Here 4 The Beer - 53 5. Rental Shoes - 48 6. The Fantastics - 45 7. Rusty Gates - 43 8. Blue Balls - 43 9. Trouble- 42 10. Bowl Movements - 41 11. Big Chucksees - 34 12. Forever Friends - 13

Men’s Single Flat 1. David Bigcharles - 360 2. Warren Mitchell - 354 3. Elvis Calahasen - 350 Ladies Single Flat 1. Carmen Wallace - 310 2. Mandy - 309 3. Clara Skauge - 295

Coffee League 1. Pin Poppers - 34 2. Ball Busters - 32 3. Shady Ladies - 31 4. Fab Five - 25 5. Five Alive - 18 High Average 1. Debbie Lebeau - 204 2. Shelley Gunn - 181 3. Joanne McGinnis - 177 Ladies Series Flat 1. Debbie Lebeau - 787 2. Shelley Gunn - 672 3. Cheryl Ford - 626 Ladies Single Flat 1 Debbie Lebeau - 301 2. Nicole Fuhr - 266 3. Shelley Gunn - 254

Pee Wee League High Averages Boys 1. Hayden Schram - 99 2. Bentley - 90 3. Rohen McIlmoyle - 53 Girls 1. Caedence - 90 2. Natalie Richards - 88 3. Sarah Dionne - 81 Juniors League High Averages Boys 1. Logan Dufresne - 160 2. Parker Mayes - 158 3. Marcus Vollweiter - 155 Girls 1. Brooklyn - 115 2. Tejana Walterlea - 115 3. Emma Schram - 102

CURLING STANDINGS / FORT ST JOHN CURLING CLUB It’s officially curling season in Fort St. John, and all four leagues at the curling club are well under way.

In the ladies league, Jodi Busche is the lone undefeated team after Cheryl Batten lost her first game of the year.

Alan Bone and Kelly Ollenberger’s teams are tied for first in the men’s A division.

Here are the standings after six weeks of play.

WOMEN’S Jodi Busche: 6-0 Cheryl Batten: 5-1 Tara Forest: 5-1 Pam Murray: 4-1-1 Deanne Busche: 3-3

Cina Wales-Green: 2-4 Cheralee Goulet: 0-6 Tennille Penner: 1-4-1 Sheri Sewell: 2-4 Kristin Bayet: 1-5 MEN’S A Division Kelly Ollenberger: 5-1 Alan Bone: 5-1 Glen Godberson: 3-2 FSJ Links: 3-2-1 Alpine Glass: 3-3 Chad Bordeleau: 3-3 Rhyason: 1-3-1 Bob Cooper: 2-4 Bulldog Inspections: 2-4 Brennan Eklund: 0-5

B Division Lido Theatre: 4-2 Embleton Construction: 4-1 Ty Coates: 3-0-1 Mike Villeneuve: 2-1 AAA Safety: 3-2-1 Compass Engergy: 3-3 D&T Electric: 2-3 Sunrise Rotary: 2-3 Chad Carlstrom: 1-3 United Rentals: 0-5 MIXED Bob Cooper: 3-0-1 Ty Coates: 4-1 April Podulsky: 3-1 Ace Instruments: 3-1-1 Dave Kellestine: 3-1-1 Colby Coates: 4-2 Jeff Holland: 2-1-2

Alaska Highway News: 2-2 Kevin Hrab: 2-3 Rick Chmelyk: 1-3 Wild Hogs: 1-4 Nicole Winstanley: 1-1 Sydney Gustafson: 0-2-1 Kolten Lindner: 0-4-1 Senior’s Colleen Ziegler: 3-0 Stella Hamilton: 3-0 Larry London: 4-1 Paul Wuthrich: 4-1 Shirley Kinnis: 4-1 Swede Taylor: 3-2 Linda Kelly: 2-2 Deb Kellestine: 2-0 Alice Lock: 2-1 Donna Solodan: 2-2 Ed Scriba: 3-1

Faye McQuarrie: 3-1 Leo Felix: 2-2 Gail Weber: 2-2 Len Hamilton: 2-2 Paula Maloney: 2-1 Roy Chisolm: 2-2 Margarey Clark: 3-2 Carey Taylor: 3-2 Doug McCracken: 0-4 Ray Clark: 2-2 Dave Kellestine: 1-4 Connie Richter: 1-3 Madonna Robertson: 2-2 Larry Solodan: 3-2 Louise Baxter: 1-4 Julie Taylor: 2-3 Harry Dashin: 2-0 Carol Rhyason: 0-3 Ken Weber: 0-4 Lido: 0-3

alaska highway news

thursday, november 21, 2019 | sports | b5

supplied photo

supplied photo

The Bantam Predators show off their silver medals won at the 2019 Wickfest on November 17, 2019. Both the Bantam and Midget Predators will be in Penticton this weekend for the 2019 Fire On Ice Tournament.

The Midget Predators hang out during the intermission of their game against the Dawson Creek Midget Rec team on November 17, 2019. Dawson Creek won 6-5.

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alaska highway news

b6 | sportS | thursday, november 21, 2019

Northern Strikers win gold at Caledonia Cup Alaska Highway News sports@ahnfsj.ca Fort St. John’s Northern Strikers Under 17 Girls team won gold at the Caledonia Cup in Edmonton over the Remembrance Day long weekend.

The Strikers went 3-1 at the soccer tournament held Nov. 8 to 11, and outscored their opponents 8 to 3.

The Strikers won their first match 3-2 against Mackenzie United Soccer Club from Calgary, with goals scored

by Maddison Holloway, Shenae Con-

nell, and Kate Doucette.

The team would play PhoenixErnscliffe from Sherwood Park to a 0-0 draw in their second match.

The Strikers beat Mackenzie United a second time in their third matchup of the tournament, winning 2-1 with goals by Shenae Connell and Maddison Holloway.

The Strikers dominated Scottish United-Corbalan 3-0 in their fourth and final match, with goals scored by Maddison Holloway, Nicole Prevost, and Isabella Ziebart.

The Strikers won Tier 2 gold by goal differential against PhoenixErnscliffe, which went home with silver with a 3-1 record and goal differential over their opponents of three.

Tannis Strebchuk earned two shutout victories in net. Strebchuk is usually a centre back but stepped in when Alex Larios got injured, the team said.

With three goals, Holloway was tied as the top scoring leader in the tournament.

This is the first Tier 2, small sided tournament the Strikers have played this winter. They play again at the FC Memorial tournament from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, 2020.

