Creston Valley Advance, December 12, 2013 by Black Press Media Group

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Serving the Creston Valley since 1948

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Volume 65, No. 50

RDCK directors join CVWMA group

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BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Local Regional District of Central Kootenay directors are joining a working group designed to develop a sustainability plan for Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (CVWMA) and its Wildlife Interpretation Centre. At the Dec. 4 regular monthly meeting of the Creston Valley Services Committee, a delegation presented its recommendation to form a working group. The committee will also include a representative from Columbia Basin Trust, Lower Kootenay Band, Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce, CVWMA, the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations, and Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall. When Ducks Unlimited Canada took over management of the renowned wetlands, it made it clear that DUC is not in the business of operating tourist facilities. The working group will explore options to continue to operate an interpretation centre and attract tourists.

Brian Lawrence

HE’S BACK — Santa Claus arrived in Creston at the end of the 2013 Santa Claus Parade on Saturday night, officially kicking off

the Christmas season. The parade was the culmination of a day of events that included gingerbread decorating and photos with Santa at the Creston and District Community Complex in the afternoon, 14 businesses participating in a Shop Local Day, and free hotdogs and hot chocolate in the Spirit of Creston Square after the parade. More photos on page 24.

See RDCK, page 3

T-Cats, LKB team up for new jersey Page 5

TODAY'S WEATHER

This week's weather artist:

Tia Ryter, Erickson Elementary School

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augh the light back! The Creston Valley Public Library invites you to its Shorts on the Shortest comedic film fest on Dec. 21, the shortest day (or daylight hours, anyway) of 2013. This first-time collaboration between the National Film Board, Telefilm Canada and Sodec in celebration of short documentary films will feature international prize-winning comedic shorts. Come in out of the cold, have some popcorn and hot chocolate, and laugh the sun home. Admission is free, and running time is approximately 90 minutes. The presentation starts at 1:30 p.m. For more information, call

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he Town of Creston, Regional District of Central Kootenay, BC Transit, Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce and Creston Valley Spirit Committee invite everyone to participate in the annual Creston Tour of Lights. The Tour is scheduled from Dec. 16-20, with trips from 6:307:30 pm nightly. For $1 a ride, customers can view the best-decorated homes and businesses in the Creston Valley while a transit operator does the driving. For more on the lights tour schedule

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and information on transit in the Creston Valley, visit www. bctransit.com/ regions/cre or call 250-428-7750. •••

n Dec. 13, Gold Creek — Clayton Parsons, Connor Foote and Zack Silveris — is coming to Creston for a concert at the Snoring Sasquatch. These three young performers are the latest link in a roots musical legacy that goes way back past the beginning of the 20th century. Over the past 100 years, there have been a number of illustrious performers who have left their mark on a musical genre that includes folk, blues, bluegrass, western swing and country. In the never-ending quest for fame,

Brian Lawrence

Pat McNeice and Susan Does recently won the regional safety poster contest sponsored by Cranbrook’s Associated Canadian Travellers branch, which donates annually to the Cresteramics Society. McNeice’s poster was also chosen to move on to the national competition.

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Thanks to your help, we harvested over 38,000 lbs of produce in 2013!

To everyone who participated in the Harvest Share Program! • To people who took time to harvest and donate their excess produce • To produce owners who invited Harvest Share volunteers • To everybody who participated in the harvest • To the service agencies who took time to distribute the produce Special thanks to • Kokanee Ford for the complimentary lease of a pickup truck • Creston Valley Advance for sponsoring our advertising and stories • Columbia Brewery for boxes • Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce Special thanks to Jenny and Rick Faynor, to the Gailius family, to Jim and Joan Francis and Rosewoood Orchard, and to Reghan Ottenson and Home Orchard for donations of wonderful produce! Thanks to Columbia Basin Trust for supporting this program. We also recognize the ﬁnancial assistance of the Province of British Columbia.

fortune and popularity most the younger performers of today have strayed from the true path of music rooted in earthy values. Not so Gold Creek. Their music reeks of an authenticity based on their personal experiences and honed by the musical craft handed down from their families — Foote’s grandfather is Ed King, a Canadian

Country Music Hall of Fame inductee. The trio is quick on their verbal feet, fleet of fingers on their instruments, have a wonderful relaxed stage presence and are thoroughly entertaining. Tickets are $10 in advance at Buffalo Trails Coffee House, Kingfisher Used Books and Black Bear Books, and $13 at the door, which opens at 6 p.m.; the show begins at 7.

Crash victims identified Nelson Star

The BC Coroners Service has identified the Slocan Valley teens who were killed in a motor vehicle accident near Moyie on Dec. 5, which temporarily stopped traffic in both directions for several hours. The female was Lyla-Maria Arcilla Mortensen, 18, of Slocan, and the male was Joel William Drew Franklin, 19, from Winlaw. Mortenson was driving with Franklin in the passenger seat when they lost control of the vehicle and collided with a pickup truck on Highway 3/95 about 24 kilometres southwest of Cranbrook. Both were deceased at the scene. Their families have been notified and a Facebook memorial page set up for their friends to post condolences. "Lyla was an amazing spirit. She was filled with such beauty and smiles," Erynn Stark wrote on the memorial page. "Every day I saw her, she was filled with such a glow of happiness that shined on everybody else." Philip Altman posed his memory of Franklin on the page: “You were a smart individual and always told things the way they were. You were a great friend and will be sorely missed by a lot of people.” The accident occurred on Dec. 5 at about 12:25 p.m. Road conditions were very icy at the time.

