AHN MAR 2, 2023

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Two miraculous things happened 100 years ago in 1923: the first instant camera was invented and Marie Kirkpatrick was born.

And both were out in fine form and fashion Saturday as family and friends from near and afar gathered at the seniors hall in Fort St. John to capture Kirkpatrick’s centennial 100th birthday celebration.

“It’s just been a day to day thing. I’ve had a good family and a happy life and a nice husband,” said Kirkpatrick. “There’s been hard times and good times. I’m grateful and happy and I’m in a good place.”

Kirkpatrick was born Feb. 27, 1923, and raised in Desjarlais, Alberta, before her dad moved the family to a homestead in Clayhurst, B.C., in December 1931. She finished her grade 8 studies and had started grade 9, but because her parents didn’t have the money to continue sending her to school, Kirkpatrick went to work.

“I’m the oldest in the family so I was sent out to work. I worked for an uncle and aunt, then I worked at the Dawson Creek hospital for eight dollars a month and board and room,” she recalled. “We took temperatures, we served the food, and we washed the floors. We did everything.”

After a year at the Catholicrun hospital, the work proved too taxing on Kirkpatrick’s body and her doctor told her to take three months holiday. She later went to work in housekeeping closer to home, which led her to meeting her husband, Neil, in Baldonnel in 1941.

They eloped and married in Grande Prairie in November 1943, and a year and a month later, on Christmas night, Neil was shipped overseas to war in Europe. He didn’t return until October 1946.

“He was some of the last to go over so he was the last to come home,” she said.

After the war, the couple farmed three miles from Fort St. John where they lived for 62 years and raised a large, loving family: five children, ten grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, many of whom travelled from Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Kelowna to take in Saturday’s birthday celebration.

“It makes me almost tearyeyed,” Kirkpatrick said.

Marie was married to Neil for 66 and a half years before he passed. Together they lived through decades of monumental societal and technological change. Consider that in 1923, a gallon of gas cost just 22 cents and a new house $5,600. Back then, the world population was only 1.9 billion, Disney had just been founded, and the bulldozer and Q-tip cotton swab just invented.

“Sometimes I think [the world] is going too fast,” Kirkpatrick admitted.

But she still keeps a positive outlook, reminding her grandchildren the secrets to living a long and happy life: work hard, be a good person, and get along with everyone.

“Be thankful for every day and be kind and help your fellow neighbours,” she said.

Kirkpatrick lives in the Heritage Manor II assisted living building in Fort St. John. A dance was held there Monday evening in celebration of her birthday.

“All my life I’ve loved to dance,” she said. “That’s my favourite thing to do.”

For all the news we couldn’t fit into print: alaskahighwaynews.ca

Bert Bowes Grade 8 basketball team makes history after zone sweep

Bonnie, Sandi, Kelly, and Glen.

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Better location than downtown for safe injection drug site?

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A downtown business owner in Fort St. John has an alternative idea for Northern Health’s plan to build a safe injection drug site in the city core.

Put it in the soon-to-be empty RCMP building instead.

Tina Almond shares the back alley with NHA’s proposed site at 10067 100 Avenue, where a warming centre is currently housed in the former H&R Block building.

Almond says the health authority’s plan to offer safe consumption and overdose prevention services is a good thing, but feels that putting a facility downtown will be detrimental to businesses, the public, and possibly even users themselves.

“I enquired about the policies that Northern Health was putting in place regarding what happens after the safe injection takes place. The answer that I received was that the injector would be monitored for 15 to 20 minutes, then released,” Almond wrote in a recent letter to Alaska Highway News.

“There is no follow up in place to ensure that he/she makes it to a safe space or concern about whether they would remain in public spaces while under the influence of drugs. I was told that the police are in place to deal with any of those types of concerns.

“As it is illegal to be intoxicated or under the influence in a public place, Northern Health is turning a blind eye to their patrons breaking the law as soon as they step outside their building,” Almond said.

are public service buildings in the vicinity of the current RCMP building, but these service buildings do not rely on customers for their livelihood.”

Last year was the third deadliest for overdoses in Northeast B.C., with 26 deaths reported by the coroners service, including 12 in the Fort St. John area. That’s up from just six fatal ODs seen in the northeast a decade ago, and the increase can be mostly attributed to the increasing presence of fentanyl in illegal street drugs.

Under a 2016 provincial ministerial order, health authorities can open supervised consumption sites outside normal city approval processes to address the growing toxic opioid crisis in B.C.

Northern Health has been operating a site on the third floor of Pioneer Square, where its mental health and substance use office is located, but says the site is being used by very few people. Plans to relocate to a streetlevel location on 102 Avenue just off 100 Street were pulled last year.

The health authority says the new 100 Avenue location was selected for its proximity to existing social services, such as the Salvation Army, and that it plans to include the existing warming centre, which is being funded by the provincial and federal governments.

Dr. Jong Kim, chief medical health officer for NHA, was asked whether the health authority considered other options, such as the medical clinic at 96 Street and 101 Avenue, where it has spent considerable money recently on renovations to add more clinical space.

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Other downtown businesses have raised objections about the location and consultation process for the drug site, saying it’s at odds with the city’s efforts to revitalize downtown. Almond agrees, questioning how it’s compatible with that vision, especially after the city bought and demolished the historic Condill Hotel to clean-up the downtown.

With several businesses within a one-block radius of the proposed drug site, and no place for users to go after leaving the facility, Almond also wonders whether it’s too late to consider a better, more suitable location.

As an example, Almond says the old RCMP building on 100 Street would be outside the downtown revitalization area and away from retailers, but still within walking distance for those choosing to use drug site services.

It would also be close to RCMP if ever there was a call out, and the back lot could be improved into a park-like setting where drug users could feel safe and undisturbed from the public after they leave the facility.

“It would give them a place to be,” Almond says. “These addicts do not want to be in the public eye. They do not want to be harassed because they are where they should not be.”

Almond adds, “I realize that there

“We have been looking into different locations but it’s hard to finalize and be able to move on to and progress the next stage,” said Dr. Kim. Doctors “have been engaged, particularly for the mobile services... [and] engaged in discussion of overdose prevention services,” he said.

“There was feedback from the clinic and the clinical teams, including physicians providing services there, that… because that clinic is further away from where many of our clients are accessing other services, that be considered.”

Last year, NHA launched a van to provide mobile overdose prevention services directly on the streets near the First Nations Health Authority and Salvation Army shelter. The van has seen about 850 visits since January 2022, though the van was destroyed by vandalism in October and has subsequently been replaced.

“There might be a point of continued mobile outreach services, where we bring services to the client,” Dr. Kim said.

“On the other end… to ensure that the clients can actually access the service, there is a need for a fixed location that we continuously provide the service, and also bigger space that provides the proper health and social services, and also space for our clients and their support person.”

The SPCA has signed a three-year lease for a new shelter building at 10503 89 Ave.

SPCA nds new shelter

Matt

Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

The SPCA says it has found a new home in Fort St. John, announcing last Thursday that it had signed a threeyear lease for a building at 10503 89 Ave.

The animal shelter has been without a facility since last March when its old location on 82 Avenue was deemed unsafe for workers and animals and closed.

“We’re very excited to finally have a physical space to work from again,” Adrienne McBride, BC SPCA’s senior director for community animal centres, said in a news release.

“Even though our services for animals have continued in Fort St. John with the help of our community partners and our South Peace location, we look forward to welcoming people back into a facility where we can continue to provide kenneling for stray animals in Fort St. John and the District of Taylor, process adoptions and provide easy access to community outreach programs such as our pet food bank.”

The SPCA says the new 7,200-squarefoot building, units E and F at 10503 89 Ave., is larger than its old facility, and includes two warehouse spaces. One

of those will be converted into a large indoor exercise area for dogs, and the facility will also include space for cats, small animals, and a large reception area.

The SPCA says once designs are approved, quotes will be sought from local contractors to begin work on modifications to the building. A “soft opening” is likely as as the work is completed, the agency said.

“We will move as quickly as possible to get the building ready and to move all of our animal housing and equipment to the new site,” McBride said. “In the meantime we will continue to work with our partners to ensure animals are safely housed.”

The lease includes a two-year option to renew.

“Finding a facility that met the unique needs of a Community Animal Centre with the limited inventory that was available was a considerable challenge, but we are delighted to finally be able to announce our new home in Fort St. John,” said McBride.

“As we have said before, we are 100 per cent committed to staying in this community with a physical presence, and we are grateful to those who have reached out to us to help us find a longterm solution for our future here.”

Community Living appoints interim executive director

Matt Preprost

editor@ahnfsj.ca

An interim executive director has been appointed for the Association for Community Living in Fort St. John.

The organization announced Friday the appointment of Trina Sperling effective April 8.

Sperling has worked with the organization for more than 20 years in various roles, from front line staff to human resources and administration, the organization said.

“During her tenure, Trina has developed strong relationships with the individuals, families, and staff who make up the FSJACL family, as well as with external stakeholders such as Community Living BC, other government funding agencies and local community members,” said the organization’s board of directors in a statement.

“She has had a leading role in ensuring compliance with funding audits, and has been deeply involved with the planning and execution of all our fundraising events for many years.”

Sperling is being mentored by outgoing executive director Joesph Lang to ensure “a smooth transition of knowledge and stakeholder relationships,” the organization added. Lang is

Trina Sperling

resigning after steering the organization through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The organization says Sperling believes in continual learning and personal development, and currently working toward her designation as a Chartered Professional in Human Resources.

“Trina holds a strong commitment to ensure the integrity and direction of the FSJACL is maintained while we continue the recruitment process of finding a new executive director,” the board said.