Before then several players are headed to Prince George for a UNBC Timberwolves Women’s Soccer Identification Camp from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. The team expects a few will be invited to join former FSJ Soccer Club players Claire Turner and Kenzie Chilcott, who currently play for the Timberwolves.

How to get the most out of meal preparation

P

reparing meals at home is a great way to make sure we are eating enough calories and consuming nutrient dense foods that support our health. But with the busyness of life, homemade meals can fall by the wayside and ordering in or dining out can become the norm. How can we make eating nutritious meals at home a part of our normal routine?

We can do this through the use of a technique called meal prep. This isn’t a new technique but it is a useful one and when utilized properly will make the most of our time and other resources. Preparing foods ahead of time may sound like a

daunting task, especially for those who are not used to making their own meals.

Meal preparation does call on us to develop skills such as time management and planning. But the purpose of meal prepping isn’t to overwhelm people, it’s to help them see that making food at home can be easy and should not add additional stress to their lives.

What steps can we take to incorporate this technique into our own life?

The first step is to look at our schedules and pick a date and time where we can dedicate an hour or two to preparing food. Efficient meal prep does not have to take hours upon hours unless you are planning to

coach lynzee make meals that last for three weeks to a month. If we are just starting out, a couple hours in the kitchen on the weekend or a weekday of our choice is sufficient to make meals for a couple of days up to a week.

The second step is to pick meals that are easy and will be enjoyable to eat.

When we only have so much

time to spare the need for uncomplicated recipes is necessary. To make a well balanced and satisfying meal all we really need on our grocery list is some type of protein, healthy fat, and vegetable. If we’re unsure on where to find recipes that use these ingredients we can ask a friend or family member if they have some simple and delicious recipes they can share. Making sure we pick recipes that we find appetizing is very important as we will be eating these meals for a couple days in a row or more. That’s where choosing more than one recipe comes in handy because that way we are providing ourselves and our family with some variety.

The third step is to start preparing the meals you want to make. If we don’t like cooking or aren’t used to it, we can always call on the help of friends or family. In fact, getting those closest to us involved in the process will likely help them to see the importance of preparing food at home and how it affects a person’s health in a positive way. More often than not, when others see us making positive changes to our routine they want to do the same and something as simple as meal prep can become a great bonding experience between friends and family.

Caitlyn Harbottle is a Peace region nutrition coach.

PRO RACING THIS WEEK Racing g News,, Stats & Trivia

Kyle K le Busch Kyl B Busc usch h emerged emer merged d from from om the th Joe Joe Gibbs G Gibb ibbs s Racing juggernaut as NASCAR’s latest champion, winning his second title Sunday after teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. were slowed by pit-road gaffes.

Busch is the 16th driver in NASCAR history to win multiple championships and one of only five to win titles in both the Cup Series and the second-tier Xfinity Series. Busch raced for a second championship in each of the past three seasons and fell short a year ago in part because of his crew’s pit error.

This time, it was Truex and Hamlin who were bitten by silly mistakes. Truex dominated early but fell a lap back after his crew put tires on the wrong side of his Toyota.

“You’ve got to be perfect. One mistake probably cost us the championship,” Truex said. “I’ve never had that happen. I don’t

even know what to say. It doesn’t drive good with the left front on the right front, though, I can tell you that. It’s very tight.” Hamlin fell out of contention when an aggressive aerodynamic gamble backfired because a large piece of tape placed across the front of his car caused his engine to overheat.

Hamlin had to make an unscheduled pit stop to remove the tape. Busch gave Gibbs his fifth Cup title and bookended a season in which the Gibbs cars opened the year 1-2-3 at the Daytona 500. Gibbs this entire year has been mourning the death of his son, JGR co-chairman J.D. Gibbs, and the organization promoted a “Do it for J.D.” theme the whole weekend. The season ended with a 1-2-3 finish in the finale, as it was Busch, Truex and Erik Jones across the finish line for Gibbs.

Last Weekend’s Race: Kyle Busch won at Homestead Kyle Busch hadn’t won a NASCAR Cup Series race since June, but the No. 18 Toyota driver took the checkered flag in the race that mattered most. In his fifth consecutive season advancing through the playoffs and into the Championship 4, Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway and his second Cup championship, outlasting Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and runner-up Martin Truex Jr. “We had a really good car, and I could race around and move around,” Busch told NBC Sports.

Kyle Busch Born: May 2, 1985 Crew Chief: Adam Stevens Car: Toyota

Year 2019 2018

Wins 5 8

Top 10s 27 28

Avg. Finish 12.3 7.4

2019 Final Standings Cup Series Top Ten Drivers 1) Kyle Busch 2) Martin Truex, Jr. 3) Kevin Harvick 4) Denny Hamlin 5) Joey Logano 6) Kyle Larson 7) Ryan Blaney 8) Brad Keselowski 9) Clint Bowyer 10) Chase Elliott

Points 5040 5035 5033 5027 2380 2339 2339 2318 2290 2275

Xfinity Series Top Ten Top 10s 27 24 26 24 21 17 18 19 18 15

Drivers 1) Tyler Reddick 2) Cole Custer 3) Christopher Bell 4) Justin Allgaier 5) Chase Briscoe 6) Austin Cindric 7) John Hunter Nemechek 8) Noah Gragson 9) Michael Annett 10) Brandon Jones

Points 4040 4035 4032 4023 2302 2294 2253 2246 2239 2207

Top 10s 27 24 21 24 26 24 19 22 19 16

Top News Stories Matt Tifft leaves Front Row Motorsports to focus on health Matt Tifft has parted ways with Front Row Motorsports to focus on his health after suffering a seizure at the track late last month. Tifft felt ill before practice at Martinsville Speedway and has not been in the car since his health scare. He said then that tests showed a brain tumor he had removed three years ago has not returned. Tifft’s brain tumor was removed in 2016 and he returned to race the next year. He said in January he had been stabilized to the point he needed only annual checkups. Tifft said last week he can’t commit to racing full time in 2020. The team has not announced the driver lineup for next season. John Hunter Nemechek drove the final three races of the season for FRM. A statement from Matt Tifft, “I’ve made the decision to focus on my health and there is no rush or timetable to get back behind the wheel. Because of that, I can’t commit to racing full-time in 2020. I can’t say when I’ll be ready to race again, but I believe I will come back. I love this sport, the people, and I would like to be a part of it next year in some capacity. I want to thank Bob Jenkins, Jerry Freeze and the entire Front Row Motorsports organization for allowing me to live my dream of racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. They are great people and it’s been awesome to race there. I look forward to what’s next in racing when the time is right.”