LOCAL NEWS

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, December 12, 2013

Thunder Cats playing three

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 3

BY BRIAN LAWRENCE Advance Editor

The Creston Valley Thunder Cats didn’t play on the weekend — bus troubles kept them from visiting the Fernie Ghostriders on Saturday — but the team is gearing up for three games this weekend, hosting the Golden Rockets on Friday and Sunday, and travelling to Invermere on Saturday. The games will be the Thunder Cats’ last before a two-week Christmas break, and head coach Josh Hepditch is hoping his team, currently first in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain Division, can stay on top. “There are a lot of teams that are going to be playing the week after us,” he said. “We’ve got to really focus on doing our job before we head into the break.” The team will be a bit shorthanded this weekend, with Marcel Fuchs and Brandon Formosa sitting out, respectively, one and three games, following penalties earned in a Nov. 31 game. With this weekend’s three divisional games, the Thunder Cats have a chance to pull even farther ahead of the tied-for-second Fernie Ghostriders and Kimberley Dynamiters, who, with 29 points, sit seven behind the Thunder Cats. Invermere’s Columbia Valley Rockies follow with 24 points. “We’ve got to find a way to keep that separation in the standings,” said Hepditch.

RDCK

From page 1 “The wetlands are one of our most important resources and we need to work together to build on their appeal to tourists,” said Mayor Ron Toyota.

Children’s book tells of polar bear, sled dog’s friendship BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

When Julie Ewashen was growing up in Dublin, her teachers and fellow students just assumed she would end up in a writing career. She did, after all, attend Wesley College, the alma mater of George Bernard Shaw. Now, at 81, she has just published her first book, one aimed at children. Life in the Arctic with Nina & Nikita tells a story of polar bears and their relationships with people and other animals. Ewashen was inspired to write a book by photos she had seen. “I had an email from a nephew in New Zealand in 2008,” she recalled last week. “It included pictures of a polar bear approaching some Husky sled dogs. At first the lead dog growls, but eventually they made friends.” Ewashen learned that the bear started to return to the same site every evening and eventually it started to play with the dog. “It was really amazing,” she said. She found the source of the photographs and wrote a story to go with them. Copyright restrictions meant it would be difficult to use the photos to illustrate her stories. “I asked Nadine Riehl to do some illustrations and we would get together and talk about ideas,” Ewashen said.

Riehl is an artist best known for her murals on the Pharmasave building, Canyon-Lister Fire Department, Centennial Park and Creston and District Community Complex. Next, Ewashen turned to Boswell’s Luanne Armstrong, the celebrated author and editor. “I had finished the book with the polar bear and dog making friends, without providing a reason. Luanne said, ‘You can’t do that — children need a reason.’” Ewashen made more changes and submitted her manuscript to a Vancouver Island publisher, who didn’t take on the book for publication, but had positive comments and a suggestion. “They said I should have a kid in the story,” she said. “So I introduced a 13-year-old boy as the owner of the Husky.” Always a reader to her children and grandchildren, Ewashen has written stories for her grandkids. “They complain that they aren’t long enough,” she laughed. She said she enjoyed a lot of the process in getting the book ready for print, “But you get tired of rewriting.” Instead of continuing her search for a publishing house, she opted to go the increasingly popular self-publishing route. “I thought that if waited too long, I might die before it gets published!”

Glynnis Ewashen

Creston author Julie Ewashen.

She settled on Friesen Press in Victoria, which offered an editorial service and also arranges for online sales. Ewashen will launch Life in the Arctic with Nina & Nikita at Black Bear Books. She will be reading and signing books, along with Riehl, from 7-9 p.m. Dec. 19 and 2-4 p.m. Dec. 21.

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Committee Briefs •Upgrades to Creston and District Public Library will be included in budget discussions over the next two years. A report by engineer Wendell Marshall has revealed serious deficiencies in the building’s heating and cooling systems. •After two years of Area A and B directors threatening to withdraw funding cemeteries in Creston and Erickson, they have withdrawn their stated intention. The decision came following a consultants’ presentation about cemetery operations. •Directors and RDCK staff continued discussions about how to attract more events to the community complex and about who is responsible to co-ordinate the effort. •Letters of support will be provided to the Friends of the Ingham Arts and Culture Centre Society for its grant applications to develop the former garage on Canyon Street, which is now home to Creston Valley Community Radio.

A page from Life in the Arctic with Nina & Nikita, a story by Julie Ewashen with illustrations by Nadine Riehl.