Sperling wins Area C byelection

Brad Sperling has won the Area C by-election, according to preliminary results from the Peace River Regional District. Sperling received 264 votes while his challenger Suzanne Haab received 254 votes. Finalized results are expected Tuesday, after this edition went to press.

The electoral area includes the communities of Charlie Lake, Old Fort, Baldonnel, Grandhaven, Clairmont,

and Two Rivers. The by-election was a do-over of October’s general election, the results of which were overturned by the B.C. Supreme Court when it was discovered voters outside the electoral area were given ballots despite being ineligible to vote. Haab and Sperling were the only two candidates to file their nominations, and 232 votes were cast in advance polls on Feb. 15 and 22.

In order to be able to put on a successful Fall Fair, we need a lot of help. Without the nancial support of these sponsors, or the gifts in kind, we could not do it. We sincerely hope that we have mentioned everybody in this list, but if we missed you, we apologize.

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Bert Bowes o to provincials

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Bert Bowes middle school students were off to basketball provincials this week. The Grade 8 boys team left Tuesday for Surrey after making history in a sweep of the North Central Zone Championships in Vanderhoof last month.

“I’m really happy that my team’s been willing to put in the work, that we’re going to be able to make something like this happen,” said team captain Dax Fontaine during practice Thursday afternoon, Feb. 23.

“I’m really excited to go to provincials and actually do something with my team because they’ve been working hard for this, I’ve been working hard for this, coach has been working hard for this,” he said.

The team held candy drives last week and saw business and other community support pour in to help cover its travel and registration costs. Last Saturday, it held a bottle drive at the school to raise funds.

“Everyone, including me, has grown as a player playing on the basketball team,” said first-year player Kaydren Stewart. “It’ll be awesome for us to go down to provincials, and it’s just gonna be overall an amazing time.”

Fontaine and Stewart give credit to their coach Kristy Erickson for not only

building their individual skills as players, but for building a strong team too.

“I couldn’t dribble the ball, I couldn’t shoot, I couldn’t make a reverse lay up.

So for awhile I thought I was just a bad player, I thought I was horrible,” said Fontaine. “Then coach showed me that I’m not really supposed to be a scorer. I’m more built for defence.”

Erickson, a veteran coach but in her first year at Bowes, passed the credit right back to her players, calling the past season of coaching the team a privilege. For most of them, this has been their first year being able to play in organized tournaments and away games since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I’ve never had a team that has such a strong amount of players,” Erickson said. “It’s been a neat experience to see them grow, and come together as a team. That’s always the biggest thing for me, to see that growth and change.”

“There are people there who are looking at the up-and-coming talent and if this can be an opportunity for these kids to play at a higher level against a higher level, and be seen by people, that’s amazing,” she added. “And then the learning experience, it’s just really something that will stay with these kids forever, so it’s a huge, huge opportunity. And I’m so grateful to the community for the way they’ve stepped up so far in such a short amount of time.”

Beatton Community 4-H Club Report

Hi,my name is Wendy Whitford, and I am the reporter of this year's Beatton Community 4-H Club and today I will be talking about what we are doing so far. Right now we are doing monthly meetings and we will start riding in April. We do this thing you might have heard of called Achievement days in July. is event is a 3 day thing where all the 4-H groups come from all over the North Peace region, and show their animals such as steers, lamb or horse etc. is year there are two horse clubs, our club and green valley club. We are all so excited to have another club that does horse projects. Now I will be talking about our club positions this year and that kind of stu . So this year our president is Wendy Whitford. Our vice press is Abby Mullin, our reporter is Wendy, our secretary is Camryn Allan, and our safety o cer has not been picked yet. We are all so glad we have this amazing Valley Vista riding arena. Lara and Je Kelly are the two amazing people who let us use it. We have our communications coming up, that is a speech and poster board etc. we all do. In our meeting lately we have been talking about communications and Achievement days and what they are doing. For the Beatton our theme is medieval times for our barn. I hope you enjoyed this little message about our 4-H group.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO

The Bert Bowes Grade 8 boys basketball team

Huskies close out another record-breaking season

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

It’s been another hockey season for the record books for the Fort St. John Huskies.

The team dominated the North West Junior Hockey League regular season, finishing their 42 game schedule atop the league standings with a historic 38-4 record and 77 points.

They did it by winning a league-record 35 games in a row, including back-to-back wins on home ice this weekend; a 4-1 win over Dawson Creek Friday night, and a nail biting 6-5 overtime win against La Crete on Saturday.

And they did it all in front of record crowds too, with home attendance surpassing 12,200 cheering fans in the stands throughout the season at North Peace Arena.

“We don’t come to the rink to break records, those are just things that happen along the way,” said head coach Todd Alexander, crediting collaboration for the team’s high-performing consistency.

“Setting a standard of play and trying to get to that goal, paying more attention to that than paying attention to the wins and losses, that’s when you can see true growth,” Alexander said. “You can play your best game out there and lose, and you can play your worst game some nights and win as well.

“The importance is to just put the attention on the standard, and the intention on the work that you have to do... that’s why we see the consistency of the group that we have this year,” he said.

“It’s awesome. We put in a lot of hard work and it shows,” said team captain Cayden Frenette. “The fans were amazing this year. It helps so much when you walk out of the tunnel and there’s kids going crazy and there’s people going crazy… Being part of this club is a huge privilege.”

The Huskies’ incredible win streak extends back to Oct. 22, when the team snapped a four-game losing skid early in the season against Grande Prairie, Sexsmith, Beaverlodge, and Dawson Creek, with a convincing 6-1 win over the La Crete Lumber Barons.

They followed that up the next night with a 5-4 shootout win in La Crete, just one of the many season highlights for second-year forward Kurtis Lee, who led the team and the league in points this year.

“That was a big morale booster for us, to just get over that hump and keep going,” said Lee. “There were a lot of great moments but I’d say that shootout in La Crete, where Brandon Modde won it, was pretty special.”

“After we lost four there, I think us and everyone in town was worried,” he added.

“But the amount of hard work we put in to make sure that we were ready to go each and every night to give us the best possible chance to win, and then to end up doing what we did, is super special,” he said. “I look forward to starting the playoffs and keeping it going.”

The Huskies outscored their opponents 238-79 this season, and a number of Huskies topped the individual standings following regular season play.

Lee was once again the NWJHL scoring leader with 81 points (33 goals, 48 assists), while teammate Modde was second overall with 77 (20 goals, 57 assists).

“Credit to my line-mates and my teammates because I couldn’t have done that without them,” said Lee. “It’s a group thing but I get to wear that honour, so I’m proud to represent it for all of us.”

Goaltender Jackson Powers was the league’s top goaltender with 22 wins and 1.71 goals against average. Daniel Sturgeon finished second among NWJHL goalties with 16 wins and 2.02 GAA.

The Huskies’ first-place finish has earned the team a bye through the first round of the playoffs, and a spot in the NWJHL semi-finals. They’ll play the lowest ranked team from the quarter finals when they return to the ice March 3.

Frenette says his teammates showed up to practice like it was a game during the regular season, and that they’ll need to stay mentally tough and focused to be successful in the playoffs.

“Don’t let things get you too high or too low,” he said. Said coach Alexander, “If we play to our standard, then the rest of the stuff takes care of itself.”

“It’s very cliche, but the guys are really one shift at a time. You can ask them what their most important shift is and they’ll tell you it’s their next one,” he said. “That’s the type of group we have and the focus is where it needs to be.”

AWARDS BANQUET

The team meanwhile put a cap on the 2022-23 regular season with a banquet on Sunday afternoon, where several players were awarded and recognized.

Lee picked up the regular season Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer awards, and was also voted by fans as the team’s Most Exciting Player.

Colby Busche was named Rookie of the Year, and Raymond Dick awarded as the Most Gentlemanly Player.

Brandon Modde was awarded Best Defenceman, and Cayden Frenette voted as the Fan Favourite player.

Nick Loewen was given the Gary Alexander Heart ’n’ Hustle Award, Oscar Burgess received the Wayne Gamble Award for Dedication and Leadership, and volunteer Michelle McArthur was recognized with the President’s Award.

Alexander gave credit to the team’s leadership group for creating a player-driven culture that ultimately led to its& success this season.

“They do a good job of treating each other well, they do a good job of deflecting negativity,” said Alexander, giving particular credit to Frenette, playing out his fourth and final season as a Husky.

“Cayden has played a massive role for us for the last couple of years,” Alexander said. “He’s had one of the toughest paths that a captain can have because he was also captain of this hockey club when we went through Covid and we had to practice and we had weird schedules, and they banned certain age players for a while.”

“He’s the guy that kept the group together going through all that and probably contributed to a lot better mental health for some of these guys because of the way that he was able to lead, and get everybody to the rink every week even though we knew that we weren’t going to be able to play any games.”

“We put in the work over the Covid year. We showed up

to practice night in, night out, pretended like it was a normal season, and the year after that we were mentally prepared to do what we did,” said Frenette. “This team has come such a far way from my first year to now. The mental strength is insane. The work ethic is awesome. We’re super close.”

“Everybody on the team has a say. We all have input, we all put in the work,” added Frenette. “I lead by going out there, putting in the work, being passionate.”

Later this year Frenette will

be off to Marian University in Wisconsin, following the tracks of other recent Huskies alum, including Dean Whitcomb, Aiden Tegart, Tyler McArthur, and Jonny Bateman.

“The whole season in general has been awesome. It flied by, unfortunately, but it’s been amazing,” said Frenette. “I’m going to miss a lot of these guys, the coaching staff, the fans… everything.”

But first, there’s still one more piece of hardware to pick up this season: the NWJHL’s Senators Cup.