Racing Trivia What year did Kyle Busch win his first NASCAR Championship? a) 2012 b) 2014

PLACE YOUR AD HERE!

?

c) 2015 d) 2017 Answer : c) 2015

Kyle Busch won the 2019 NASCAR Championship

alaska highway news

thursday, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 | sports | b7

SOLD corner coffee $660,000 13559 281 Road MLS# R2365322

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$98,000 10059 102 Avenue, MLS# C8025313 The Artisan Farmhouse business offers: inventory, all display units, complete POS system, signage & branding, full website & online store, packaging supplies, established client database, wholesale supplier list, local Artisan list, and social media accounts.

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hOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Each 3x3 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 3x3 box.

PREVIOUS PUZZLES ANSWERS

CLUES DOWN 41. Showy 1. Something useful 45. Fall down 46. Shoelaces are often 2. It goes great with peppers and onions this 3. Orifice 47. Disease-causing bacterium 4. Turned into bone 50. Egg-shaped wind 5. The Princess could instrument detect it 54. Sufferings 6. Bands of colors 55. One who noisily 7. Makes use of enjoys 8. Central African 56. About blood country 57. Transaction 9. Lake in the verification system Kalahari Desert (abbr.)

13. He was a 59. Related through “Chairman” female family members 60. Low velocity grenade 61. “In Living Color” comedian 62. Veterans battleground 63. Expression of creative skill 64. Midway between northeast and east 65. Patti Hearst’s captors

PREVIOUS PUZZLES ANSWERS

CLUES ACROSS 1. Small viper 4. Some are covert 7. A waiver of liability (abbr.)

10. Speak out 11. Retirement plan 12. Small dog 13. City in Iraq 15. Car mechanics group 16. Shrimp-like creature 19. Majestic 21. TV detective 23. Central Canadian province 24. Causing to wind around 25. Wise man 26. Knicks legend Willis 27. Muscular weaknesses 30. John Stockton compiled them 34. South American plant 35. To some extent 36. Where manners are displayed

Q:

JAUNDICE LEARNING MILESTONE MOVEMENT REFLEX SAFETY SCREENING TEETHING Material for your weekly game page

mpire How does a va start a letter?

Q:

What is a witch’s favorite subject in school?

Q:

What do you call a ghost’s true love?

A: His ghoul-friend.

START

• • • • • • • •

DEVELOPMENT EXPRESSION FAMILY FEEDING FLUENCY GAIT GRASP INFANT

A: Spelling.

FINISH

14. Legally possess 17. One point north of due west 18. Small peg of wood 20. Stretch of swampy ground 22. Is indebted to 27. Where you were born (abbr.)

28. A team’s best pitcher 29. Cool!

31. Female sibling 32. This stimulates the thyroid (abbr.)

33. Reserved 37. More prickled 38. Forbidden by law 39. One-time presidential candidate 40. A TV show has more than one 41. A place to stash things 42. Defunct currency in India 43. Causes to ferment 44. A type of gland 47. __ Humbug!

48. Everyone has one 49. Punctuation 51. Central American fruit 52. Brooklyn hoopster 53. 100 square meters 58. Local area network

• • • • • • • •

y concern...

TODAY’S PUZZLE

AMBULATORY ANOMALY AROUSAL AUDITORY BEHAVIOR CHILD COGNITION CONGENITAL

A: Tomb it ma

Help Peter the porcupine find the apples.

• • • • • • • •

COMPLETE EACH GRID WITH NUMBERS FROM 1 TO 6, KEEPING IN MIND THAT: - a number can only appear once per row - a number can only appear once per column - a number can only appear once in each box of 6 squares

alaska highway news

b8 | sportS | thursday, NOVEMbER 21, 2019

Inconnu swimmers of the month

National Cameron Louie Seniors Viggo Pedersen Grayson Louie

Intermediates Elyse Martin Mason Stirling Novice Vance Bazan Olivia Friesen Daenerys Miyazaki Junior Gillian Merk, Camden Hiscock Isla Friesen, Gabby Rossi, Quinn McCue — Dillon Giancola

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supplied photo

Grayson Louie was named one of two Senior Inconnu Swimmers of the Month for October.

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With the first month of the Inconnu Swim Club swim season complete, the club handed out its swimmers of the month awards for October.

Here are the swimmers of the month for each age division.

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 | CLASSIFIEDS | B9

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Come Dance With Us! November 16, 2019 - Country Music Dance - Music by “One Man Country” at the Senior Citizens Hall, 1101 McKellar Ave, Dawson Creek. Dance: 8:30pm- 12:30am (Lunch included) Members: $15 NonMembers: $18 For more information phone Linda 250-8437418 or Joanne 250782-0158

PC Roots Group Meeting: 4th Sunday/month - Meetings start at 1:30pm in the Roots Building at NAR Park. Getting started on family tree research, need Help?

Come learn & share experiences with other amateur genealogists.

New members welcome. For more info call: Lynn- 250-7824058. Neil- 250-7827651. Website http://peacecountryroots.ca

Save the Dates July 10-12, 2020 for the Mile Zero Cruisers Summer Cruise weekend Bring down your pride and joy and register for the Car Show weekend. For online Registration and more information:

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Support reliable LOCAL journalism. Join the list www.newspapersmatter.ca.

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Acquired Brain Injury Support Group: ABI Support group meets every 2nd & 4th Thursday of month at 6:00pm at the Northern Brain Injury Association office: #11-1405 102 Ave Dawson Creek. Please call 250-719-4673 for more information. http://nbia.ca/ Dawson Creek Seniors Hall Activities 1011 McKellar Ave. Floor curling, carpet bowling, pool, line dancing, bridge, crib, darts, bingo, Wellness Exercise, craft classes.

Schedules are available at the hall.

Come and see our hall and try out our activities.

Announcements

Mile “O” Quilter’s Guild meets every Tuesday & Thursday in Dawson Creek at KPAC in Studio #10 at 7pm PC Roots Group Building Open: Every Saturday SeptJune 10:00am12:00pm to members wanting to use the genealogy library. A member will be available by appointment to anyone requiring help on how to get started on your family history. Everyone is welcome. We are located in the small building in NAR Park. For appointment call: Lynn- 250782-4058. Neil- 250782-7651. Website http://peacecountryroots.ca SATURDAYS: LEARN YOUR ROOTS - Genealogy information NAR Park Roots Building. 10:00am peacecountryroots.ca

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SUNDAYS: FAMILY TREE HELP - Peace Country Roots Group Meeting - Fourth Sunday of each Month at the Calvin Kruk Centre in Dawson Creek 1:30pm

Rotary Manor Annual Christmas Bazaar and Tea Saturday, November 23rd 2:00-4:00pm Admission $5.00 1121-90th Ave. Dawson Creek Crafts, Raffle, Baskets, Baked Goods, and Tea Proceeds go towards resident programs and activities Everyone Welcome Please use our FREE shuttle service from Alliance Church Parking Lot Shuttles will start at 1:45 and run until 4:00.