• Excellent selection of off-track cross country ski equipment • GV Snowshoes - Made in Canada All Bicycles Discounted! Snowshoe and XC Rentals Available Hours: 11am - 5pm Tues - Friday 11am - 3pm Saturday 250-428-2630 • 1029C Canyon St.

LOCAL NEWS

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Calls for RCMP include neighbour stealing ladder BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Eye Centre Will be closed December 23, 2013 and will reopen January 6, 2014 For medical eye emergencies please go to the Creston Valley Hospital

Seasons Greetings to All From Creston Optometric Eye Centre 223 16th Ave N. • 250-428-2044

Happy Holidays from School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) Our staff would like to wish you a festive holiday season. We hope that you have many joyous moments with family and friends and that you return safely to us in the New Year.

District offices and schools will be closed December 24 to January 4

Ray’s Garbage

Holiday Schedule

Town of Creston

Tues Dec 24 pick up on Mon Dec 23 Wed Dec 25 pick up on Tues Dec 24 Thurs Dec 26 pick up on Fri Dec 27 Tues Dec 31 pick up on Mon Dec 30 Wed Jan 1 pick up on Tues Dec 31 Thurs Jan 2 will remain the same

Rural Customers

Tues Dec 24 pick up on Mon Dec 23 Wed Dec 25 pick up on Tues Dec 24 Thurs Dec 26 pick up on Fri Dec 27 Fri Dec 27 will remain the same Tues Dec 31 pick up on Mon Dec 30 Wed Jan 1 pick up on Tues Dec 31 NOTE: Please have your Thurs Jan 2 and Fri Jan 3 garbage out by 8 am will remain the same Ray's Garbage would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year! From Ed, Carol & Family and all the staff at Ray’s Garbage

250-428-9887

Thursday, December 12, 2013 Creston Valley Advance

Creston RCMP responded to 52 calls from Dec. 2-8, Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan said on Monday. December 2 •A car struck a dog on Erickson Road. •Police were unable to trace the source of a 911 call from a phone registered to a Cavell Street address. •A driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries after a single vehicle accident on Canyon-Lister Road. •No injuries resulted when a vehicle went into a ditch on Highway 3A. •A silver vehicle was reported to be doing donuts on an icy Hillside Street. December 3 •When a female made a complaint about being threatened by a male, it was determined that the alleged incident took place in Cranbrook and it was referred to RCMP there. •A female reported to be banging on doors and windows on Fifth Avenue North was gone when police arrived. •An Ibbitson Street resident watched a neighbor carry away a ladder, then called police to report the incident as a theft. •A complaint was received about youth entering a cabin without permission on Shorty Creek Forest Service Road. •A boy’s bike with mongoose bars was turned into the police station and can be claimed by the owner. •An erratic driver on Kitchener Airport Road will be sent a warning letter.

December 4 •A report came in from 19th Avenue South about a possible case of elder abuse. •An intoxicated male fell off his pedal scooter on Hillside Street but refused the help of bystanders. He was gone when police arrived. •Some old ammunition was dropped off at the police station to be destroyed. •When police attended a Dogwood Street call, they found all parties involved were intoxicated. December 5 •A female retrieved her possessions from an Elm Street residence while police attended to keep the peace. •A 96-year-old male was reported to be outside near Cook Street on an icy hill. When police located him he was OK. •An Ash Street male turned himself in on an outstanding warrant. •A vehicle went into a ditch off 26th Avenue while doing donuts on an icy road. The two occupants who remained in the vehicle until police arrived refused to identify the driver, who had left the scene. December 6 •When ambulance personnel arrived at a Pine Street residence, they could see someone lying on the floor. They called police to force the door open so they could enter. •A possible breach of nocontact conditions was reported from Cook Street. •A well-being check on a female resident of Trader Road in Yahk revealed that she was OK. •A motorhome reporting to

be driving erratically on Highway 3 in Creston was not located. •A Beam Road resident called to complain about a telemarketer. •No sign of entry could be found at a Birch Street residence after an intruder alarm went off. December 7 •No injuries resulted when a vehicle went off Lloyd Road in icy conditions. December 8 •An intoxicated female on Wenger Road called police because she wanted them to arrest her intoxicated husband, not because of an assault, just on general principles. •A vehicle reported as having crashed and been abandoned on Highway 3A was found to have been stolen in Castlegar. •A break and entry to a Sanca residence near Highway 3A netted thieves some jewelry and a firearm. This is one of a series of break-ins that police suspect are being done by someone living in the area and residents are urged to secure their vehicles and homes, and to report any suspicious activity. •A vehicle was stolen from the Destiny Bay area. •Police were asked to conduct a well-being check on a Fifth Avenue South resident, who was found in need of medical care and transported to the hospital. •An intoxicated female on Vancouver Street called to say she wanted her intoxicated husband ejected from the home. He left to stay at another home when police arrived.