PHOTO

TOP DOGS — The Fort St. John Huskies hockey club held its annual banquet and awards on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, to recognize players and volunteers.

MATT PREPROST PHOTO Colby Busche was named Rookie of the Year.

Lee won this year’s Top Scorer award.

PHOTO

Michelle McArthur received the Fort St. John Huskies President Award from team president Michael Bacso.

Olympic skateboarder Ryan Decenzo drops in for lessons with students

Todd Buck

tbuck@ahnfsj.ca

Fort St. John middle school students got a chance to skateboard with Canadian Olympian Ryan Decenzo last week at the Pomeroy Sport Centre.

Decenzo came to Fort St. John for the second day of a skate camp organized by Cole Andrews, which also included Ben Degros, carpenter, skateboarder, and YouTube influencer.

For some students, around 50 of them from Bert Bowes and Dr. Kearney schools, it was a lesson from a professional Olympian. For others, it might be the opening of a door they never knew they had.

“Typically, these programs start at Grade 10 to 11, but what we’re trying to do is peak interest even before that so they make the decision to get into these programs,” said Andrews.

On Thursday, Feb. 23, a group of students from Dr. Kearney took part in workshops where they learned carpentry and welding fundamentals to build skateboard ramps and rails, from design to assembly, and to leave behind a legacy for themselves and their peers.

Friday, they had the chance to talk with Decenzo and Degros one-onone while practicing on the equipment they built as well as getting

some pointers from a real pro. Each of the students also left the camp with

a brand new skateboard courtesy of Norvac Services and Red Dragon Skateboards.

“I love giving back to the skateboard community in Canada,” said Decenzo. “You can see some of the kids starting to get a bit of the bug. It can be a little scary. You get a rush but then you get the reward when you do something you’ve never done before.”

Local skaters Thomas Taylor and Jackson Andrews were on hand for the event helping with the students.

“I skate and help out when I can,” said Taylor. “As for helping in the community, Cole played a huge part in it. Seeing kids pick up skateboards is awesome, more of the crew to hang out with.”

The newly built ramps will remain at the Pomeroy Sport Centre for dropin skateboard programming. The steel rails, made with support from STRAIT operations manager John Telford and welders Jason Jardine and Riley Ferguson, will be donated to Dr. Kearney school for the kids to use during their lunch time.

“Skateboarding is just growing, everywhere in the world,” said Decenzo. “The creativity is unlimited. You can do it in the garage if it’s snowing, you can ride the driveway if it’s sunny out.”

Marriage Commissioner

The Vital Statistics Agency, Ministry of Health, is looking for an individual to serve as a Marriage Commissioner for Fort St. John. The individual will perform civil marriages within their community on behalf of the agency. Applicants must reside in Fort St. John in order to be considered for this position.

For information and an application form please visit our website at: gov.bc.ca/becoming-a-marriage-commissioner

TODD BUCK PHOTO

Ryan Decenzo shows Lu Taylor how to drop in

TODD BUCK PHOTO

Above left: Danny Thomson running skill saw. Above right: Skateboard rail being welded. Below: Marlo, Jackson, and Cole Andrews with Ben Degros and John Telford

CDC talent show a long community tradition

By Larry Evans

2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Child Development Centre in Fort St. John. While there were other sources of funding, the main source for many years was the CDC Talent Show. The citizens of Fort St. John and Districts have always supported the Child Development Centre. The proof of this is the amount of money that was raised over the years by the talent shows. The performances came in varied talents, from kindergarten class songs to up and coming performers, some making music professionally like Kyle McKearney.

The first event raised a modest $3,300 and it just grew from there. With each new show raised more than the year before. The first CDC talent show was held on February 27, 1976. It was organized by the parents’ auxiliary and spearheaded by President Sherri McDonald. It was deemed to be a colossal success by everyone involved. It was held at the Alexander Mackenzie Inn with nearly 70 separate acts playing to an audience of 600 plus people. At the start of the show there was $1,988 pledged but four hours later, and after 100 pledges, the total was $3,300. “It exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Anne Erickson, a physiotherapist with the Child Development Centre. “We had been worried that we would have to call it off for lack of support at first, but people kept piling in”.

According to Mrs. Barb Tootle, the new executive director of the centre, the fund raising drive was initiated when the centre found that it would have to move to new premises. It was located at the Immaculata School and the school had indicated that it needed the space.

Many community figures gave their time and talents at the first show. The first of many acts were the doctors of the community who dressed up for their course of I’ve Got

A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

A few deserters from Adlard’s army showed up with their bagpipes, and a choir from the Elk’s Sunset Home featured a couple of ladies who were in their 80s. Bun Burrows borrowed a guitar and let rip with Ghost Riders In The Sky , and was followed by the Golden Hawk’s hockey team who sang something about wishing they could get sober again. The RCMP performed at the first show and sang Rosemarie , the song from the film of the same name. They even supplied their own “ Rosemarie” in the person of Constable Buckley, still recognizable despite heavy drag. They were followed by the Oil Wives who brought the show to a successful conclusion. So became the legacy of the CDC Talent Show.

It could not be determined who hosted the first show, but in 1977 at the second annual show, the emcee for the affair was Fort St. John City Clerk Barry Willis. There were 32 acts in the second show and they raised $5,100. One of these acts was billed as the Volunteer and regular Firemen. This was my first experience, albeit not the last, of this madness they called the Child Development Centre Talent Show.

Again, the RCMP were well

represented along with other acts such as Phil Large, who was to become a fixture at the shows, along with the police and area fire departments.

The third annual show in 1978 again packed the Peace rooms of the Mackenzie Inn and raised $9,000 for the centre. Barry Willis again was the emcee and raised $190 himself for getting a pie in the face... so began a long tradition. Some of the entertainers for that show were the RCMP, Fort St. John Fire Department and for the first time the Taylor Fire Department. Other performers were again Phil Large, Dr. Moody, Cliff Hunt, Glenn Pomeroy, and numerous others totaling 42 acts in all. The Child Development Centre location at that time was in the basement of the Lutheran Church.

The headline for the 1979 talent show read as follows: “talent show makes big bucks for CDC”. The Mackenzie Inn again was the scene and $17,000 was raised. There was the Fort St. John FD, the RCMP, Taylor FD, Cliff Hunt, Phil Large, Wendy Hockney, the Merry Widows, and our good friend Sheila Ryan who sang a wonderful Irish song. Glenn Kirkpatrick and his group also performed. All in all there were 58 acts that year. Organizers of the show thought of several unique ways to get money from the audience, collected by the Oldtimers hockey team. There was a bucket to collect nickels, passed around to everyone in the crowd, only $100 was raised in that manner.

The 1980 talent show raised approximately the same amount of money as the year before. It was held at the Mackenzie Inn for the fourth consecutive year. Phil Large received a trophy for the most pledges placed on one adult. This was the year that CKNL became involved as a sponsor and Bob Bennett, Principal of Clearview School at the time, stepped up to join Willis, who was now with CKNL. Both of them raised money: Bob by having his beard shaved off for $900 while Barry received the customary pie in the face.

Joann Badry, Treasurer of the Parents Auxiliary, thanked CKNL and the Mackenzie Inn for the donation of their time and the facilities. Again, the fundraiser groups were the RCMP, Fort St. John FD and Taylor FD. Other performers for the 1980 talent show were Clarence Letendre, Gordon Andrews, Tom Pugh, the

Oilwives, Sheila Ryan and Cliff Hunt. There were 40 acts billed for this talent show. By the 6th annual talent show in 1981 the CDC had purchased land and a building (an old church) of their own to operate their services from. This increased the urgency to raise funds to keep this centre open. The funds raised this year totaled over $18,000 and although they did not reach their goal of $20,000, over 200 people were given the opportunity to see and hear some of the area’s finest talent. Bob and Barry were again emcees for this show and you could see a pattern developing as Bob got his beard shaved off again, and Barry got his customary pie. The Beavers club of the North Peace was awarded the trophy for the most funds raised by a junior group. Other awards for raising the most funds went to Laura Grundy in the junior single performer class, the Fort St. John FD in the adult group class and Phil Large in the adult single performer class. Some of the actors in the 1981 talent show were Diane Auger, Mrs. Joan Churchill, Sandra Strate, Ben Klassen, Jimmy Williams, Margaret Cleavely, the Oilwives, along with the CKNL staff and the CDC staff. There were 43 acts for that year’s talent show.

In 1982 a different format was adopted with the show being broadcast live on CKNL. Along with the talent show was a celebrity auction. This combined to raise almost $19,000. The auctioning was generally slow with the auctioneers really having to work to get people to bid. A single $500 bid by telephone got the Wayne Gretzky autographed hockey stick. Surprisingly, however, items like Nigel Hannaford’s glider trip and a book on B.C. autographed by premier Bennett drew repeated telephone calls. They ended up going for four to five times what was originally bid. The glider trip went for $130 and the book for $105. Some of the acts performing were the old standbys, the fire departments, the police and some of the new ones added were the Moosemen Rugby Club, Joan Swanberg, Faye Bouffioux, Carolyn Krause, Scott Fraser and group.

In 1983, after seven years, the talent show changed venues and was held at the Pioneer Inn’s Bowes & Herron room. There was again the old standbys and it was broadcast live on CKNL. The

customary shaving of Bob Bennett’s beard was cancelled this year as Bennett had omitted to grow one. Austin Neithercut of School District #60 was shorn of his mustache for $250 and Willis took his customary pie in the face for $400. We were grateful to all our performers and the people that pledged money to have them perform. We knew times were tough but once again the citizens of Fort St. John came through. The old standby performers were there along with new faces such as Tara Holmes, Bernie Salmond, Don and Christie Campbell, Auxiliary Moms of CDC, Maxine Gordon, George Cardinal for a total of 48 acts.