South Peace Historical Society Meetings Third Wednesday of the month. In Dawson Creek at the Calvin Kruk Centre Archives Room at 2 pm.

Obituaries

Obituaries

TOPS Evening Sessions Meet Thursday at 6:00 pm New Beginnings Baptist Church in DC, 10221-18th St Phone: Judy 250-7829540 or Gail 250-782-7208 for more info.

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FREDA FLORENCE MURPHY (nee Hill) born April 14, 1930 passed away peacefully, in her sleep, on November 14, 2019 at Peace Villa. We are celebrating a life well-lived at 2:00 pm on November 30th at Taylor Community Hall. She was a valued member of the community who contributed in many ways and won numerous awards in the arts, sports, and community service. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a local charity of your choice.

Condolences may be forwarded through www.hamresfuneral.com

Obituaries

Announcements

Obituaries

LUTHERAN CHURCH BASEMENT 9812 - 108 Ave

Obituaries

Obituaries

REMEMBERING JONATHAN

Marlene Gayle Scriven passed away on 29 October 2019, the day before her 71st birthday, after a brief time in Kelowna General Hospital. She was surrounded by family and passed peacefully in the night.

Marlene was deeply loved by those she left behind: her partner, Vince; daughter, Lisa and her partner Paul; sisters, Pollyann and Susan and their husbands Dennis and Robert; brother, Don and his wife Sandy; and her many beloved nieces, nephews and their children.

Her extended family was immeasurable as she made all she met feel welcome, loved, and that they belonged.

A service to honour Marlene and a celebration of her life was held on Monday, 4 November at Everden Rust Funeral Home in Kelowna.

At a later date, her ashes will be laid to rest at the Taylor Cemetery, near the gravesites of her parents.

Marlene touched the lives of so many; the family invites you to share your memories and tributes with them on www.everdenrust.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society www.canada.ca

Sunny days seem to hurt the most We wear our pain like a heavy coat We feel you everywhere we go We see your smile, we see your face We hear you laughin’ in the rain Like a story that had just begun We still can’t believe you’re gone But sometimes we wonder Who would you be today?

Would you be chasing your dreams?

Would you be off to see the world?

And we know it sounds crazy but Some days the sky’s so blue We just feel like we can talk to you We know no one can take your place But sometimes we wonder Who would you be today?

Sunny days seem to hurt the most We wear our pain like a heavy coat We know you would be with us today If Heaven weren’t so far away Loved forever

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District of Taylor NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY DISPOSITION Pursuant to Sec�on 24 and 26 of the Community Charter and in accordance with Sec�on 94, no�ce is hereby given that the District of Taylor intends to lease the banquet lounge area of the Lone Wolf Golf Club located at 9999 - 99th Avenue, Taylor, BC for the purpose of Golf Simulator ac�vi�es (seasonal).

The proposed lessee is LTP Enterprises who will provide a monthly rent of $250 from November through March each year, for the term of five years beginning December 15, 2019.

For more informa�on concerning this agreement, please contact the undersigned at (250) 789-3392.

Andrew Young, MCIP, RPP, Chief Administra�ve Officer

Have News ??? email Us news@ahnfsj.ca Obituaries

Obituaries

Irene Hampton Ardill (nee Ambrose)

was born June 15, 1932 in Moose Factory, Ontario.

She was the oldest child and only daughter of Harry and Christina Ambrose of Scotland. Harry was a fur trader for the Hudson’s Bay Co. and his work took the family across northern Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

She cooked for haying crews, tended a large family garden and raised her children, and was Grandma to many others. Irene passed away on October 20, 2019 in the Fort St. John Hospital with Dick and her children by her side.

Free inventor’s guide!

In MeMorIaM

Nov 23, 1 - 4 pm

Dick and Irene have spent the last 67 years living and working on the family ranch. Here they raised their family of four children, Renee, Lorna, Kathy and Donny. Irene was involved in all aspects of ranch and community life.

Call Davison today!

1.800.218.2909 or visit us at inventing.davison.com/BC

In MeMorIaM

TEA & BAZAAR

Dick, being quite smitten by the lovely lady went to her home for dinner, and in 1952 Irene returned to the Hudson’s Hope area for the last time when she became the bride of Dick Ardill. They were married October 25, 1952 in St. Peter’s Church in Hudson’s Hope.

Inventors!

Ideas wanted!

In MeMorIaM

ANGLICAN CHURCH

In 1943 the family moved to Hudson’s Hope where Harry took over the Hudson’s Bay post. Irene and her brother Henry attended school in Hudson’s Hope where Irene made many lifelong friends. In June of 1948 she graduated from North Peace Secondary School in Fort St. John. After graduation Irene moved with her family to Scotland and then to Edmonton Alberta where she worked at Eaton’s Department Store. Irene re-united with Dick Ardill when he was in Edmonton; he walked into the Eaton’s Department store and there she was!

Attention

In MeMorIaM

St. Martin’s

TOPS 3907: Take Off Pounds Sensibly Meet Thursday mornings 9:30 am New Beginnings Baptist Church 1022118th St. Phone Marge 780-864-5205 for more info.

Announcements

Monday, November 25, 2019 7pm

Announcements

She leaves to mourn her loving husband Dick, daughters Renee (Karen) Ardill, Lorna (Steve) Winnicky, Kathy (Bernie) Schroeder and Don (Doug) Ardill, grandchildren Walker (Tara, Noble, Khalida) Grassie, Travis (Heather, Carolie, Kyla) Winnicky, Trent (Tashana, Gaige, Azlyn) Winnicky, Sorrel (Lauren, Aaliyah, Zaric) Schroeder, sister in law Carol Ambrose and numerous nieces and nephews. Irene was predeceased by her parents Harry and Christina Ambrose and her brother Henry Ambrose.

She was well loved and will be missed by many. Memorial service will be held November 25, 2019 from St. Peter’s Church in Hudson’s Hope at 2:00pm with a cemetery service and tea to follow in the Hudson’s Hope Community Hall. In lieu of �lowers donations can be made to the Canadian Arthritis Society or the Fort St John Palliative Care Society. The Ardill family would like to thank the Nursing staff at the Fort St. John Hospital, the Fort St. John Palliative Care Society and Dr. Al-Saigh for all the care and compassion they have shown for the family at this dif�icult time. Condolences may be forwarded through www.hamresfuneral.com.

alaska highway news

B10 | classifieds | thursday, NOVEMber 21, 2019

Something to sell?