Sensible BC petition fails BY JEFF NAGEL Surrey North Delta Leader

The Sensible BC campaign to spark the decriminalization of marijuana in B.C. is officially up in smoke after falling short of its goal. Pot activists got 210,000 signatures or about two-thirds of the 300,000 needed — 10 per cent of voters in all 85 B.C. ridings — for their initiative petition to potentially trigger a referendum. They had aimed for a target of 450,000 to provide a buffer against disqualified signatures. “It’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment,” said Sensible BC head Dana Larsen. “We’ve definitely demonstrated a high level of organization and support for this cause. Had we been operating under the rules of pretty much any other referendum system in the world, we would have qualified to be on the ballot.” He said the 4,500 registered petitioners — triple the number at the start of the 90-day cam-

paign — reached the threshold required by Elections BC in 19 electoral districts, including Nelson-Creston, and got at least eight per cent in five more. Successful local campaigns happened on much of Vancouver Island, the Kootenays and other parts of the Interior. But in the vote-rich Lower Mainland that holds the most districts, marijuana advocates came up short. They reached the 10 per cent threshold in just VancouverWest End and VancouverMount Pleasant, with no other wins in the rest of Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley. They came closest in the three North Shore ridings, with eight per cent-plus. Sensible BC aimed to compel the province to pass legislation banning police from expending any time and resources on simple marijuana possession. Larsen said canvassers were harried in some areas by opponents and at times by calls to police as they tried to collect

signatures on SkyTrain and BC Ferries. The outcome is nowhere near the 700,000 signatures gathered by Fight HST forces en route to their winning referendum. But Larsen argues the province must now look “very seriously” at the marijuana issue, particularly as states such as Washington and Colorado move to full pot legalization. He says history shows even failed campaigns can have impact. A prior initiative in 2002 pushing proportional representation got 98,000 signatures but led to a citizens assembly on electoral reform and ultimately two referendum questions on the issue. Signatures were being delivered to Elections BC this week and Larsen said Sensible BC will take a break over Christmas before deciding when to mount a new petition campaign, along with other forms of political engagement. “We’re definitely going to do it again,” he said.

Local News

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, December 12, 2013

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 5

(From left) Nelson Leaf Darnel St. Pierre, Lower Kootenay Band Chief Jason Louie, graphic designer Warren Bruns and Creston Valley Thunder Cat Jesse Collins. Submitted

Follow the Advance on Twitter at CrestonAdvance

Thunder Cats, LKB team up for jersey BY BRIAN LAWRENCE Advance Editor

Linking history, community and a sense of pride, the Lower Kootenay Band and the Creston Valley Thunder Cats have teamed up to create a third jersey for the Junior B hockey team. Unveiled in early November, the jersey has a new logo featuring a “thunder cat” head designed in a First Nations style by Warren Bruns, with the words “Yaqan Nukiy” above. The LKB logo is on the sleeve. “What you see the most is the ‘Yaqan Nukiy’ and the Thunder Cats head on the jersey,” said LKB Chief Jason Louie. “It’s just a huge step by the Thunder Cats organization to acknowledge the traditional homeland of the local First Nations.” To instill a sense of pride in the players, Louie took them on a hike to the Yaqan Nukiy site, a spiritually significant place with a rock formation overlooking the Kootenay River.

“The intention wasn’t for the Lower Kootenay Band to be a mascot for the team,” said Louie. “We wanted it to be meaningful, and wanted it to bring honour to the team and community.” “He wanted the kids to see the brotherhood they have from wearing it,” said marketing director Grady Hunt. It seems to have worked, he noted, because the first time the team wore the jerseys, they handed the Nelson Leafs their first regulation-time loss of the season. The new logo and colours, which will be used only on special occasions, will go a long way toward modernizing the Thunder Cats’ image, which will help to attract new team members. “We were trying to spruce it up,” said head coach Josh Hepditch. “We want to be appealing to players because when kids get here, they love it here.” He started thinking about further developing a relationship with the LKB this summer, when he was assistant coach for the B.C.

Please do your part to light the way for our carriers this season!

Aboriginal team and taking part in the reality TV series, Hit the Ice. “It’s not just a little reserve you drive by,” said Hepditch. “It means something.” Louie hopes that the Thunder Cats’ initiative will be picked up on by other teams. “The Thunder Cats organization really took a huge step in creating a trend, I hope, for many teams, even outside the KIJHL,” he said. “Hopefully, it will catch on.”

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OPINION LINE

Thursday, December 12, 2013 Creston Valley Advance

P.O. Box 1279 • 1018 Canyon St. • Creston, B.C. • V0B 1G0 Phone: 250-428-2266 • Fax: 1-250-483-1909 www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca Published Thursdays except statutory holidays Alex O. Carruthers, Founder All rights reserved. Contents copyright by the Creston Valley Advance. Any reproduction of material contained in this publication in whole or in part is forbidden without the expressed written consent of the Publisher. Copyright in letters and other materials submitted to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the Publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. It is agreed that The Creston Valley Advance will not be responsible for errors or omissions and is not liable for any amount exceeding the cost of the space used and then only such portion where the errors actually appeared. We reserve the right to edit or reject any submission or advertisement that is contrary to our Publishing guideline.