In 1984 the location of the talent show went back to the Mackenzie Inn. Other information as to the amount raised and who performed is unknown.

In 1985 a milestone was passed at the talent show. Figures provided by Joanna Pieper and Elaine Wilberg, the co-organizers, put the pledges raised by the Charlie Lake Firefighters at $5,000 and the RCMP at $4,446, the first time that the 4000 mark had been surpassed by a single group. The room at the Mackenzie Inn was packed, young and old jockeying for the available seats as close to the front as possible. Spectators lined the walls. Media people circulated, snapping pictures, jotting notes, broadcasting live, trying to catch the flavor of the event. The large red numbers on the board kept changing $3,764, $7,169, $9,012.00, $15,523... At midnight the final total displayed by the big red numbers was more than $20,000.

Over the years the Child Development Centre Talent Show raised varying amounts of money, always managing to make more each year. In 1990 a record was broken when $32,840 was raised. I was President of the CDC at the time and know that this was a highlight for everyone who had worked on the show since the beginning. In 1990 at the 16th Annual Talent Sho,w, performers included industrial dancing firefighters, square dancing dogs, an all male can-can, rap music, folk singers, school choirs, a streaker and hair-loss for charity galore. The emcees were Bob and Barry, who celebrated their 14th show together.

I spoke with them at the end of the show and we thought it was the best show

to date and didn’t think we’d ever be able to top it. The talent show of 1991 proved us drastically wrong. The highlight of the 17th Annual Talent Show happened before the show began, which resulted in pushing the show to $62,000, doubling the previous years total. Leo Budnick, owner of the Condill and Fort Hotels, got into a bidding war with Bob George, Manager of the Pioneer Inn, during Friday morning’s open line program on CKNL radio. It started with Budnik calling in and pledging $500. He challenged George to meet it or beat it. Thus began an exchange between the two that eventually upped the combined ante to $27,000. When Budnik raised his bid to $15,000, George bowed out at $12,000. With the other donations that came in from individuals and companies during the special twohour, open line program, roughly $33,000 was raised before lunch. This surpassed the previous years record pledged total of $32,840. Organizers then quickly reset the years target to $60,000. There were several musical performances by Renee Gwilt, Doreen Gwilt, Anita Lessing, Ryan Roulstone, Ron Costly, and Tammy Morrison, among others. Particularly outstanding was Ed Clark and Glenn Calliou. Clark’s guitar picking wowed the audience. The duo played several songs written by Clark, including Going Honky Tonk’n and Gypsy Blood . At 10:50 p.m. Miss Fort St. John, April Smith, and Fire Captain Larry Evans, also President of the CDC, changed the numbers on the tote board, revealing a new total of $60,092. The radiothon had surpassed its goal.

The Child Development Centre Talent Show has always been something to look forward to. In the years that I was involved with it, I thoroughly enjoyed working with the multitude of people that it took to produce such a large scale annual fundraiser. I’m happy to say that it still goes on today and would urge everyone to become involved either as a performer or with pledging to hear someone perform. Congratulations goes out today to the people who are organizing and producing it now as well as the people in the past that helped make it a success.

Larry Evans lives and writes in Fort St. John

ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS ARCHIVES

RCMP perform at the Child Development Centre talent show in February 1993, where senior officers raised $5,291 in support of the organization.

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First turbine rotor in place

Matt Preprost

BC Hydro says it has marked another milestone at the Site C dam.

Spokesman Bob Gammer says the first turbine rotor on the project has been placed into the Unit 1 generator pit inside the generating station.

Assembling the rotor, which weighs more than 600 tonnes, took about a year to complete, Gammer said, and took two powerhouse cranes four hours to carefully lift it into place.

“The rotor contains the electromagnets that will create a magnetic

field which, when rotated past the copper windings in the stationary stator bars, creates the flow of electricity,” Gammer explained. “Over the next 18 months, we will be doing five more similar lifts for the remaining units.”

Construction of the earthfill dam is now around 90% complete, and the project more than 70% built overall.

BC Hydro president Chris O’Riley told the BC Natural Resource Forum in January that the official target for commissioning is still nearly two years away. However, he suggested the company could potentially generate first power in December of this year.

Crime unit investigating ongoing

thefts

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

More than two dozen stolen vehicles have been reported to Fort St. John police in the first seven weeks of 2023, but RCMP hope a newly formed crime reduction unit can help stem the tide of property crime.

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Take a few deep breaths before forging ahead with a plan that you have in mind, Aries. You might need to think things through a little more in the days to come.

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Taurus, when a new opportunity arises, you may feel like a sh out of water until you get into a routine. After that learning period, things will come more easily.

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Cancer, right now is a big waiting game, and that could have you feeling a bit frustrated. If you are ready for action, take on a hobby or something else to stay busy.

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Leo, you may get wind that others are talking about you when you are not around. Remember that all publicity is good publicity. You’re on their minds and that’s important.

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Pisces, your own mind could be your only obstacle this week. Clear this mental hurdle and enjoy the challenges ahead.

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Of the 25 thefts reported from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14, twenty of them were trucks, according to statistics provided by the Fort St. John RCMP detachment. Over the same time frame, there were six other attempted vehicle thefts, four of which targeted trucks, police said.

“The theft of vehicles is an entire Peace Region problem, including both B.C. and Alberta but it is not a new problem,” said Cst. Chad Neustaeter. “Three times during 2022, the Fort St. John RCMP has tried to reminded the public to lock their vehicles as it has been an ongoing issue.”

Property crime has been a growing concern for residents, even prompting a recent public forum in the community of Taylor last month.

There, Fort St. John commander Insp. Tony Hanson shared with the public that local police had partnered with neighbouring RCMP detachments to form a crime reduction unit to respond to ongoing thefts in the region.

Local investigators as well as those from the Dawson Creek RCMP and the North District RCMP General Investigation Section have been assigned to the Peace Region Crime Reduction Unit.

“The Peace Region Crime Reduction Unit is working cooperatively with RCMP detachments in the Alberta Peace Region, targeting prolific property offenders and has already put two prolific offenders back in jail,” Neustaeter said.

In mid-January, two men, Corbyn Hubley and Daniel Davidsen, were arrested for a rash of property crimes in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Grande Prairie, the result of a joint in-

vestigation between the Peace Region Crime Reduction Unit and Western Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit.

More recently, officers continue to investigate after more than a dozen stolen vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were recovered as part of an investigation at a rural property north of the city last month.

And on Feb. 22, RCMP put out a wanted alert for Matthew Edmund Duffy, a 40-year-old “prolific property offender” know to frequent many communities across northern B.C. and the Alberta Peace.

“A small number of prolific offenders create the majority of files and sharing Wanted reports with the public, for those who are consistent offenders, is another way the Fort St John RCMP is trying to work with the public to get offenders back behind bars where they can’t continue to steal,” Neustaeter said.

When it comes to protecting vehicles from being the target of thieves, Neustaeter says residents should keep their vehicles in well-lit areas and that using an inexpensive steering wheel lock or other anti-theft devices can deter thieves. He adds businesses can also invest in a quality video surveillance systems and use appropriate lighting strategies on their premises to help with crime prevention.

When it comes to warming up vehicles on those cold, -40 windchill days, Neustaeter says remote starters help keep vehicles secure. Otherwise, owners should generally lock their vehicles and remove their keys as well as another other valuable or important items.

“An initial and ongoing response has been to try educate the public, letting them know that gone are the days when you could leave your vehicles and homes unlocked,” Neustaeter said.

“Thieves look for easy targets and it shows when most vehicles that are stolen are left unlocked and often running.”

editor@ahnfsj.ca

First turbine rotor lifted into place at Site C.

Letters: Better location for drug site

I feel like the chosen location for the safe injection site is going to be detrimental to the surrounding businesses. Is it too late to consider moving this site to the old RCMP building that will be empty soon?

Issues with the new site:

- Multiple retail businesses within a one block radius. These businesses rely on customer traffic that will be deterred by the homeless and drug addicts that this site will pull into the area.

- It is right in the middle of the downtown revitalization project that the city has been working on for years.

Early history of the Baldonnel Women’s Institute

ByEvelyn Hadland

In 1996, Evelyn Hadland (Mrs. Austin Hadland) wrote a seven-page history of the Baldonnel Women’s Institute. Evelyn was the historian for the group at that time. There was no trouble reading the history pages as Evelyn had been an elementary school teacher and her writing is perfect McLean’s style.

Baldonnel WI 1935-1955

Mr. Jack Abbott, Justice of the Peace and owner of the Dominion Illustration Substation at Baldonnel, organized the Farmers’ Institute in 1931 and then encouraged the women of the District to form the Baldonnel Women’s Institute. Although they had been meeting informally for several years, they did not receive their charter until November 1935. The first Peace River District convention was held in St. John’s Church Hall in July 1935 with one hundred and eighty-

seven ladies present.

The first officers were Mrs. A.R. Hadland President, Mrs. I. Pomeroy, Secretary, and Mrs. C. Foster, Publicity Convenor. Mrs. Foster sent the news of the first meeting and subsequent meetings to the Peace River Block News in Dawson Creek. (The Alaska Highway News was not published in Fort St. John until the spring of 1944.) Other charter members were Mrs. J. Tod, Mrs. J. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. K. Birley, Miss May Birley, Mrs. I. McLellan, Mrs. R. Tod, Mrs. W. Wiles, Mrs. H. Wiles, Mrs. C. Ohland, Mrs. Ed Thomas, Mrs. C. Dingman, Mrs. W. Colpitts, Mrs. B. Simpson, Mrs. W. Rider, Mrs. A. LeClerc and Mrs. Percy Cushway.

