January 7, 2015

Guitar’s best are headed to Cowichan Theatre Capitals hope surge is enough for playoff bid

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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

FATAL accident

Crash claims 29-yearold man KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

down relatively quickly.

The house hadn’t been lived in for years, but witnesses said it was a party site for local youths.

A 29-year-old Ladysmith man died last Sunday night after his truck rolled on the Trans Canada Highway near Crofton.

Just before 8 p.m., the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP, Crofton volunteer fire department and BC Ambulance were called to the scene south of Mt. Sicker Road where the southbound vehicle, a 2008 Ford F150 pickup had rolled, coming to a stop upside down on the highway.

The driver was the lone occupant of the vehicle.

According to Cpl. Krista Hobday, witnesses stopped to offer assistance, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The highway was closed for several hours after the crash, and southbound traffic was redirected through Crofton.

An RCMP traffic reconstructionist and the BC Coroner attended the crash location.

See DESERTED, Page 3

See CAUSE, Page 3

A vacant home on Cowichan Lake Road in North Cowichan succumbs to flames on Sunday night. The cause of the fire in the long-empty home was not immediately known. The investigation is ongoing. For more photos, go to www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]

Fire destroys abandoned house KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

A long-abandoned house on Cowichan Lake Road in North Cowichan burned down in a massive fire on Sunday night.

South End volunteer firefighters were called to the scene at 3214 Cowichan Lake Rd. around 9:30 p.m. The house was already fully engulfed in flames when the first calls came in.

“It was going pretty good,” said South End fire chief Scott Henning, who was the first firefighter there.

About 30 responders were on the scene, and had the flames knocked

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Wednesday, january 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

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Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Two suspects sought in hit & run KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

Two suspects are being sought by police after a stolen truck was involved in a serious hit-and-run collision on Herd Road on Dec. 22.

The driver and passenger of a white 1993 Nissan pickup truck — which had been stolen from a residence in Duncan the previous evening — fled the scene on foot after crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of Herd and Osborne Bay roads.

Around 4:25 a.m., the driver of the stolen truck was traveling west on Herd Road and attempted to turn onto Osborne Bay Road, but was going too fast for the turn and rammed into a green Acura that was stopped at the intersection.

Two people got out of the truck and ran away down Herd Road.

The driver of the Acura was injured and had to be taken to hospital for treatment. Both the truck and car sustained serious damage and were written off.

The North Cowichan RCMP used police dogs in an attempt to track the culprits, but were unsuccessful.

One of the suspects was wearing a black baseball cap, and both were believed to be drinking alcoholic beverages while driving.

Anyone with information about the driver or passenger should contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Deserted house was ‘high risk’ FIRE, From Page 1 Henning wasn’t surprised to see it fall victim to flames. “It had been vacant for many years,� he said. “It’s one of those things that are always a high risk.�

The investigation remains ongoing.

Besides the fire on Sunday night, the South End hall hadn’t been busy recently, Henning noted. “It’s been a nice, quiet start to the new year,� he said.

Firefighters and ambulance personnel work to free a man from a truck that overturned on the Trans-Canada Highway south of Mt. Sicker Road on Sunday evening. The driver, a 29-year-old Ladysmith man, was pronounced dead at the scene. [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]

Cause not yet released

Visit us online at www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com

CRASH CLAIMS, From Page 1 As of Tuesday, the investigation was ongoing and no cause had been released. Weather on Sunday was wet and rainy as a storm system was making its way through the Cowichan Valley.

The Coroner had also not released the name of the man killed in the crash by press time.

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News

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

NORTH Cowichan

FIRST!

Meeting set to discuss contentious gravel application LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN

Proud mom Jennifer Guterson holds her son, Connor Alexander, the Cowichan Valley’s New Year’s Baby for 2015.

Connor was born at the Cowichan District Hospital at 7:59 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Jennifer and dad Alex, joining big brother Peyton, 5, and sisters Emma, 4, and Claire, 2. [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]

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A public meeting on the controversial proposal for a rock quarry and gravel pit on Richards Trail has been scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 7, starting at 7 p.m.

The Pastula family, who are applying for the permit to harvest gravel from their farm, are hosting the meeting as part of their application to the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

Nearby residents have voiced concern already about the idea and this meeting is aimed at giving the community more official information about the potential operation.