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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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CONTACT US Publisher Lorne Eckersley Ext. 206, publisher@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Editor Brian Lawrence Ext. 203, editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Sales Co-ordinator Anita Horton Ext. 204, sales@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Circulation/Office Manager Dianne Audette Ext. 200, office@crestonvalleyadvance.ca Production Department production@crestonvalleyadvance.ca

Letters to the Editor

Letters to opinion line are welcome on any topic of local or general interest. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers; publication does not imply endorsement by this newspaper. Letters should be either e-mailed, double-spaced and typewritten or legibly handwritten, and generally not exceed 500 words. Letters will be edited in the interests of style, clarity, legality, brevity and taste, as necessary. The Advance reserves the right to refuse publication of any submission. All letters must be signed and include place of residence and telephone number. E-mail letters to editor@crestonvalleyadvance.ca; drop them off at, or mail them to P.O. Box 1279, 1018 Canyon St., Creston, B.C., V0B 1G0.

The Creston Valley Advance is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and complainant. If talking with the Editor or Publisher of this newspaper does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council within 45 days. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby Street, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 2R2. For further information, go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

Do we get a say?

In the coming months we are likely to learn what the real priorities are with the current provincial Liberal government. Nothing less than the future of the province’s agricultural land is at stake. A suggestion to turn over authority over agricultural reserve land in the north part of the province to, of all things, the Oil and Gas Commission should be seen as a trial balloon. An agreement between the Agricultural Land Commission and OGC signed last June would: Enable the OGC and the OGC Commissioner to exercise some or all of the ALC’s power to decide applications for permission for nonfarm use of identified ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve) lands for oil and gas activities and ancillary activities, and exempts certain non-farm uses of identified ALR lands for oil and gas activities and ancillary activities from the requirement of an application for permission for non-farm use subject to certain conditions. The miracle that became the Agricultural Land Commission Act in 1973 has withstood withering pressure from the political right, the private sector and landowners since it was established. But somehow it has maintained the support of the general public, perhaps now more than ever as food production and security issues become a higher priority by the day. Miracle? Corky Evans recently wrote in the online magazine, the Tyee, that there is not a chance that

any government today would pass similar legislation. While we often think of the ALR as being vast and all encompassing, it only includes five per cent

owners of land in the reserve, many of them still farmers, would be happy to see the protection dismantled so they can cash in on the inevitable increase in value that would result. The question is, will this government take the easy way out, succumb to pressure from its natural allies, and kill the ALC, setting up a land rush the likes of which the province has never seen? Or will it opt to make the more difficult Lorne Eckersley choice and acknowledge that agricultural land is like the of the province’s land, and some of contents of Pandora’s box, never to be returned to its same use after it is it is forest. let out? But is an inconvenience for a My bet is that short-term ecogovernment that is hell-bent-fornomic expediency is going to win leather to extract shale gas by using a fracturing process that uses over long-term ability to keep up our food production potential. lots of energy and enormous That fact that Premier Christy amounts of water. If the province Clark is vastly overestimating job doesn’t do something to undercreation numbers as energy mine the strength of the ALC, it reserves are developed and put faces the unpalatable prospect of on-stream is just one indication giving people who have concerns that her cash-strapped and not about water (which, believe it or very creative government is blindnot, is still generally considered to ed by the promise of increased be a more valuable commodity than natural gas) an avenue to pro- royalties and taxes. This is a democracy and there is test. First Nations communities who are trying to protect their land no reason why we shouldn’t be and resources find the ALC a natu- having a discussion about the ALR and its value versus fracking and ral ally. its value. Sadly, but not surprisingFor companies that want to develop shale gas reserves, agricul- ly, the Liberals didn’t see fit to bring up the subject during the tural land is seen as an inconvenience, one that can be removed by election campaign. As usual, they don’t see any need to bring the a simple stroke of the legislative general public into the decisionpen. Land developers are no fan of making process. We just tend to the system either. They look at complicate things. agricultural reserve lands around Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of municipalities and see a barrier to development and speculation. Even the Creston Valley Advance.

This is the Life

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, December 12, 2013

Customer service alive and well To the Editor: One may lament that good customer service is hard to come by these days. However, I am happy to report that it is alive and well in Creston. Around noon on Nov. 29, I had the misfortune to find myself with a flat tire that needed to be fixed in a hurry. I drove down to Kal-Tire not knowing what to expect. Not only did I have immediate attention but the staff were friendly and efficient, and half an hour later I was on my way home. This is the kind of service that keeps folks shopping locally. Well done, Kal-Tire! Ian Cotton Creston

OPINION LINE

the continuing support of our business, service organizations, churches and you, the public, who contribute so generously to honour our veterans on their special day. This year, our poppy campaign and cenotaph service were very successful. We are indeed fortunate to have our local flying club honour the event with their “lost man” formation. We thank everyone who attended the service to pay their respects to our veterans, those whose names are on our honour roll, those who served and those personnel still serving their country. Your respect and remembrance are much appreciated. We hope to see you in the coming year at other legion events and activities. You don’t have to have a military connection to become a legion member. Membership is a good opportunity to become involved in your community. Ian Currie Creston Poppy Chair

Advocacy Local legion needed for appreciates the unborn support To the Editor: With this year’s Remembrance Week having passed, Branch 29 of the Royal Canadian Legion wishes to thank the residents of the Creston Valley and the East Shore for their support and attendance at our cenotaph services on Nov. 11. We also appreciate your very generous contributions to our poppy campaign. The success of these annual events requires many hardworking volunteers,

To the Editor: A couple of years ago, a young woman, Samantha Gray, came to Creston to speak about advocacy for human beings. Two examples from history were talked about to show the struggle needed to gain advocacy, which, by logic, should have been the right of those concerned from the beginning. The women’s suffrage movement to gain the right to vote gained steam in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, until women over 21 finally had the right to vote in the Western Hemisphere. It took women advocating for themselves to get it done.