The meetings were held in St. John’s Church Hall (Anglican) until the weather turned cold and then they were held in the member’s homes. On several occasions Mr. Wilbur Wiles would hitch his team to his sleigh and along with his wife Ethel would call for Mrs.

John Tod, Mrs. R. Tod, Mrs. H. Wiles, Mrs. A.R. Hadland, Mrs. J. Kirkpatrick, and Mrs. C. Ohland to take them to the meetings at the Hall. Other means of transportation were cutters, stone-boats, buggies, democrats, wagons, and horseback. Some women would walk four miles. After crops were threshed and the harvest work completed, they held chicken suppers, followed by card parties or dances. These happy occasions helped to raise funds so the Women’s Institute could fulfill their obligations to the school children and the P.R. District WI.

One the of the first handicraft projects was the making of a felt tablecloth embroidered in blue and gold. However, Mrs. George Stewart, the storekeeper’s wife, was secretary and kept the register, minute books and tablecloth at her home at the back of the store. The records and tablecloth were burned when the Baldonnel

Store burned in 1939.

During World War II (1939-1945) the women bought a spinning wheel and Mrs. W. Rider spun wool from which the women knitted socks, scarves, mitts, and toques to send to local boys in the armed forces in Europe and Africa. They sent parcels of food through the Fort St. John Red Cross.

They sponsored a Youth Training course at the Hall in the summer of 1947. In 1950 they helped the fort St John W.I. provide a rest room in Fort St. John for the rural ladies and children.

Members of the Women’s Institute were caretakers of the St. John’s Church Hall for many years and had the Hall wired for electricity in 1952.

Until the early 1950s the members helped to support a protege child in France and sent food and clothing twice a year. With their financial support a boy with spinal meningitis was sent to the Children’s Hospital in Vancouver in 1955.

Revival in Asbury, why not the Peace?

By John Grady

Like many of you, I have followed with incredible interest on YouTube and in recent articles of a spiritual revival taking place at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky.

The revival broke out in the Hughes Auditorium Chapel, where students are required to attend a certain number of chapel services per semester. In many ways, it sounds like it could be a routine class setting but on Wednesday morning, Feb. 8, fter the benediction and the gospel choir finishing the final chorus, the students present stayed and continued to worship instead of leaving the chapel to head to their next class.

Two weeks later students

and others were still present in the chapel and in a traditional revival spirit there was a mixture of worship, brokenness, praying, repentance, interceding, kneeling at the altar ring, some lying prostrate, all taking place in a loving and peaceful process.Needless to say, students from other universities went to this chapel and, of course, onlookers, media, the curious, the doubters, and the spiritually hungry believers, all converged on the revival happening. Reports state there is no hype, no manipulation, no emotional fervor, but a quiet, peaceful, joyful attitude of holiness, praise, worship, love, and prayer.

Interestingly, in 1970, there was a similar revival in the same chapel that lasted seven days and then the gospel was

spread out into the community and around the country. What was taking place is a move of the Spirit, which nobody can program, command, explain, or justify, except our Lord. With visitors from.all over the world converging in this small town, officials have decided to close the chapel services and look for other locations that can handle the crowds. It will be most interesting to observe if there is any further revival happenings.

As you study revivals such as the Welsh, Azuza Street, Hebrides in Scotland, Wesley, Moody, Finney, and others, what always appears to be a tipping point is a foundation of serious committed broken prayer and desire for holiness. In many respects, why would we, or should we, be surprised

because Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, our comforter, counsellor, teacher as the third person of the Trinity. Revival is God in action with open hearts of His children.

For years I have prayed for revival, and one day my wife Sandra and I were having lunch with Ed Silvoso, founder of Harvest Ministries and internationally known Gospel preacher and author, along with his wife Ruth, sister of Luis Palau. While we were making small talk waiting to be seated, I was quietly thinking of the name Harvest Ministries and the Lord asked me what was the difference between revival and harvest?

It was a duh moment!

Revival, of course, is a work of the Holy Spirit meant for believers to be spiritually

- There is no place for the addicts to go after leaving the facility that will not affect the businesses in the area.

The soon to be empty RCMP station:

- Away from retail businesses

- Outside the Downtown Revitalization Project

- Still within walking distance

- The back parking lot can be improved to a park so that the drug addicts can feel safe and undisturbed by the public when they exit the building. It would give them a place to be.

- Close proximity to the RCMP, which will save on costs of the multiple call outs that are going to happen when you mix drug addicts with the public.

These addicts do not want to be in the public eye. They do not want to be harassed because they are where they should not be. I realize that there are public service buildings in the vicinity of the current RCMP building, but these service buildings do not rely on customers for their livelihood.

Tina Almond Fort St. John

awakened, focused on Christ, allowing Him to do the deep work of change in believers lives, His holiness and His kingdom. Out of that revival awakening comes a supernatural desire for the harvest of souls. The best example is Jesus telling His Apostles to go to Jerusalem and to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit, which they received, and out of that experience the Gospel was proclaimed and 3,000 were added to His kingdom that same day. If revival can come to a chapel in Kentucky can it come to Fort St. John and the Peace River? Can we have faith and a vision for revival in the Peace?

John Grady lives and writes in Fort St. John

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Guides & guiding

Third in a six-part series

By Evan Saugstad

It was now October and I was in the Kechika mountains of Northern B.C., more than 50 air miles from the nearest road and much further by horse.

I was with guide Nick Fabish and wrangler Richard Craig on a guided stone sheep hunt with Scoop Lake Outfitters. Weather was great: sunny, warmer and drier than normal, still forest fires burning. Only slightly below freezing at daybreak, outright balmy during the day. Sunrise came at 7:45 a.m., sunset just after 7 p.m., and losing five and a half minutes of daylight a day. Knob Creek Camp is two sleeping tents with cots, a lean-to for a kitchen, a cache with camp essentials, and a fire pit for warmth.

Shorter days suit me fine as, being 67 years young, I don’t have the stamina for much more than that. I’m in good shape for my age, having just spent a couple weeks hiking the Peace country hills looking for elk and a summer packing water for my garden, but I do have limitations.

I’m good to go all day hiking and climbing mountains but I will need to take it a bit easier the following day to recuperate. Rest days become one of riding to lookouts and glassing, versus a whole lot of hiking. My years of living and working in the coastal mountains of B.C., and a couple years of guiding and hunting my whole life, have taught me to pace myself, to know my limitations and how to safely recognize and navigate hazardous mountain terrains. Out here, mistakes are not an option.

Without fences for the first part of the hunt, a typical day starts with Richard off at 5:30 or 6 in the morning to find the horses, and Nick up shortly thereafter to make breakfast and lunch. Me, I’m up at 6 or 6:30, and it’s coffee and breakfast by the campfire at 7, ready to depart by 7:30 or 8, and then back to camp by 5 or 6 p.m. for a freeze-dried dinner followed by an hour or two by the fire talking about the day, tomorrow, and who we are.

It’s ironic but quite normal that my guide and wrangler are not from B.C. Not many are, as B.C. is not a conducive breeding ground for this type of work. Knowing how to hunt, skin and butcher, understand the quarry, horsemanship and packing, as well as general camp maintenance and repairs, and be willing to work long days in inclement weather, away from home for three or four months, is not an easy job. Finding willing and competent persons is a challenge for outfitters.

Nick is from New Zealand with a farming, hunting, and

guiding background, one of many Kiwis working as guides in B.C. In his country, hunting is a way of life, as all big game animals are non-native and many considered pests, so there are little to no restrictions on hunting. New Zealand is also mountainous and has an agriculture and outdoor and hunting economy.

Coming to B.C. for the outdoors experience and work is appealing, as our summer and fall is their winter and spring. When this hunting season ends, Nick’s immediately back to New Zealand and a job impregnating 5,000 cows, a number that likely equals all breed-able stone sheep ewes in B.C.

Richard comes from a farming and ranching background and wants to become a big game guide. His motivation is a bit different as his inspiration came from his granddad’s stories of hunting in the mountains of Alberta and B.C. Being a young man, he knows it will be along time before he can afford to pay for an experience like this, so he’s willing to work to see these same things. When done, he too goes back home to continue his job in environmental reclamation of pipeline rights of way and well sites.

I tell them there are others trying to educate and train B.C. people about the opportunities in guiding. We talk about how many of B.C.’s guides used to be local native peoples, as this fit their lifestyles, knowledge, and work experiences, but how all that changed as young people lost their connection to the outdoors and the land, and how most no longer wanted, or wished, to do the same as their fathers and grandfathers before them. One outfitter, Michael Schneider, is trying to change this by working with the Takla Lake First Nation and training their young people to become guides and wranglers.

We talk about this hunt being foremost an adventure, that I’m willing to go home empty-handed if we don’t find the right ram, but maybe not as adventuresome as when I too was young and a guide.

In 1982 at the age 32, I went as a first-time big game guide for John Ostashek at Kluane Lake in the Yukon, and ex-

perienced more than an adventure, some of which I did not wish to try again. Such as John flipping his C185 float plane upside down in the middle of the Kluane River and me having to construct a three-log raft with a dull axe, held together with 12 feet of hay wire and the lacing from a Trapper Nelson pack board to rescue him.

Or having my horse stumble on a steep mountain slope, jumping off and rolling down hill between the legs of the following pack horses to avoid being squished (somehow, when I exited, my horse righted itself). Or having to rescue a packhorse that took a shortcut across the river and ended up floating downstream with its pack boxes full of water.