The meeting will be held at the Westholme School Society Building at 2558 Mt. Sicker Rd. The application to the Ministry concerns blasting rock at Pastula Farms at 7303 Richards Trail and trucking gravel from the site.

A petition has been signed by close to 400 people expressing their opposition to the rock quarry. It can be found at http://tinyurl. com/richardstrail.

A group called the Richards

Trail Committee has been set up to fight the plan.

The Municipality of North Cowichan voted in August to express their disapproval to the Ministry, citing concerns about the effect on the roadway and surrounding environment.

According to the Richards Trail Committee, concerns about the permit include: • the impact of the noise of blasting every day on both residents and animals as well as some homebased businesses • concern about increased traffic and safety from tandem trucks hauling heavy material along a narrow, country road • impact of increased industrial traffic on home-based tourism and recreational use • possible negative impact on aquifers, area drinking water and private wells as well as Richards Creek and the Somenos watershed.

• lowering of property values and decrease in the natural beauty of the area • wider concerns about the precedent set

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News

Attempted robbery in Chemainus KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are looking for information after an attempted robbery at the Chemainus Village Liquor Store on Boxing Day. Around 8 p.m., a lone man walked into the store carrying a large knife, with a plastic bag over his head. He went behind the counter and demanded that the clerk open the cash drawer. The clerk responded that the drawer could not be opened on demand, and the suspect fled the scene on foot while the clerk sought safety in the rear of the store.

All the suspect managed to take was a can of beer that was sitting close to the checkout area.

“This was a violent crime that has left people shaken. Our detachment is still actively investigating and are looking for the publics assistance in identifying the man responsible,” said Sgt. Chris Swain.

The suspect is described as about five-foot-10 with long dirty blond hair. He was wearing a green long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and white shoes with a black stripe near the toe.

Anyone with information should contact the local RCMP at 250-7485522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-TIPS (8477).

Siphoned gas delays SAR river rescue AMY SMART TIMES COLONIST

A man was forced to wait almost two hours in a river for help, when rescue workers realized their truck had been drained of fuel.

Cowichan Search and Rescue believes gas had been siphoned from one of their rescue trucks, which was parked in a locked compound, according to a post on its Facebook page.

The truck had to be refuelled before responding to a call at 3 p.m. Friday reporting a fisherman stranded in the Cowichan River. The man’s boat had taken on water and sank about 10.7 metres from shore, upstream from Skutz Falls.

A second man managed to swim ashore.

The man in the river, who was dressed in hip waders and wearing a life jacket, managed to stay in one spot until he was rescued.

“This probably saved him from being washed down river,” the Facebook post said.

“He was in remarkably good spirits.”

Lake Cowichan Fire Department and B.C. Ambulance paramedics also responded to the call.

Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

5

New time for meetings, other changes proposed LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN

The new Cowichan Valley Board of Education had just elected its chair and vice chair when new trustee Rob Hutchins brought forward two motions at the board’s first meeting last month that he hoped would help shape the way the board works in future.

He asked first that the date and time for regular board meetings be reconsidered.

“It came to my attention during the election campaign that the traditional timing of the regular board meetings might cause a conflict for some of our partners in education,” he said.

Hutchins is not the first to bring this to the attention of a school board. Ryan Bruce attempted to do so when he was on the board, citing the difficulty of combining the meetings with his duties as a volunteer firefighter but was unsuccessful in convincing his colleagues.

But Hutchins is also concerned about the position of the board chair.

“When I looked into the procedures bylaw I saw that to participate in debate, to make a motion or to second a motion, the board chair actually had to leave the chair. That’s my reading of it anyway. I don’t think we should muzzle the chair in her or his position,” he said.

In one last point, he said that the idea of allowing trustees to abstain from voting should be reviewed.

“I’m concerned that a member of the board can actually abstain from a vote. It could put us in an awkward position with six people voting.

It’s something that needs to be reviewed by all of us as we go forward,” he said.

There was no discussion before everyone voted in favour of the idea that something be done about the suggestions as soon as possible.