The 13th Amendment of 1865 abolished slavery in the United States, but in reality, discrimination persisted in the law until demonstrations by people (mostly blacks) won the day. In 1964, president Lyndon Johnson signed the bill of right and further bills in 1965 to put an end to discrimination, at least in law. Every person of any age gives advocacy to themselves to the right of existence by the simple reality that everyone else can see that they exist. There is one group of human beings in the world, however, that cannot advocate for themselves — only one. This is because they are hidden away in the womb for a while. Most of the time, they don’t need to worry about it. But not always. So, as Samantha says, in times of danger, who will advocate for them? Ask yourselves — is it us or not? And like the old saying, if not us, then who? Pat Doyle Creston

Faithfulness can be rewarded To the Editor: Romans 8:28 says, “We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him.” With that in mind, I am pleased to announce that after all my trial, I am now settled in my own mobile home. Thank you for your prayers, furniture, dishes, fruit and many kind words of encouragement. I have lots of room so my family is able to visit. Sometimes we are given trials to that we may be rewarded for our faithfulness. Merci beaucoup! Jean Marie Plante Creston

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Meeting needed to create solution

For the last several years, I have had an unusual problem. Many people phoned me or stopped me on the street and asked me to write columns on various touchy, serious problems. Time and time again, I explained that I have just one shot a month — occasionally with a letter to the editor in between — and that my main task is to provoke fellow Creston Valley residents with better abilities, more knowledge, experience and finesse than mine to write, to join the battle. As embarrassing as it became, I realized it is time to think if my answer and approach was the best. Guess what? A better answer lies right in front of me, to be more precise, in the statement at the end of my column, which says that thinking outside the box and engaging fellow citizens can bring simple solutions to complex problems. I realized these past few weeks that I could write 104 columns in the Advance each and every year and still fall short. I know for a fact, at last, that not even dozens of extra writers will make a significant difference. Something else is necessary. Instead of writing one column after another (what is like chasing away an individual mosquito that just bit me), we must adopt a Level 2 strategy: Bring the individual problems into the domain of 100 concerned citizens first, then 500, then

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thousands till that problem is solved, instead of putting it on the shelf, collecting dust. Here is my Level 2 strategy: I aim for a series of public meetings, bringing together all concerned citizens (and I

knowing we did what we had to do. With the power of the pen adding to the power of joined brains, votes and voices, we will not settle for, “That’s how things are.” I am neither rich nor clever. All I have are time and a desire to expose problems, explain them, bring solutions into the open and push for remedy. I have time and am committed to it. If you share my vision, I am yours. I will continue using my brain and my time with an absolute assurance that if I were to live Vladimir Certik 1,000 years, there is still nothing better to do, anyway. Loving our wives, and caring mean concerned), who want to leave a for our children, community, society, positive footprint that will resonate country and humanity are what most of long after they are gone. We will meet, us have in common, what empower us let’s say, in one of rec complex rooms, and bring us together. We are not for preferably before the end of this year. sale, and we don’t care about politickWe will spend one or two hours bringing. What matters the most is to do what ing into the open one major thorny is right. problem at one meeting (and touching I will find the best way to let fellow one or two more in between). We will citizens know when and where to meet. avoid politicos at this stage because all I believe there is a new beginning that they want is to grease their pre-election will not fade away, can’t be hijacked by wheels in advance. If they come, they insidious individuals or groups and will will sit in the audience, not in front of bring at least some good. the people. Could we meet before the end of this We will outline the problem and year? find a workable solution, and if that Vladimir Certik believes that thinking solution is clear, bang on the doors of outside the box and engaging fellow citizens “powers” till that solution is imple- may bring simple solutions to complex probmented. If it takes longer or if we fail, lems. The West Creston resident can be we will fail with a clear conscience, reached at 250-402-0055.