Or when my fellow guide was pulled off his horse by an ornery three-year-old he was leading, landing on his back on a large rock and that, thinking it was broken,

how I left our two hunters to unpack as I rode for 10 hours for help, arriving at base camp at 2 a.m. after having to cross the Kluane River on a water measurement station cable in the pitch black by using two halters as slings as I pulled myself across the river to get to the phone.

Or how I lost a pound a day for 15 days on that first hunt, or how on the last hunt of the year it was -20F, with an abscessed molar that eventually built up so much pressure it blew the fillings out the top and I could finally get some sleep.

Yes, I don’t need to repeat those experiences. An ordinary hunting adventure in beautiful B.C. will be good enough for me this time around.

Next week, Part 4, on how no two days are the same.

Evan Saugstad lives and writes in Fort St. John

Dear Miss Patti,

I’m seeing a lot of posts and blogs relating to co-regulation on social media lately. I’m curious what this looks like for toddlers? There seems to be a lot of tantrums lately and I feel like I’m handling it calmly but it doesn’t seem to help at all.

—Waiting it Out

Dear Waiting it Out,

They have such big feelings at this age. So many changes could be taking place. New babies coming into the house, preschooler siblings going to school, big kid beds and potty training. It’s one of those in-between ages. Not a baby anymore but still needing so much help but wanting some independence, so conflicting! Ultimately, they need a soft place to fall when these big emotions take over. So we, as educators, family members, need to be this place of soft, gentle, and calm.

This is easy to say when the child reacts in tears and is one who doesn’t mind touch or closeness. Other children react in anger (fight reaction to stress) and lash out to those surrounding them, usually the ones they love. Our instant reaction can be irritation or the desire to control/stop the behaviour immediately. This brings a sternness that triggers the safety response even more and it’s a vicious circle that now looks like two toddlers on a weird debate team.

I remember a time when my oldest, who was three at the time, was yelling frequently at his younger brother. He himself was going through quite a challenging time and it made me re-examine my practices. I wouldn’t say I had been yelling, per se, but I might have been speaking louder than usual during this time. I had not felt heard by my three-year-old and speaking louder should fix that right? I started paying attention to the way I was speaking and within a week the yelling in our house was gone.

Always look to the environment and this includes you to see if anything happening around them is affecting the behaviour. Sometimes, like you said, you are calm, and they still take a long time to bring it down. Like everything, everyone reacts differently. Some children just need more time to register that we’re not engaging and that we’re here with them, waiting and still there when it has passed. Hang in there, ride out the waves and talk a lot when the storm passes about how we can handle those big feelings next time. And we keep having this talk until we don’t need to anymore. Again, every person is different. Some children figure it out after one talk and others, too many talks to count.

By staying calm during these moments and riding out the wave of big emotions, the child will eventually come back to shore and there you are waiting. (With a snack, these big emotions can make you hungry) Talk out loud about what you’re doing to stay calm. “Take a deep breath. In through my nose and out through my mouth. When I’m calm, I can think clearly.”

If you start saying this out loud as you problem solve or get frustrated, you’re modelling calming strategies. You want them to meet your calm not rise to their level of frustration. If they are met with a wall of sternness, does that feel like a soft, safe place to fall? It makes you want to run away or climb up, over and away! There begins the lovely habit of running from problems rather than asking for help from people you love and trust.

—Miss Patti

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO

Guide Nick Fabish and wrangler Richard Craig.

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTOS

Left: Guiding at Kluane Lake 1982. Wayne Rodd with caribou at minus 20. Right: Guiding at Kluane Lake, Peter Johnson fellow guide on left, hunter Dan Strickler.

EVAN SAUGSTAD PHOTO Outdoor biffy, all the comforts of nature.

SUBMITTED

BC Hydro repairs a power pole at 86 Street and 85 Avenue knocked over in a motor vehicle accident Feb. 20.

Crash knocked out to power to 6,000

No one was seriously injured in a two-vehicle collision Monday night, Feb. 20, in Fort St. John that knocked out power to thousands of residents for several hours.

Fort St. John RCMP say a Jeep was travelling southbound on 86 Street and collided with a F-150 pickup truck travelling north when it turned east onto 85 Avenue.

Police say the collision pushed the F-150 into a light pole at the intersection,

which leaned over the roadway and comprised power and communication lines.

The incident knocked out power to about 1,767 BC Hydro customers around 7:45 p.m. A second related outage happened at 10:06 p.m. affecting 4,229 more customers, according to BC Hydro. The two outages were restored at 4:30 a.m. the following morning.

Both drivers were checked by paramedics and cleared,

according to police, and the driver of the Jeep was ticketed for failing to yield and having no insurance.

“All drivers need to exercise extra caution and attention when they conduct left hand turns,” said Cst. Chad Neustaeter. “Left hand turns are one of the most dangerous things a driver will do and where police see many of the collisions on our roadways as they cross the lanes of oncoming traffic.”

Bear Flat Dispatch: Butch Cassidy, Toilet Seats, and Site C

By Ken Boon

The recent passing of song writer and performer Burt Bacharach has put a spotlight on his involvement with many great songs over the years.

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head was just one of many, including others from the score of the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid We did not have a TV in the house for much of my youth, and we seldom made it to town to see movies, but somehow, I did get to see that one. Perhaps that is why that movie left such a big impression on me. It has been about 53 years since I saw that movie, but I can still clearly remember much of it including the bicycle scene with that song playing. I think it is time I watch it again.

Talking about famous outlaws, Arlene and I continue to deal with the fallout from “Christy Clark and the Flip Flop Kid” and their Site C dam project. Courtesy of the “Sta-

bility Impact Lines” that runs through part of our remaining property here at Bear Flat, we have recently had to move into the restored original Bear Flat schoolhouse that is further back from the impact lines at home.

This may seem odd, but my favourite feature of this move is the self-closing toilet seat and lid we now have in our bathroom. Some of you will already know this, but it is really neat to simply pull the seat and/or lid part way down and then let go as it slowly and softly closes the rest of the way on its own. The only problem now is when I use a toilet somewhere else that doesn’t have that feature, I accidently let the seat slam down which can be embarrassing.

I’m all for freedom, but I think government should mandate that all new toilets have the slow self-closing feature. In fact, toilet manufacturers should go one better; How about the “clapper crapper”? You simply clap your hands, it

flushes, and then the seat and/ or lid slowly close. That would be sweet.

It does seem ironic that it took a crappy project like Site C to enlighten me on better toilets, which just goes to show how good can often come from bad. In the future when historians report on the Site C project, the report will end with “… but at least it resulted in better toilets!” Credit should be given where due, and of course politicians love to take credit and have stuff named after them, so perhaps the new toilets should be called “The Christy”; or, better yet, “The John”. However, if Christy Clark or John Horgan don’t want that, then we could simply call them “The $16 Billion Toilets,” because, after all, that is where the money for Site C was flushed. Yep, that giant sucking noise you can hear all throughout B.C... is Site C flushing away our money.

Ken Boon lives and writes at Bear Flat

Still no arrests in 2022 pipeline attack

By Frank O’Brien

Despite a $100,000 reward and one year of investigation by the RCMP, there have been no arrests and little progress in the hunt for a gang of 20 masked and armed vandals who destroyed a Coastal GasLink work camp on the night of February 17, 2022.

“To date I have not received any updates on the investigation. The investigation remains active and ongoing,” said an email from RCMP Corporal Madonna Saunderson, media spokesman for the Houston RCMP, on the first anniversary of the attack.

Just after midnight on February 17 of last year, Houston RCMP was called to Marten Forest Service Road for a report that people were attacking Coastal GasLink security guards. Approximately 20 people, some armed with axes, attacked the guards and damaged work vehicles and structures. Total damage was estimated at $20 million.

Video footage from the Coastal GasLink camp shows people dressed in white coveralls, with their faces covered,

storming the property. The individuals can be seen swinging axes at vehicles and spray painting windows in the video.

Chris Gardner, president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), says it was a horrific event for people working at the camp. The ICBA and CrimeStoppers teamed last October to offer a $100,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and charge of any individual responsible for the crime.

“The level of fear that these workers experienced was horrific. You can hear it in the voices of the workers and the crews who were on that site that evening,” said Gardner.

Police officers found various objects placed on the road to obstruct it, including boards with spikes, fires, downed trees, tar-covered stumps, wires and a school bus. Gardner says these acts of violence were planned, coordinated, premeditated and carried out with precision.

“People were threatened, lives were at risk, and more than $20 million worth of equipment was completely destroyed,” he says. Police have not been able to

Sentences and fines from Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Fort Nelson provincial courts, Feb. 13 to 17:

• DEJONGHE, Nathan Mark (born 1987) was sentenced to 180 days jail with two years probation for assault committed in Fort Nelson on Dec. 8, 2022; 90 days jail for using a forged document in Fort Nelson on May 13, 2022; 73 days jail and a mandatory lifetime firearms prohibition for possessing a firearm without a licence or registration in Fort Nelson on Nov. 18, 2022; 7 days jail and a one-year criminal driving prohibition for driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code in Fort Nelson on Dec. 4, 2021; 7 days jail with two years probation for theft $5000 or under committed in Fort Nelson on Dec. 4, 2021.

• MUDRY, Donald Gordon (born 1970) was given a suspended sentence of 24 months probation and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for assault committed in Dawson Creek on Jan. 25, 2022.

• TSAKOZA, Trevor Curtis (born 1987) was fined $500 for uttering threats in Prophet River on Oct. 14, 2020.

• CHRISTENSEN, Murray J. (born 1957) was given a four-month conditional sentence, fined $1000, given

a one-year criminal driving prohibition, and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for impaired driving in Baldonnel on Jan. 7, 2020.