Hutchins also moved that the board not activate any of the committees yet pending a

Report suspicious activity, urge RCMP

New trustee Rob Hutchins proposed some changes for the board. [CITIZEN FILE] review of the board’s governance structure, particularly as the number of trustees has been reduced.

“Even just as housekeeping, [the policy regarding committees] actually speaks to a board of nine not a board of seven and calls for four trustees on most of the standing committees. That means a majority of us would actually be sitting on a standing committee.

That type of structure has to be changed, in my mind.”

He called for a review by the superintendent and chair, adding that he learned at the recent trustee academy held in Vancouver that there are different configurations and liaison procedures that could be investigated.

These ideas, too, were approved by his colleagues.

JOHNS SOUTHWARD GLAZIER WALTON MARGETTS

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Barristers Solicitors Notaries Public Mediation Services www.jsg.bc.ca

The question of the school board’s committees was a topic of discussion in the gallery before the meeting and both teacher and parent representatives took the opportunity during question period to urge the new board to reinstate what they saw as an important connection to the district’s community.

New board chair Candace Spilsbury agreed that it was time for a second look.

“I think it’s important for this board to look at their governance role and how committees can be helpful to that. It’s important that they have a complete review,” she said.

Lake Cowichan RCMP are asking anyone who sees any suspicious person of activity in the “three mile” area of Cowichan Lake Road to contact them.

T h e RC M P r e c e ive d a n anonymous complaint of suspicious activity in the 7000 block, however, the information provided by the complainant was vague.

If you see anything, call 250749-6668 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Generator, chainsaw stolen from Youbou Lake Cowichan RCMP are asking anyone who knows something about an early December theft to let them know.

Sometime between Dec. 8 and Dec. 12 someone stole a Honda generator and a Husqvarna chainsaw from a property in the Youbou Road and Arbutus Drive area of Youbou.

If you know something, call 250-749-6668 and refer to file number 2014-2299.

Andrea Rondeau, Citizen

ATTENTION RESIDENTS OF AREA E – COWICHAN STATION/ SAHTLAM/GLENORA

NOTICE OF TOWN HALL MEETING

Bob Carfra • ICBC CLAIMS

• PERSONAL INJURY • DISABILITY CLAIMS

• Over 36 years experience • 1st office visit is free

Residents of Cowichan Station, Sahtlam, Eagle Heights, Koksilah, and Glenora are cordially invited to attend a general information session to discuss community planning, communications, and other items of interest.

Come out and participate at one or all three Town Hall Meetings on the dates and locations noted as follows:

151 Fourth Street Duncan, BC V9L 5J8

Call 250-746-8779 Toll Free 888-442-4042

The Board of Education has scheduled an Open Board Meeting for Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at 4:30 pm in the School Board Office Boardroom.

DATE: TIME: PLACE:

Monday, January 12, 2015 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Glenora Community Hall, 3660 Glenora Road

DATE: TIME: PLACE:

Tuesday, January 13, 2015 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Sahtlam Fire Hall, 4384 Cowichan Lake Road

DATE: TIME: PLACE:

Thursday, January 15, 2015 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm The HUB at Cowichan Station, 2375 Koksilah Road

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact Director Alison Nicholson at anicholson@cvrd.bc.ca

6

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

OUR VIEW

PR scapegoat Fantino sacrificed for re-election t’s about time.

Julian Fantino has finally been kicked to the curb and replaced as federal Minister for Veterans Affairs.

We can only wonder why it took so long to remove this man who was almost universally disliked in his office.

He was certainly disliked by veterans’ groups — the very constituency it was his job to serve.

He was even disliked enough by people in his own Conservative Party that some publicly called for change.

In attempting to answer that question, we can only conclude

I

that Fantino lasted this long because he was doing what he was directed to do by those higher up the food chain.

The Prime Minister’s office during Stephen Harper’s tenure has a reputation for controlling his people with an iron fist.

Fantino didn’t come up with the idea to not spend $1.1 billion in funding on his own. Clearly there was direction from the most senior levels of government that he was to pinch every penny possible and return it to the general revenue coffers.

We don’t think for a moment that it mattered to those in pow-

ABOUT US

OTHER VIEWS

er that the penny pinching came at the expense of our veterans.