Something to swap?

Have you lost something?

Or found something?

classifieds

book your ad now!

&

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Reach 10,391 homes and businesses in Fort St. John and surrounding area h 250-785-5631 / classifieds@ahnfsj.ca LegaL/PubLic Notices

District of Taylor NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY DISPOSITION Pursuant to Section 24 and 26 of the Community Charter and in accordance with Section 94, notice is hereby given that the District of Taylor intends to lease land located on 10308 Cherry Avenue West legally described as Lot 1, Section 1, Township 83, Range 18, West of the 6th meridian, Peace River, PL PGP37161 (Parcel Identifier 018-242-146) for the purpose of motocross activities.

The proposed lessee is the Taylor Motocross Club who will provide a yearly rent of $10 plus property taxes, for the term of five years beginning December 15, 2019.

For more information concerning this agreement, please contact the undersigned at (250) 789-3392.

Andrew Young, MCIP, RPP Chief Administrative Officer

Notices / NomiNatioNs

SAY NO to FAKE NEWS! 63% of Canadians can’t tell the difference between real and fake news.

Support reliable LOCAL journalism. Join the list www.newspapersmatter.ca.

SuiteS For rent For Rent: FURNISHED SMALL SUITE in Dawson Creek, Downtown. TV & Private Entrance. Phone: 250782-7042

HealtH ServiceS GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. Do you or someone you know Have any of these Conditions? ADHD, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Diabetes, Difficulty Walking, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowels, Overweight, Trouble Dressing...and Hundreds more. ALL ages & Medical Conditions Qualify. Have a child under 18 instantly receive more money.

CALL BRITISH COLUMBIA BENEFITS 1-(800)211-3550 OR Send a Text Message with Your Name and Mailing Address to (604) 739-5600 For Your FREE benefits package.

ApArtments/ Condos for

ApArtments/ Condos for

Real estate seRvices INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008. Built with concrete posts. Barns, shops, riding arenas, machine sheds and more. Adam.s@integritybuilt.com. 1-250351-5374.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

R0011352381

ApArtments/ Condos for BIRCHVIEW MANOR 1 Bedroom & Bachelor Suites.

Adults Only, Senior Discount. Bus Stop at Front Door.

250-784-5817

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Li-Car Management Group

We have a variety of apartments, town homes, executive homes, and duplexes for rent. To apply for these,please email reception@licar.ca or visit our website at www.licar.ca

SAGUARO RESOURCES LTD.

Phone: 250-785-2662

Radio Tower Construction In accordance with the Radio Communication and Broadcasting Antenna Systems Policy CPC-2-0-03, Saguaro Resources is notifying the public with our intention to construct a pair of radio communications towers 70 kilometers north of Wonowon and 55 kilometers East of the Alaska Highway OVERVIEW Saguaro Resources is planning to construct a 150 foot and a 96 foot tower in the Laprise area. The new towers will support network connectivity to our facilities, SCADA communications for production wells and the pipelines, as well as improve Two Way radio communications.

LOCATION The coordinates are as follows: Communications Tower Site 1 Latitude N 57.35788° Longitude W -121.9211° Communications Tower Site 2 Latitude N 57.37958° Longitude W -121.9399° PUBLIC SAFETY Good Engineering principles and standards will be applied to ensure structural integrity and public safety. The installation and operation of the tower will comply with Health Canada’s Safety Code 6.

TRANSPORT CANADA REQUIREMENTS Saguaro Resources will adhere to all Transport Canada requirements including Painting and Lighting the tower.

If you have any questions, concerns or objections, please submit them in writing to:

HealtH & Beauty DEEP TISSUE LAZER THERAPY ACUPUNCTURE CUPPING 250-264-2322 9am-5:30pm www.fsjacupuncture.ca

CommerCial

CommerCial

FOR SALE COMMERCIAL SHOP AND YARD 8800 square foot shop and office space, sitting on 7.31 acres located in Hythe, Alberta. The shop includes five cranes, two air compressors, two 220 ft. drive−through bays, parts room, board room, two offices, reception, laundry area, separate drivers room with kitchen and shower, a live−in suite, and more. Offered for sale at $769,000.

Please contact Frank Manson: 780−882−4094 or Janet Manson: 250−253−2223

CommerCial

CommerCial

HealtH ServiceS

Career OppOrtunities

Steel BuildingS / granarieS

GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. ALL Ages & Medical Conditions Qualify. Have a child under 18 instantly receive more money.

CALL BRITISH COLUMBIA BENEFITS 1-(800)211-3550 OR Send a Text Message with Your Name and Mailing Address to (604)739-5600 For Your FREE benefits package

Nortech Welding & Fabricating Inc. INDUSTRIAL PAINTER / SANDBLASTER Seeking a versatile individual to handle a variety of yard and shop projects.

Familiarity with Endura paint systems and internal tank coatings would be an asset.

Automotive painting experience may suffice.

Confined Space Entry work may be required.

Forklift and loader experience would be an asset.

Should have personal transportation and a valid drivers licence.

Competitive wage package and shared benefit plan available.

Apply in person to 9500 − 20th Street Dawson Creek.

Email resume or call number below.

250−782−3833 nortech@pris.ca

STEEL BUILDING CLEARANCE ... “FALL BLOWOUT - PRICED TO CLEAR!” 20X25 $6,687. 25X29 $7,459. 28X29 $8,196. 30X35 $9840.

32X37 $9,898. One End Wall Included.

Pioneer Steel 1-855212-7036 www.pioneersteel.ca

Business services

Arctic Duct Cleaning, Furnace & duct cleaning, Chimney sweep. 250-7877217 (FSJ) LegaL ServiceS

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss?

Travel/ Business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge. File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-347-2540. accesslegalmjf.com LegaL/PubLic Notices

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss?

Travel/Business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge. File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-347-2540. accesslegalmjf.com.

Pets

Five 3/4 border collie 1/4 blue healer puppies. Ready Nov 25 $300. 250-827-3417

CLASSIFIEDS WORK! CALL TO PLACE YOUR AD...

Alaska Highway NEWS (250) 785-5631

NEWS

ServiceS for Hire

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss?

Travel/ Business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge. File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-347-2540. accesslegalmjf.com

GET RESULTS! Post a classified in 95 newspapers in just a few clicks. Reach almost 2 million people for only $395 a week for 25-word text ad or $995 for small display ad. Choose your province or all across Canada. Best value.