• PAYOU, Alexandria Jewel (born 2001) was given a three-month conditional sentence, fined $1000, and given a 12-month criminal driving prohibition for dangerous driving in Fort St. John on July 16, 2020.

• MCLEOD, Jessica Catherine (born 1989) was sentenced to 12 months probation, fined $2500, and ordered to pay a $375 victim surcharge for driving without due care and attention in Fort St. John on Jan. 28, 2022.

• DORTCH, Morgan Lorraine (born 2000) was fined $1500 under the Wildlife Act and ordered to pay a $75 victim surcharge for hunting without a license in Fort St. John on Feb. 12, 2021.

• THOMSON, Robert Andrew John (born 1955) was given a one-year $500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage to property in Hudson’s Hope on Dec. 19, 2021.

• MICHEL, Joeleen Destiny Robyn (born 1997) was given a $500 recognizance after allegation of causing fear of injury or damage to property committed in Fort Nelson on Oct. 2, 2021.

Charged with poaching

By A/Cpl. Erich Schmidt

Hudson’s Hope RCMP responded to 33 calls for service between Jan. 19 and Feb. 19. Fifty-seven written violations and warning tickets were issued to drivers between the above dates for various motor vehicle related offences. Highway and road safety continues to be a focus for the Hudson’s Hope RCMP.

Please make note of the new “NO LEFT TURN” sign that has been erected at the intersection of Osbourne Street and Canyon Drive. This sign has been put in place for motorist and residential safety. An offence of “Improper Turn at Intersection” comes with a fine of $109.

identify the people responsible. This is despite eye witnesses, video surveillance and an apparently short list of potential suspects since the event happened in a remote area with few escape routes. The site of the attack had been the focus of protests and an “eviction notice” from members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation.

While hereditary chiefs from all five Wet’suwet’en clans have stated their opposition to the project, five of the nation’s six elected chiefs have signed benefit agreements with the pipeline project. In a statement, the hereditary chiefs disavowed any participation in the attack.

“We know there are people out there who have information on these perpetrators, and we’re urging you to do the right thing and call us. Allow the police to hold them accountable,” said a statement from RCMP Chief Supt. John Brewer.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Houston RCMP at (250) 845-2204. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave a message on their website at Solvecrime.ca.

On Jan. 20, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP stopped a vehicle along Highway 29 for speeding and upon the investigation, it was found that the driver was prohibited from driving. The driver was subsequently charged and this matter is before the courts.

On Feb. 2, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP assisted BC Conservation after receiving a report of a possible poaching incident that occurred on the Twelve Mile Road. Based on the investigation, a Burnaby, B.C., resident was charged with several Wildlife Act charges after officers found two illegally shot elk on private property. This matter is before the courts.

On Feb. 4, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP received a report of an online fraud in which an individual made a private purchase via etransfer for an item that was listed for sale on the Marketplace. Upon the e-transfer being sent,

the seller then blocked all further communications and the item was never provided to the buyer. Police are advising to use caution when conducting purchases via social media buy & sell sites being that these have become a “hotspot” for fraudulent transactions. Whether you’ve been scammed or targeted by a fraudster, you should always report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: www.antifraudcentre.ca, or call 1-888-495-8501.

On Feb. 5, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP stopped a motorist along the Beryl Prairie Road for impaired driving. Upon the road-side sobriety test being administered, the driver blew a fail thus resulting in a 90-day driving prohibition and a 30-day vehicle impound.

On Feb. 8, the Hudson’s Hope RCMP received several reports of mischief after numerous vehicles in the area had been found to either have gas caps removed or items found that indicated that someone had tried to siphon gas out of the fuel tanks. No suspects were observed and as it appears, the unknown person was unsuccessful in obtaining any fuel.

Anyone with information regarding current or past investigations can contact the Hudson’s Hope RCMP directly at 250-783-5241 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Visit northernbccrimestoppers.ca for advice on submitting tips online and to browse the areas “Most Wanted” page.

Erich Schmidt is Acting Detachment Commander of the Hudson’s Hope RCMP

SUBMITTED

GOVERNOR GENERAL’S MEDAL — Alexis Lindh is presented the 2022 Governor General’s Bronze Academic Medal from Todd Koponyas, principal of North Peace Secondary School. Lindh finished her schooling last year with an impressive GPA of 96.79%, and on Wednesday, Feb. 22, was presented with her medal on behalf of Governor General Mary Simon. Academic medals recognize outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada, and are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, college, or university. The Bronze medal is awarded at the secondary level, and one of the most prestigious awards that a high school student in Canada can receive. Silver medals are awarded at the undergraduate level and Gold at the graduate level. Lindh is currently studying Physics at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George.

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Around sixty Fort St. John students learned the basics of budgeting, politics, and the advantages of working in the north at this year’s YAC conference held last Thursday.

Put on by the Youth Advisory Council at Northern Lights College, this year’s theme focused on flexibility and resiliency during challenging times, and included panel discussions with companies such as Peace River Hydro Partners and how they had to adapt construction on the Site C dam during the pandemic.

Owen Lang, who chairs the youth council, says the conference is all about youth supporting youth, and exposing them to opportunities, whether that’s careers or mental health and their schooling.

“It’s always about youth changing tomorrow and it’s just a different aspect of that this year,” said Lang.

Other presenters include acting mayor Coun. Trevor Bolin, who spoke about his experiences in municipal politics and business and community development, as well as a presentation on budgeting by the North Peace Savings and Credit Union.

“We’re trying to equip them with different tools to help them succeed in life,” said Lang.

Afternoon sessions include presentations on the B.C. youth parliament, UNBC’s local nursing program, and a panel of five people talking about their careers and the advantages to working in the north.

During a Mix ‘n’ Mentor lunch, students mingled with a variety of local professionals working in community media and radio, veterinary

the

lunch at the

Feb. 23. The grade 7 Dr. Kearney middle school student was joined by friend Addison Tancock as they mingled with a variety of local professionals working in community media, veterinary services, policing, education, nursing, IT, law, and many more career fields.

at

services, policing, education, nursing, IT, law, and many more careers.

“We want them leaving knowing that working here in Fort St. John isn’t as bad as it always seems, because everyone always says they want to graduate and move away,” said Dylan Burtch, a grade 12 student at North Peace Secondary and volunteer with the youth council.

“We talk about the cons so much so we’d like to bring out all the pros,” added Lang. “There’s a lot of good things that keep people staying here.”

The youth council meets the

second and fourth Tuesday of every month, at 3:30 p.m. at the Pomeroy Sport Centre. The council is open to students grade 9 and up, and is looking to recruit new members as four out of its five current members will graduate high school this year.

“I joined because I wanted to meet more people who were like minded,” said Burtch. “I’ve made friends on the Youth Advisory Council, people who have the same values that I have.”

To learn more, drop into a meeting or contact the city.

PREPROST PHOTO

Happy 13th birthday to Adrienne Oasay! Oasay was at

Mix ‘n’ Mentor

YAC Conference held

Northern Lights College,

By Heather Sjoblom

The North Peace Historical Society is enjoying being able to do so many more events and activities at the beginning of 2023 than we could in early 2022. We’ve just put our handson/interactive items back in our displays which had been removed due to the pandemic. We recommend washing or sanitizing your hands when entering and exiting the museum if you choose to handle these items.

Senior band Valentine’s dance raises $6,786

It was a sold-out success for the school district Senior Band on Feb. 10 as it continues to fundraise for its trip to nationals later this year. Music teacher Sabrina Brooks says $6,786 was raised at a dance fundraiser held at the Lido, with supporters donating more than $1,600 at the door alone.

“Once again, Fort St. John

showed it really cares,” said Brooks. “Thank you to Brian and the Lido, The Montney Coulees, and everyone else who supported the Senior Band.”

The band is raising money to travel to Niagara Falls to compete in the MusicFest Canada National band competition in the spring. It will cost $70,000 for all students to

Notice of Public Hearing

Zoning

Told in Ethel’s words, this exhibit looks at the challenges and dangers of her sleigh rides to and from the hospital as well as the long wait before and after giving birth. This exhibit is presented in partnership with the Fort St. John Hospital Arts Committee. The display case is in the hospital lobby between reception and Cool Beans Cafe.

EXHIBIT UPDATES

attend.

A telethon-style fundraising event as held last week, Thursday, Feb. 23, at Ma Murray school, featuring a range of family friendly entertainment to continue raising funds.

The City of Fort St. John has proclaimed the month of February as SD60 Band Together Month in support of the fundraising efforts.

Our Forts to Furs presentations on February 10th were well received. We enjoyed sharing our fur trade history and are very thankful for Raymond Ensz of the Fort St. John Trappers Association who provided a fascinating presentation on trapping today. We had 191 people through during our BC Family Day Winter Scavenger Hunts and Open House on February 17-20. They learned fun facts and stories about winter artefacts on display and explored the museum. Thanks to our volunteers, the North Peace Historical Society, and the support of the Province of British Columbia for making this event possible.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• North Peace Historical Society AGM (Wednesday, March 1st at 7 p.m. at the Fort St. John North Peace Museum)

Join us for our first in-person AGM since 2020. Arthur Hadland will present “A Voice for the Peace” looking at the history along the Peace River from the last ice age to the present. We will provide coffee, tea, and baked goods. Tickets are $10 and MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24th.

• Kids’ Night at the Museum: One-Room Schools (Friday, March 10th at 7 p.m. at the Fort St. John North Peace Museum)

What was it like to attend a one-room school in the North Peace about 50-100 years ago? Find out about the ups and downs of our early schools through photographs, stories, and an interactive presentation. Learn how to write with pens dipped in ink. Try our school-related searches, sorting activities, puzzles, and crafts. REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY AND LIMITED. Event tickets are $5/child or $10/family and must be purchased in advance. Children must be accompanied by an adult (free). Tickets are available at the museum starting Monday, February 27.