At least, it didn’t matter enough to do anything about it. That money has not been returned to Veteran’s Affairs, after all, and the cuts that allowed it to be drained away have not been reversed.

But the Conservative government certainly has a nice war chest to spend on things like tax cuts now that there’s an election coming up in 2015.

The election is also why they’ve moved on Fantino now. The public relations liability he represents now outweighs the purpose

he was serving as minister.

Naturally this leads to the question of whether or not Fantino’s replacement will be any better, in the long term, if the attitudes at the top remain the same.

We have no doubt there will be some placating in the election run-up, but afterwards, should the Conservative again win?

Choosing Erin O’Toole, someone who has served in the armed forces is certainly a good public relations move, but we have to wonder if that’s really all this is, a PR exercise, rather than a sincere attempt to put the porfolio back on its feet. Time will tell.

Submit your letter to the editor online We want to hear from you!

Submitting a letter to the editor is now easier than ever — you can do it online by going to the Cowichan Valley Citizen website, www. cowichanvalleycitizen.com, and clicking on the Opinion tab. Then click Send us a letter.

Write 300 words or less on the topic of your choice, include your full name (first and last), and a town you hail from.

Include a phone number (which is not printed) so that we can verify your authorship.

Ways to save on power other than wood burning

Cowichan Valley Citizen is a division of VI Newspaper Group Limited Partnership., 251 Jubilee St., Duncan, B.C., V9L 1W8 Phone: 250-748-2666 Fax: 250-748-1552

Advertising 250-748-2666, extensions 223, 227, 228, 229, 230

A tip for all of you who worry about escalating power bills and are burning wood to save on your bills, I would like to share what we did about our power usage.

In 2012 my husband and I took the BC Hydro challenge. We cut our power bill by a whopping 31 per cent and received a cheque for our efforts.

We live on the west coast of Canada. It’s cold here in the winter. That’s a fact that we need to remember. We dug out our sweaters, put on extra socks, and we curl up under a blanket in the evenings when we watch TV. We turned the heat down, unplugged appliances when we weren’t using them and shut lights off behind us. It made a huge difference in our Hydro bill.

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Publisher Shirley Skolos Editor Andrea Rondeau Advertising director Shirley Skolos Circulation manager Audette LePage Newsroom 250-748-2666, extension 235 news@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Copyright information This newspaper’s contents are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal, non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved. Commercial use is prohibited. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper.

Complaint resolution If speaking to the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about a story we publish, contact the B.C. Press Council, which examines complaints from the public about the conduct of the press in gathering and presenting the news. Send your written concern and documentation within 45 days to: B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 2R2.

Website: www.bcpresscouncil.org.

Drought used as an opportunity for CVRD empire building Re: River’s drought crisis brought action to change the future, Jan. 2, 2015 Our recent dry summers have taken a toll on the Cowichan River. Salmon had to be trucked up the river to save the spawn.

An arm, of the river at the delta ran dry. The obvious solution was that more water had to be stored in Cowichan Lake in order to protect the flow down the river during dry periods. It is a simple, cost effective, logical and an easy to manage solution.

However, the correct solution of increasing water storage at

the lake was just too simple for local politicians, bureaucrats, and special interests. Their solution is to wrest control of the watershed from Victoria, and in the process create a new empire at the CVRD and new tax burdens for the citizens of our Valley.

So off the CVRD went, hired a consultant, and armed the consultant with their wish list, which of course is regurgitated in the consultant’s report. The output of that report includes, of course, a new bureaucracy with an annual budget of $1 million that will be professionally padded in short order.

North Cowichan’s three directors on the CVRD board, at the time, and now chaired by Mayor

Lefebure, have given it their go-ahead.

This is another example of bad decision-making by our elected officials, bureaucrats and special interests. All that was requested was that more water be stored in Cowichan Lake to feed the Cowichan River during dry spells.

What we are going to get is more empire building bureaucracy and more taxes.

We need elected officials that will put the simple, low cost solutions on the table.

Dumping of pig’s head, Styrofoam plain wrong

Don Swiatlowski North Cowichan

Judy Johnson Duncan

I am still traumatized by the discovery of a pig’s head beside a bloody Styrofoam container at the entrance to the power line trail just east of Paldi on Jan 1.