Save over 85% compared to booking individually. www.bccommunitynews.com/advertise or 1-866-669-9222.

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TAKE THE NEWS WITH YOU! PICK UP THE LATEST EDITION TODAY!

CALL (250) 785-5631

WALT'S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR

Alaska Highway NEWS

2005 Ford F150 5.4L,VIN 1FTSX215X5EB94427,

PLACE YOUR AD IN THE

The following vehicle located at

Fort St. John, B.C. will be auc�oned off within 30 days. registered to

NORMAN MICHEL of Fort St. John, B.C.

Outstanding charges up to and including Nov. 7, 2019 are $11,469.92 Vehicle can be viewed by appointment and sealed bids accepted un�l Dec. 16, 2019 at 3:00 pm.

CommerCial

CommerCial

31 85-56 50-7 -3522 2 : h P 85 50-7 Fx: 2 AND MAYBE SOMEONE WILL

CIRCLE YOUR AD!

CommerCial

For Sale or leaSe

Mark Hampson Regulatory PO Box 37072 Maryland Heights Calgary, AB, T2E 8V1 within 30 days of the date of this notice.

NOTE: Any statement filed regarding this application are public records which are accessible by the public.

InduStrIal WarehouSe & neWer oFFIce Property 905 100 Ave | Dawson Creek, BC Building 8,396 sq. ft. lot Size 0.41 Acres Zoning M2 - Light Industrial More Info: www.century21.ca/101270699 Great oPPortunItY & locatIon Both building price and lease are extremely $ low rates making this a great investment MLS® Number: 170279 property.

13.5% cap rate at list price

499,000

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 | COMMUNITY | B11

Money saving tips for the Mat Leave Mama

D

aycare costs lurking around the corner?

Home reno projects racking up on the Visa? Another vet bill? No problem, let me just shimmy up my money tree…

Alas, money trees don’t exist. And that means we’ve got to be smart about how we’re spending our hardearned mat-leave money.

Here are a few tips and tricks to cutting costs.

• Lower your phone bill.

I can’t believe I was paying $120/month for my phone.

I did that for a year-and-ahalf. One day I decided to call my phone provider and see what my options were. I now pay $30/month for the same service (same minutes, same data, same everything).

I did have to pay out the remaining balance for the cost of my phone first, which came out to a whopping $144. Not a big deal, considering how much I’m saving with my reduced rate. When you call your phone provider, be ready with questions and data about your phone use.

I had my past bills open on my computer when I made the call (“but I don’t even use one gig of data, so this plan is really quite excessive for my needs…”).

• Meal plan. Turns out you spend a lot of money when you zip out to the store every other day for new groceries to buy that certain thing you have a hankering for.

(And then you inevitably come home with a basket full items you didn’t know you needed…) Here’s what you should do instead: Cook in big batches. Freeze the extras. Eat what you’ve already got. Throw out less food. It’s really that simple.

• Buy cheap but healthy groceries. Beans and lentils are inexpensive, filling, and full of protein. Don’t underestimate these savory pulses.

Find some delicious recipes on your preferred recipe site (I like allrecipes.com) and let the saving begin.

• Consider renting a room in your house. If you have the space, I highly recommend opening your doors

BRONWYN MOSER and welcoming this extra paycheque.

• Save power. You can get as serious about this as you want. In our household we try to be extra diligent about turning lights off when you’re not in the room, and turning the heat down when we leave the house and in the evening. My mother takes saving power to the next level, and unplugs appliances when they’re not in use (including the toaster oven, which she uses instead of the large oven most days – another money saver). She swears the savings from getting ‘unplugged’ are huge. Is the hassle worth

it? I’m not sure, but if you’re serious about saving money it might be worth a try.

• Get thrifty. It took me a while to get on board with second-hand shopping, I admit, but the savings are undeniable. Why spend $50 on a new shirt when you can spend $5? Pocket that extra $45 for something you really want, like stowing it away for your child’s education, or putting it into a Family Vacation savings account. Would you rather have rewarding experiences or expensive clothes that wear out in a few washes? Sure, both would be nice, but let’s face it: most of us have to choose. If you don’t mind the hunt – and I’ve learned to enjoy it – there’s some great stuff out there.

• Buy in bulk. Shop at Costco or other bulk suppliers, but keep in mind you’re not really saving if you’re loading up your cart with non-essentials. Go in with a list of what you need, and do your best to stick to it. I know, it’s hard.

• Be smart about staying warm. Keep that furnace filter clean to lower the heating bill. When it gets clogged it restricts airflow, and that could lead to an expensive repair down the road. Your filter should be changed every three months. Also consider putting plastic over your windows in the winter, especially if the windows in your house are old and/or single-pane. If you don’t like the plastic look (nobody likes the plastic look) you could consider leaving the upstairs windows alone but covering those downstairs, or covering only the bedroom windows, or those in your boot room.

Whether you’re looking to save just a few dollars with minimal effort, or you’re willing to go all the way and change everything from the food you eat to how you heat your house, there is a way to save. Every little bit helps.

Get saving today!

Bronwyn Moser is a teacher and former journalist, and lives in North Pine.

Here’s another way Facebook is spying on you VERY VEGGIE: A new study shows 80% of vegetables are purchased by women. I believe the average man would buy more vegetables if those stupid plastic bags in the supermarket produce section were easier to open.

WEATHER WOES: Experts can’t agree whether we’ll get a mild or cold winter.

And here’s a reminder: When an Arctic blast arrives, be sure to enter our cold weather selfie contest. We’re looking for photos of The Peace Country’s Greatest Goosebumps.

YOUNG AGAIN: De-aging technology

is the latest thing in movies. Studios are using computers to make actors look younger. Plastic surgeons in Hollywood are very, VERY nervous.

DRINK THIS: A Japanese company is selling a new drink: Onionade. It’s made with sweet onions, they say it’s delicious. And in the works: Broccoli-ade.

Cauliflower-ade. Squash-ade. Kale-ade.

FB SOB: It was revealed a bug allows Facebook to secretly access your iPhone camera. Facebook confirmed the glitch last week, but they deny they spy on you. Facebook also denies it’s working

on a way to send 50,000 volts into my phone every time I write something bad about them in this column.

SOAP SCOOP: There are rumors the long running soap opera Days of Our Lives will be cancelled. It’s been on TV every weekday afternoon since 1965.

I hear the network decided to end the show when a woman who got pregnant in a 1973 episode finally had her baby.

HOUSEPLANT HAHA: Houseplants must be jealous when we bring in a fake tree every December and decorate it.