ANIMAL FOOTPRINT KIT

Available at the Fort St. John North Peace Museum Friday, April 14 as long as supplies last Celebrate the biodiversity of the North Peace Region of British Columbia through a free take home kit sponsored by Burger King. This kit introduces children ages 3-12 and their families to notable local animals from beaver to lynx. Discover fun facts about wildlife in the Peace Region and learn what their footprints look like. Use your knowledge to pair animals to their footprints in a matching game. Create your own animal footprints with salt dough.

EXHIBITS

• “A Long Way” Ethel Rutledge’s Journey to Providence Hospital (Free Exhibit at the Fort St. John Hospital)

Experience Ethel Rutledge’s journey from Hudson’s Hope to Providence Hospital in Fort St. John to give birth in 1932.

We recently made room for a beautiful wax sculpture and display case which will form the basis of our new Tse’K’wa (Charlie Lake Cave) exhibit. We will be working with Tse’K’wa and Indigenous groups to develop new interpretive signs for this exhibit. In rearranging the front of the museum to accommodate this display case, we have moved our dinosaur exhibit and will be working to update the signs and make it more interactive as well. We’ve incorporated a model of the Peace River Suspension Bridge (the old Taylor bridge) built by volunteer Ed Scriba in our Alaska Highway display. There are lots of exciting changes going on in the museum!

COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

A huge thank you to our team of volunteers working to identify our collection of Rudy Schubert negatives from the 1950s and 1960s. They’ll have contributed over 75 hours in February alone. I’m always impressed at how well they remember things from over 50 years ago! We’ve responded to over 25 inquiries in our archives so far this year and are working on cataloguing a huge collection of items (mostly photographs) pertaining to Alvina Stuby (later Cook) and family.

BOTTLES & BREAD TO PRESERVE HISTORY

Do you have some empty bottles, juice boxes, or cans? Bring them to the Fort St. John North Peace Museum and we’ll take them to the recycle depot for you. Please don’t flatten them. Do you shop at COBS Bakery? Mention the Fort St. John North Peace Museum and COBS will donate 5% of your purchase to the museum.

MUSEUM GIFT SHOP

Check out our selection of gifts made locally in the North Peace! For those looking for tasty treats, we have honey and a selection of jams and jellies. We have silk and knit scarves, hats, baby booties, cards, tea towels, bags, woodworking, salves, and more! We now carry Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer (as well as the adult version). Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us. With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults brings Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation. Purchases from the museum gift shop help us preserve and present the history of Fort St. John and area through exhibits, educational initiatives, and collections management.

Heather Sjoblom is manager and curator of the Fort St. John North Peace Museum

TODD BUCK PHOTO

DERBY WINNER — Blair Myers was the winner of last month’s ice fishing derby on Charlie Lake, catching a whopping 11.3-pound Northern Pike. Winner for the kids class was Ryan Stewart, with his pike weighing in at 2.6 pounds.

COMING EVENTS

St Patrick’s Day Dinner & Dance & Pie Auction

March 18, 2023

Senior’s Hall in Dawson Creek

Dinner: 6 pm

Dance: 8 pm Music: 3 On The Tree

Tickets: -$30 Adult Dinner & Dance -$20 Adult Dance Only

-$15 12 & Under

Come support your Hosts of the Kiskatinaw Fall Fair! Sunset Prairie Recreation Commission

Linda: 250-843-7418

Selinar: 250-782-0457

Faye: 250-843-7567

COMMUNITY NOTICES

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION

• EDUCATION

• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

We’re here to help!

• PREVENTION

• EDUCATION

• SUPPORT Northern Brain Injury Association

1-866-979-HOPE (4673)

MEDICAL/ DENTAL HELP EDUCATION

TAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE & communication a level. Get the career and family life of your dreams! Jon a Toastmasters International group near you. www.toastmasters.org/ nd-a-club

FOR SALEMISC

Mini Greenhouse with plastic lid is now available. Custom work also. 4X4 feet. Mike 250-329-7477

WANTED TO BUY

WANTED SASQUATCH SKULLAlso purchasing SILVER & GOLD coins, bars, jewelry, scrap, nuggets, sterling, 999+ BULLION, maple leafs, bulk silver, pre-1969 coins. Coin collector BUYING ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS, old $ & Royal Canadian Mint coins. TODD 250-864-3521.

NOTICES / NOMINATIONS

SAY NO to FAKE

XNEWS! 63% of Canadians can’t tell the di erence between real and fake news. Support reliable LOCAL journalism. Join the list www.newspapersmatter.ca.

Land Act: Notice of Application for a Disposition of Crown Land

BOOKS, COINS,STAMPS

Todd’s Coins: Buying gold, silver & coins 250-864-3521

HORSES & TACK

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Take notice that Shaw Cablesystems Ltd. (“Shaw”) from Calgary, Alberta, is seeking to build a fibre optic Open Access network, designed to help connect rural communities to high-speed internet. Shaw has applied to the Ministry of Forests (FOR), Northeast Region, for a Statutory Right of Way for a Telecommunication Line situated on Provincial Crown land located at West Moberly Lake. This Statutory Right of Way will be for an underground fibre optic cable located approximately 425m on the east side of Pioneer Road between Highway 29 and West Moberly Road.

FOR invites comments on this application, the Land’s file is File 8016213. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Andrew Tofflemire, (250) 774-5518, Authorization Officer, Northeast Region, FOR, at 100-10003- 110th Avenue, Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7. Comments will be received by FOR up to March 30, 2023. FOR may not be able to consider comments received after this date.

Please visit the Applications, Comments and Reasons for Decision Database at http://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ for more information.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

“There are also more tools to help deal with mental issues compared to before.”

Tumbler Ridge doc authors books for kids

Rob Brown editor@dcdn.ca

Dr. Ife Akanegbu has a trio of books for children focusing on promoting positive mental health. The colourful picture book series is Motivating Our Champions

“It is something certainly more prevalent since the pandemic,” says Dr. Akanegbu from Tumbler Ridge.

“It is important for children, youth, and adults to talk about mental health,” he adds.

“Patients when they used to bring the subject up – thought they were the only ones – the truth is they are not, and mental health issues are dealt with much more in the day to day

now,” he says adding issues can stem from other issues such as weight gain, neglect, or simply too much TV.

“There are also more tools to help deal with mental issues compared to before.”

One tool Dr. Akanegbu has committed to creating is authoring three short story books for children and youth.

“It is time to bring these books to the public, and get them in into libraries and start some discussions.”

It is on that very note that Dr. Akanegbu will be hosting an open house and meet the author afternoon at the Tumbler Ridge Library on March 4. The idea is to begin to address and then manage some

of these issues. If they are not addressed – this is one of my greatest fears,” he says.

“It’s time to open some doors.”

Dr. Akanegbu cites video game addictions, and less connectivity with the real world as some real obstacles as well.

“What I have is three picture books written with motivational characters and addressing issues children and youth may encounter in their regular day to day lives,” he says.

“Parents and children can read these and connect to some concepts.”

Dr. Akanegbu expects to have the books in libraries throughout the Peace region.

AURORAS LIGHT THE SKIES — The Northern Lights could be seen shining beautifully in the skies over Fort St. John last week. This picture was taken by Tanya Idler and showcase magnificent green hues dancing in the sky. On Feb. 17, the sun experienced a X2.2 class solar flare releasing a coronal mass ejection that hit Earth’s magnetic field on Feb. 20, reported Spaceweather.com. NASA says this was the most powerful solar flare of the sun’s 25-year cycle, which is expected to increase in intensity over the next couple years before beginning to decline again.

Pastor brings mission to city

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

A new church will celebrate its grand opening in Fort St. John this Sunday.

The Northern Lights Church is holding a public launch March 5 at 10116 100 Avenue, featuring guest speaker Chris Byberg of the National House of Prayer.

The church, pastored by Shannon Stange, has been meeting in a home over the past year. As it grows, the church is moving into a space shared with the Salvation Army food bank, which used to be home to a church.

“We didn’t plan to start another church, but we came up here to deal with the family property and in the process God said to me, what about Fort St. John? I said, What about Fort St. John? He says, I’ve got something for Fort St. John that I want you to be a part of,” Stange says of his move to the city last year with his wife, Rita.

“It’s actually going to be a year to the day that we launched the church. We arrived at the end of February and began meeting in our house at the beginning of March. So, it’ll have been one year having held a little church service in our living room to the day that we actually do a public launch.”

Licensed through the Christian Ministers Association, Stange has led and started churches for more than 30 years for the Anglican church, the Mennonite Brethren Church, and the Pentecostal church, as well as independent churches.

Stange says the Northern Lights Church is independent, and that the Christian Ministers Association he is affiliated with includes ministers of many denominations, from Lutherans to Baptists and everything in between.

“We’re not here to replace anyone, we’re here to add to what God is doing in this community, and to serve it in whichever ways that we can,” he says.

“When God calls you to do something in a city, he brings people to you in order to fulfill that call. And you have to pay attention to the people that he brings you, because they’re the ones who are going to implement and bring forth the the thing that is going to be done... Whatever they bring with them will be the very thing that we then give back to the city and to the people of the community.”

The launch begins at 10 a.m. on March 5 at 10116 100 Avenue, with regular services to be held on Sundays.

To learn more, visit www.northernlightschurch.ca

Shannon and Rita Stange celebrate the launch of Northern Lights Church on March 5.