For a number of obvious reasons this is just plain wrong. You showed disrespect for the animal and you also showed disrespect for the environment by leaving the styrofoam behind. Too messy to deal with at home, eh?

Send us your letter, 300 words or less: news@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Opinion

Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

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Debunking myths about supply management WALLY SMITH GUEST COLUMNIST

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Too often, particularly when supply management is the issue, the facts get discarded in place of an unsupported rant that meets a particular journalist’s bias.

Recently, and once again, Canada’s dairy system was narrowly portrayed in a subjective commentary that selectively reported on one comment from a long speech delivered at an agricultural conference. Globe and Mail columnist Barrie McKenna’s well-placed sentence leaves the inaccurate impression that the speech and comment received a “standing ovation.”

He is only partially right. The comment on supply management itself received a trickle of applause from the audience.

Mr. McKenna cites supply management as a barrier to free trade, but he fails to acknowledge the fact that, since 2006, Canada has concluded trade agreements with 38 countries, which brings our international trade agreements to 43, while maintaining the dairy system.

The facts are clear: Supply management is not an impediment to Canada’s trade agenda.

Mr. McKenna relies on statistics about the retail price of Canadian dairy products that have been consistently debunked.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the store price of milk varies from region to region and store to store, based on what retailers — not farmers and certainly not supply management — feel is an appropriate final price. Milk costs between $1-$1.50 a litre in Canada, depending on where you shop and what format you buy. American consumers also pay similar prices — it may be sometimes lower in border towns that want to attract Canadians, but the further south you travel, the more likely you are to find milk prices similar to what we pay in Canada.

Mr. McKenna also refuses to recognize — or inform his readers — that American consumers are paying for their milk and dairy products twice. They pay the retail price, and they also pay through their taxes as American dairy farms are subsidized by the government.

No government subsidies exist for Canadian dairy farmers, nor do we want any.

Perhaps Mr. McKenna wants to hold up New Zealand as an example of an unregulated dairy

7

market setting an example for Canadians to follow. But here are the facts. New Zealand dairy farmers are paid less for their milk than Canadian dairy farmers, but New Zealand consumers pay more at the checkout than their Canadian counterparts. Is that the kind of system we want?

Canadian dairy farmers — and other Canadians — say no. A good number of surveys have repeatedly found Canadians are willing to pay more for safe, fresh local food. A recent study from the University of Guelph shows that for the second year in a row, dairy products are the only category where prices are decreasing — unlike the story unfolding in other countries.

I agree with the description of supply management as an anchor for the Canadian economy — an anchor that provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation.

Dairy farmers were liberated when supply management was implemented — it continues to enable farmers to plan production, invest in their farm business, drive innovation, support local jobs and care for their animals; all while the costs of producing quality Canadian milk are covered by the marketplace.

These are the facts. And they tell a pretty good story.

Wally Smith is a B.C. dairy farmer and president, Dairy Farmers of Canada.

RBC STEPS UP FOR MARINE SEARCH AND RESCUE

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Unit 34 (RCM-SAR 34) is the local marine rescue service, covering the area from Maple Bay and Cowichan Bay up to the Saanich Inlet and Swartz Bay. Unit 34 is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers and is on stand-by to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It also runs a program to increase safe boating and help reduce accidents. At the Unit’s AGM late in 2014 at the Cowichan Bay Marine Centre, Bruce Cafferky of RBC Dominion handed over a donation cheque for $1,500 on behalf of the RBC Foundation. [SUBMITTED]

Preserving shoreline benefits us all Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to Cowichan Tribes leaders who said “no” to docks along the shore of the Stoney Hill properties! (Citizen, Dec. 24, page 5).

Our Island shorelines have already been so hugely disturbed that an abundant har-

Looking for happiness?

Email iwsmgmt@shaw.ca to learn how to find it.

STUDENT POSITIONS $19.73-$19.93/hour (plus 6% in lieu) Are you looking for an opportunity to gain meaningful work experience this summer and earn money towards next year’s tuition? The Municipality is hiring students for positions in the following areas for the May to August 2015 work term.