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Thursday, December 12, 2013 Creston Valley Advance

Practice meditation to reduce confusion in life

In my recent A Zen’s-Eye View columns, I have cal to eating garden produce. Without soil presented the first five of eight practices of there are no tomatoes. Without meditation, awakening that Buddha taught on his deathbed: there is no mindfulness. Ancient texts from China and Japan make it 1) have few desires, 2) know how much is enough, 3) enjoy serenity, 4) make diligent effort clear that meditation itself is awakening. It’s not something we do to and 5) remember to acquire something be mindful. I repeat else. Lowered blood these practices to pressure, clarity of help with the fifth mind and increased practice of awakenawareness are siming, “Don’t forget to ply side benefits of be mindful.” In meditation. But they order to be mindful are not reasons we of the practices of meditate. When we awakening, we have Kuya Minogue sit in silent meditato memorize them. tion, the old texts The sixth practice of awakening is to practice meditation so say, we are living the life of a Buddhist because we can live our lives without confusion. We we are doing what Buddha did and realizing say “practice” meditation, but we must remem- what Buddha realized. To meditate is to hear the voice of wisdom ber that meditation is not a sport like hockey or a skill with a musical instrument. Once the within ourselves. Body and mind become clear mind has become stable, meditation is the root and we realize the unity of all things. The of a lifestyle that is based in clarity, wisdom Buddha sat in meditation for six years, not because he was trying to attain enlightenment, and compassion. The Buddha said, “Monks, if you gather but because he was living in enlightenment. The your mind, it will abide in stability. Then you practice of meditation is not a method for the will understand the birth and death of all things attainment of realization — it is realization itself, in the world. You will continue to endeavor in because to maintain meditation is to be conpracticing various aspects of meditation. When stantly alive, awake and aware. Suggested practice: Set aside half an hour a you have stability, your mind will not be scattered. It is like a well-roofed house or a well- day for sitting meditation. Sit with an erect spine built embankment, which will help you to either on a meditation cushion, a bench or a chair maintain the water of understanding and keep and allow all thoughts and feelings to arise and you from being drowned. This is called ‘stabil- pass through your mind like clouds passing through an empty sky. ity in meditation.’ ” Kuya Minogue is the resident teacher at the These days, I often hear people confusing meditation with mindfulness. This is a mis- Creston Zen centre. She will be offering a beginners’ take. Even though the two have some similari- meditation class at 7-8:30 p.m. Jan 9, 16, 23 and 30. ties, they are not the same. To say they are the This course is by donation. For more information, same is to say that preparing the soil is identi- contact her at 250-428-6500.

Zen's-Eye View

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Plants require proper care as weather gets colder

These past few days we have been pruning in the orchard. Clear, cool weather keeps your feet dry. You just need to dress right and keep moving to stay warm. The only hiccup in the plan is the wind chill factor. It affects all aspects of life this time of year. Outside, it robs moisture from the evergreens. Inside, the furnace kicks on and off as the coefficient of heat loss increases dramatically for the old house. The tropical plants enjoy the extra sunshine as much as I do, but the dry air pulls the water out of them very quickly. Remember to give your indoor tropicals an extra drink of water this time of year. Speaking of tropicals, shelter any poinsettias you are bringing home from the store. Aim for late afternoon when it isn’t quite so cold out. They are originally from Mexico and enjoy temperatures of between 20 and 30 Celsius, but no cooler then 13 degrees; right now it is minus 13. Also avoid placing them on top of the TV, in front of a hot air vent or by a cold porch door. The broad leaf evergreen rhododendrons outside always curl up their leaves when it gets cold

out. It looks like they are shivering in the cold but it is their adaptation to conserve leaf moisture. It is getting a little bit lighter outside, so I am hoping the wind will die down some now. It’s not that it is the most ideal time of year to prune; it is more a case of having a few weeks free before Christmas. After the holidays, it is time to fire up the greenhouses and get started on spring. Usually Evan Davies there can be much more snow on the ground in January and February, making it more difficult to maneuver the ladder. If you have to move the ladder two or three times per tree for a 1,000 trees, well, it just tires you out faster. If you only have a half-dozen trees, the best time of year to prune them is in late winter to early spring. You can tell if you have had any damage to the trees over winter then. After they are pruned, you can apply the dormant oil sprays and enjoy the coming of spring. Until then, keep warm and we wish you all the best of the season! Evan Davies won Beltane Nursery at 2915 Highway 3 in Erickson.

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TV Listings

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, December 12, 2013

Your TV Guide Legend

SERVING THE CRESTON VALLEY SINCE 1948

TV RATINGS:

PG-13 = Parental guidance strongly suggested for children under age 13 R = Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying adult or supervision.

(TV-Y) = appropriate for all children (TV-Y7) = appropriate for all children ages 7 and up (TV-14) = May be unsuitable for all children under 14 years of age (TV-MA) = Mature audiences only (D) = May contain suggestive language (L) = Course Language (FV) = Fantasy Violence (S) = Sexual Situations (V) = May contain violence

Anita Horton, Sales Coordinator 250-428-2266 sales@crestonvalleyadvance.ca

SYMBOLS: (CC) = Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired (N) = New Programming EI = Educational/Instructional DVS = Descriptive Video Services for the Visually Impaired HDTV = High Definition Television iTV = Interactive TV PA = Parental Advisory SS = Closed Captioned in Spanish CI = Cable in Classroom HEADPHONES = In Stereo

MPAA RATINGS: NR = Not Rated G = General Audiences PG = Parental Guidance Suggested