Do houseplants get nervous when we

BOB SNYDER eat a salad in front of them?

FORT ST. JOHN & DISTRICT CHURCH DIRECTORY

ANGLICAN CHURCH of CANADA NoRTH PEACE PARISH Please join us at our temporary location at the Peace Lutheran Church @ 1:30pm Ph: 250-785-6471 “All are Invited and Welcome Here” - (Luke 14:23) SERVICES St. Martin’s, fort St. John, BC Reverend: Christopher Samson Sundays 1:30 p.m. ********** Church of the Good Shepherd Taylor, BC - Sundays 10:00 a.m. ********** St. Matthias, Cecil Lake, BC 3rd Sun. of the Month 4:00 p.m.

Holy Communion ********** BAHA’I fAITH BAHA’I fAITH National Baha’i Information 1-800-433-3284 Regular Firesides Mondays @ 8:00 p.m.

Deepenings continued Wednesdays at 250-787-0089 Next Feast Info.

250-787-0089 ********** BAPTIST CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 9607-107th Ave., fSJ Ph. (Office) 250-785-4307 Pastor: Michael Hayes Associate Pastor: Doug Janzen SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE 10:30AM ********** BAPTIST CHARLIE LAkE CoMMUNITY CHURCH 12731 244 B Road, Charlie Lake (1st left turn off the Alaska Hwy. past the Charlie Lake Store) 250-785-1723 office@charlielakechurch.com www.charlielakechurch.com Lead Pastor: Joshua Goetz Associate Pastor: Jared Braun Sunday Worship: 10:40 AM Sunday School during the service nursery-grade 6 ********** CATHoLIC RoMAN CATHoLIC CHURCH (Resurrection Church) Pastor: Rev. Aruldhas Lucas, SAC Phone 250-785-3413 www.fsjresurrectionchurch.com MASSES: Saturday 7:30 p.m.

Sunday - 10:00 a.m. oNLY OFFICE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9:00 -12:00 noon & 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

BAPTISM: Contact the Pastor 3 months before baptism.

MARRIAGES: Contact the Pastor 6 months before the wedding. **********

ALLIANCE CHURCH 9804-99 Ave., fort St. John, BC V1J 3T8 Ph: 250-785-4644 fax: 250-785-8932 e-mail: office@fsjalliance.ca www.fsjalliance.ca SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE: 10:00am ********** CoMMUNITY PEACE CoMMUNITY CHURCH 10556-100th Street, Taylor, BC Pastor: Wally Pohlmann Phone: 250-789-3045 HoURS: 9:00am-Noon Monday-Wednesday & friday Email: office@taylorchurch.ca Website: www.taylorchurch.ca SUNDAY ADULT CLASS - 9:30am SUNDAY WoRSHIP SERVICE - 10:30am ********** EVANGELICAL foRT ST. JoHN EVANGELICAL MISSIoN 8220-89th Avenue, fSJ Sunday School September-June begins at 9:30am Sunday mornings.

Worship Service - 10:45am Phone: 250-787-2550 ******* INTERDENoMINATIoNAL UPPER PINE GoSPEL CHAPEL Church Phone: 250-827-3833 Email: upgc@pris.ca Board Chairman: Andy Burkholder 250-827-3811 Box 66, Rose Prairie, BC ********** LUTHERAN PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 9812-108th Avenue, fort St. John, BC V1J 2R3 Office Phone: 250-785-2718 Pastor: Rev. Kebede Dibaba Regular Worship Schedule: 9:00am Youth, Adult Bible Study 10:00am Sunday Worship Service & Sunday School ********** PEACE RIVER MUSLIM ASSoCIATIoN Information: 250-787-1264 Jumm’a (Friday) Prayer @ 1:00pm 203-10903-100th Street, fort St. John, BC email: tahermorsi@shaw.ca ********** MENNoNITE NoRTH PEACE MENNoNITE BRETHREN CHURCH North Peace Mennonite Brethren Church 10816 106 St. fort St. John, BC V1J 5V2 250-785-3869 Lead Pastor: Andrew Eby Associate Pastor of Youth & Young Adults: Don Banman SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES: 9:00am & 11:00am **********

MENNoNITE MoNTNEY MENNoNITE CHURCH SUNDAY MoRNING: Sunday School & Worship: 9:30am SUNDAY EVENING: 2nd & 4th Sundays: 7:00pm Everyone Welcome!

Pastor Warren Martin Phone: (250) 827-3231 ********** NoNDENoMINATIoNAL CHRISTIAN LIfE CENTRE “Associated with “Fellowship of Christian Assemblies” “King Jesus is Lord Over the Peace” 8923-112th Avenue, fort St. John, BC V1J 6G2 website: www.christianlifefsj.ca Ph: 250-785-4040 fax: 250-785-4021 Pastor Steve Oboh Principal of Christian Life School: Garry Jones Everyone Welcome Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00am Nursery available and Sunday School is held during the sermon for ages 3-12 years.

Christian Life Centre is “Home of Christian Life School” ********** foRT ST. JoHN NATIVE BIBLE fELLoWSHIP Sunday Worship: 11:00am Wed., Night Bible Study: 7:30pm Pastor John A Giesbrecht 250-785-0127 ********** GIDEoNS INTERNATIoNAL Fort St. John Camp Ray Hein 250-827-3636 John Giesbrecht 250-785-0127 ********** NoRTHERN LIGHTS CHURCH INTERNATIoNAL (Rose Prairie, BC Sunday Service: Pre-Service Prayer: 10:30am Worship Service: 11:00am Everyone Welcome ********** THE SHELTER CHURCH “...the Lord will be a shelter for His people” Joel 3:6 9808-98A Ave. fort St. John, BC 250-785-3888 SUNDAY SERVICE: 10am Pastor: Oral Benterud 250-785-9151 ********** PENTECoSTAL THE PENTECoSTALS of foRT ST. JoHN Phone: 250-787-9888 Pastor: Jason McLaughlin Sunday 10am Service, Sunday School Youth Sunday 11am Worship Service Tuesday 7pm Prayer Wednesday 7pm Bibile Study Friday 7pm Youth **********

PENTECoSTAL ASSEMBLIES of CANADA EVANGEL CHAPEL 10040-100 St., fort St. John Phone: 250-785-3386 Fax: 250-785-8345 Lead Pastor: Tony Warriner Sunday Services: 9:00am, 11:00am www.evangelfsj.com ********** The Journey 10011-100 St., fort St. John Phone: 250-785-6254 Pastor: Larry Lorentz Services: Sundays: 10:30am Tuesdays: 7:00pm **********