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(6:00) Juicebox ’ Canada Weekend Marilyn Denis Children Cash Written World Junk Raiders ’ KOMO 4 News Good Morning KOMO 4 News Hanna Ocean Explore Rescue Wildlife Expedi Lazy Noddy Chica Pajan. Justin Tree Fu Action Sports (N) ’ Å Golf CBS This Morning KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Recipe College Basketball Arizona at Michigan. (N) Football Morning News Morning News News Action Sports (N) ’ Å Golf Soccer Pregame English Premier League Soccer Boxing Golf Barclay’s English Premier League Soccer Match FIS Alpine Skiing Ski TV Bobsledding Ances Fishful Saturday Morning News (N) Å Fishn Fishing Power Driving Peep Thomas Rolie Tree Fu Ella the PAW Magic Arthur Pingu Jack Re Wild Our Vancouver (N) Animal Super Doodle Cross Absolutely Luge FIS Freestyle Paid Paid Adven. DFlyTV Biz Kid$ On Spot Coolest Eco Co. Paid Paid Paid Paid New Day Money Saturday Morning CNN Newsroom (N) CNN Newsroom Money Newsr’m Deadliest Warrior Deadliest Warrior Deadliest Warrior Ways ››› “Training Day” (’01) Denzel Washington. Hunt Intl Hunt Intl Hunt Intl Hunt Intl Hunt Intl Hunt Intl Live Live Live Live House House Criminal Minds ’ Flip This House Flip This House Flipping Vegas Rodeo Girls Å Rodeo Girls Å Love It Love-List ›› “The Good Witch’s Family” (’11) ›››› “Miracle on 34th Street” Holiday Sidekick Super Alien Parents Parents Rabbids Merry Monsters Sanjay Korra Rangers Beyblade CBC News Now CBC News Now With Nancy Wilson From Toronto. (N) Å CBC News Now Paid Paid ›› “Collision Earth” (’12) ’ Å ››› “Thor” (’11) Chris Hemsworth. ’ Å Anchor Moonshiners ’ Bering: Dredge Mighty Ships River Monsters Mayday Å Jungle Gold Å Murder in Paradise Stranger--Home Matchmaker Matchmaker Matchmaker Matchmaker Christmas Trees Cmas Lights Christmas Light Four Houses ’ Lottery Changed Lottery Changed “Come Dance” › “Borrowed Hearts” (’97) ’ Å Criminal Minds ’ ››› “Little Women” (’94) ’ Å Matt Amazing Scooby Looney Gumball Adven Lego Dragons ›› “Wakko’s Wish” (’99) Å Slug Wingin’ It Gravity Phineas Phineas Dog Good Liv-Mad. ANT Jessie Austin Shake It Paid Paid Office Atl. Eats Paid Office ››› “The Prestige” (’06) Hugh Jackman. SEC Cash Cash Match Match Seinfeld Seinfeld J. Oliver At Mid Gas Gas Just for Laughs Pioneer Wo. Ultimate Christmas Ultimate Christmas Gotta Gotta Food Food Challenge Å Canada Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Toy Hntr Toy Hntr Toy Hntr Toy Hntr Toy Hntr Toy Hntr Skincare Paid Pawn Pawn Canadian Pickers Restoration Bonnie & Clyde ’ (Part 1 of 2) Å Sanctuary ’ Panic Button ’ Killer Contact ’ Killer Contact ’ Haunted Highway Haunted Highway › “Comanche Territory” (:45) ››› “The Cowboys” (’72) John Wayne. Å “Smokey and the Bandit” Pitch In Paid Security Security The Dead Files ’ Ghost Adventures Ghost Adventures “Bev. Hills Cop” (4:00) CTV News Weekend ’ Å CTV News Weekend ’ Å Octo Bubble Cat-Christmas Mike Umi Max, Rby Big Angelina Franklin Babar Mike Weekend Morning News Reid Fiest and Bindu Suri. (N) Fishn Fishing Power Driving House ’ Å BrainChange-Perlmutter Heal Yourself: Mind Over Detroit Rem.-History of Detroit TV Dyer-Fulfilled IPunjabi Anmol Aaj Kal Gurbani Watno Dur ’ Punjabi Punjab Gaunda Lamia Virasat Quran Benjamin Maths Annie Booka Roltron Monstres Animo Magi 1001 Tintin Oniva Épicerie Saturday Morning News Shane Jones. (N) Fishn Fishing Power Driving House ’ Å VideoFlow Å VideoFlow Å VideoFlow Å Childrens Childrens Total Total MuchCountdown Cats › “Baby Geniuses” (’99) (:05) “Babe: Pig in the City” (:45) ›› “Bingo” (’91) Å “Cats & Dogs” Sud Science Cobayes (8:55) Soccer Ligue 1 (N) (En direct) Secrets d’histoire “Frédéric II” Pass Tm Pass Tm Dangerous Drives Stunt Stunt Drag Boat Auto Racing Auto Racing

CRESTON VALLEY ADVANCE A NITA H ORTON

sales coordinator

sales@crestonvalleyadvance.ca

phone 250.428.2266 fax 1.250.483.1909 1018 Canyon St., Creston, BC V0B 1G0

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