PRESBYTERIAN fort St. John Presbyterian Church 9907-98th St., fort St. John, BC Phone: 250-785-2482 fax: 250-785-2482 12:30 p.m. - Pie and Coffee 1:00 p.m. - Worship Service Everyone is invited to participate ********** REfoRMED TRINITY CoVENANT CHURCH Sunday Service: 10:00am Meets at the The Plaza 8111 100th Ave fort St. John, BC Elder: Desmond Jones Phone: 250-785-8289 www.trinitycovenant.ca matthew@trinitycovenant.ca Affiliated with C.R.E.C. ********** THE SALVATIoN ARMY THE SALVATIoN ARMY Sunday Worship Service: 10:30am 10116-100th Ave., fort St. John, BC Come Worship With Us. For information; Phone 250-785-0506 or food Bank 250-785-0500 ********** SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 9008-100th Avenue, fort St. John, BC Phone: 250-785-8632 Pastor: Cavin Chwyl Phone: 250-719-7949 Saturday Service: 9:30am ********** UNITED CHURCH of CANADA ST. LUkE’S UNITED 9907-98 St., fort St. John, BC Office: 250-785-2919 Rev. Rick Marsh Email: stlukeuc@telus.net Sunday Worship Service @ 10:00am All are Welcome!

The United Church of Canada is a Union of Congregationalist, Methodist & Presbyterian Churches in Canada formed in 1925.

alaska highway news

B12 | community | thursday, november 21, 2019

Shipping fever in cattle

I

Alaska Highway News

LOOKING FOR CARRIERS

?

Wednesdays

Must be 18 years old Contact Lynn for details

Dr. corinna goodine disease.

Vaccines are very important to boosting immunity. Calves should be vaccinated in the spring prior to pasture turnout, and again when they are brought back from pasture in the fall. Vaccines should include a Clostridial vaccine to prevent diseases such as Blackleg, and also a respiratory vaccine to help prevent certain viral and bacterial respiratory diseases. Calves should be vaccinated at least a couple weeks prior to weaning, to boost their immune system prior to the stress of weaning.

Nose rings/nose flaps can be used to decrease weaning stress.

These devices gently attach to the nostril, and prevent calves from sucking their mother. By placing these on the calves and placing back with their mother, weaning becomes a two-step process – which decreases the stress compared to those that are abruptly removed from the cow without first weaning of milk.

Treatment with antibiotics is often necessary when calves develop symptoms of Shipping Fever, but prevention is much better than treatment. If you have any questions about what you can for this year or in preparation for next year, contact your veterinarian.

Dr. Corinna Goodine was born and raised in Fort St. John and discovered her passion for veterinary medicine at an early age. In June 2015 she completed her dream of becoming a veterinarian and graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Temerarious Tabias

Library Grenades

T

9916 - 98 St

250-785-5631

TRIBAL TRADERS ARTS AND CRAFTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

t’s that time of year when cows are brought home from pasture, calves are weaned, and preparations for winter are well underway.

For calves, being permanently separated from their mother, and often leaving the farm are huge stressors in their life. As a result of the increased stress, pneumonia and other respiratory-related diseases are seen at increased incidence this time of year.

Shipping Fever is a common term used to describe the snotty noses, coughing, laboured breathing and other respiratory signs seen in recently weaned calves. Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is another common name for this disease. Shipping Fever is a result of a combination of many factors, and is most common within four weeks of weaning.

Increased stress from weaning, shipping, sudden changes in weather, new environments, dusty environments, nutritional stressors, mixing with new animals, in addition to many other factors work to decrease the body’s immune system. A decreased immune system makes the calves less able to fight off any infection.

Exposure to viruses can also decrease the immune system, making it less effective at fighting off concurrent infections. Viruses can also play a key role in the development of certain forms of pneumonia and respiratory disease.

Bacterial infections are very common with Shipping Fever. The bacteria involved are most commonly normal bacteria present in low numbers in the nose and upper airways of calves. As a result of the above mentioned stressors, these bacteria are able to replicate to high numbers, and if they gain access to the lungs, are able to cause pneumonia in cattle.

So how do we prevent Shipping Fever? Some things we can’t change: the weather, the fact they need to be transported, and where they may end up in the feedlot.

However, there are some things we can do to try to decrease the incidence and severity of respiratory

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abias never truly thought Turtle could have been in the Sun Hang Do class.

That would have been too obvious.

Martial arts, to hide an evil villain.

No way. Tabias got suspicious when Teacher Bal had explained it was library day. There had never been a library day before. This was new.

Tabias pulled out his handy dandy notebook. It was smaller than average to ensure proper hiding.

He stood first in line to get the library card, not even thinking when he answered the questions freely. It wasn’t until student number five or six that he began to wonder what these cards truly did. It seemed just as he took notes about the student, so did the library.

That’s when Tabias turned to look at the librarian. The helpers running errands around the library were either too tall or too stupid to possibly be Turtle.

It must be the librarian.

She was short, round and wearing a pink and green plaid shirt.

Her thin silver glasses adorned with pearls sat very low on her nose.

The library cards were a way of cataloguing the children. A code or tracker of some sort. Tabias went to the quiet corner to inspect his card.

It seemed basic. Just a cheap, laminated card. There was something sticky on the corner and Tabias wiped it off onto his pants.

With the strange sticky residue, the white paint rubbed off too. Leaving behind two small vials embedded in the card. Hidden under that layer of paint. The librarian was handing out tiny poison time bombs. Tabias knew he had to stop the librarian.

He crept around the book shelves.

A girl from his class, Inga, caught his

movement. She was in Grade 9 at the same school. Tall and thin, Inga struggled with the heavy books she carried. But she walked funny, did she have an ear piece in?

Tabias was distracted by a little boy crying; his mother had smacked his hand for sticking gum under a reading table. When he turned back, Inga was gone. The gum stayed affixed solidly to the table as Tabias dashed off to find her.

Behind the kid’s section, he found her. He stood flat against the shelf.

A girl appeared next to him. Her sweater pulled up over her blonde piggy tails, standing up like horns, her T-shirt boasted the face of a turtle and her face covered with a scarf.

“Psst,” Inga whispered.

“What?” Tabias rolled his eyes, “don’t tell me. You’re Turtle.”

“You’ve accomplished your mission. Now leave.” The cartoon turtle face turned angry, Inga suddenly appeared three feet taller and Tabias turned on his heel and sped out of there. ”I’m not gonna question that!”

Norma Rrae is an author based in Fort St. John. Read more at notmewriting.com.