• Parks, Public Works and Utilities • Forestry • Waste Water Treatment Plant • Archives and Records Management If you are a student currently attending a community college or university and planning to return to school next Fall, please visit our website at www.northcowichan.ca for information on these exciting summer student opportunities and the application procedures.

7030 Trans-Canada Highway, Box 278 Duncan, BC V9L 3X4 T 250.746.3100 F 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca

The Cowichan Valley Citizen is a division of VI Newspaper Group Limited Partnership. A copy of our privacy policy is available at www.van.net or by contacting 604-439-2603.

vest has been reduced to a tiny fraction of what it once was. To preserve what remains and to restore damaged areas should be a priority for all jurisdictions.

Every man-made structure along the water’s edge interrupts the natural action of waves and weather that maintains essential habitats for a diversity of life.

Shellfish, forage fish (the “food

fish” that can spawn abundantly along undisturbed beaches) and a web of other creatures provide food for all the larger animals, including ourselves.

Let us recognize these basic facts of life — and this opportunity — in all our zoning regulation and community plans.

Bob Nation Duncan

Notice of Elector Approval Process Water Supply Agreement (Crofton) The Municipality of North Cowichan gives notice that it seeks the approval of its Crofton Water Local Area Service electors to enter into a new Water Supply Agreement with Catalyst Paper Corporation for the benefit of the users of the Crofton Water Local Area Service.

This agreement is similar to an agreement first entered into in 1999 and is required due to the expiration of the original agreement. Approval of the Crofton Water Local Area Service electors is necessary as the term of the new agreement, with extensions, will exceed 5 years.

North Cowichan may enter into the agreement unless at least 10% (180) of the Crofton Water Local Area Service electors sign Elector Response Forms and submit them to the Municipality by 4:30 pm on February 16, 2015. If at least 180 electors submit signed Elector Response Forms by February 16, 2015, Council must obtain the formal assent of the electors before signing the agreement, or may enter into an agreement that does not exceed 5 years.

Approved Elector Response Forms are available from the Municipal Hall (7030 TransCanada Highway, Box 278, Duncan, BC V9L 3X4), or by visiting the Municipality’s website: www.northcowichan.ca. The only persons entitled to sign Elector Response Forms are the Crofton Water Local Area Service electors. Copies of the proposed agreement are available for public inspection at the Municipal Hall during regular business hours.

Mark Ruttan, Director of Corporate Services

7030 Trans-Canada Highway | Box 278 | Duncan, BC V9L 3X4 T 250.746.3100 F 250.746.3133 www.northcowichan.ca

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250-748-2666 ext. 225 arts@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

Jazz, blues, ragtime on menu LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN

If you’re looking for a lively serving of 1920s jazz, blues and ragtime delivered

up with a good helping of haunting folk music, check out Grant Simpson and Kate Weekes at the Duncan Showroom Jan. 7.

From the Yukon, Simpson is in the midst of one of the most interesting phases of his 35-year career as a jazz pianist, specializing in the style that ruled the 1920s Jazz Age: stride piano.

He’s been everywhere and spends his winters touring his unique blend of vintage music and humor as a featured performer at festivals, concerts, pubs, cafes and theatres.

Simpson will be performing with Ontario singer-songwriter Kate Weekes.

The two have toured extensively over the past seven years and offer a menu of quirky swing tunes with interesting lyrics.

The show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

The Duncan Choral Society PRESENTS

SING, SING, SING!

January 16th, Friday 7:30

Christian Reformed Church 930 Trunk Road

Find us on Twitter: @CowichanCitizen

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR AND FROM CHOIR MEMBERS Adults $1500 • Students $1200

COWICHAN THEATRE PRESENTS THE MET: LIVE IN HD

Wagner’s

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG SAT, JAN 10 | 9AM James Levin, conductor

MORNING MUSICALE MON, JAN 12 | 10:30AM Sarah Hagen, solo piano all Brahms programme

A&E

Guitar’s best headed to Cowichan Theatre LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN

The International Guitar Night show kicks off its North American tour at the Cowichan Theatre Friday, Jan. 16 at the Cowichan Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $28 for adults and $22.50 for students and Cowichan Folk Guild members.

Event founder Brian Gore will be joined by classical innovator and fellow Californian Andrew York, Brazilian jazz master Diego Figueiredo and contemporary Iranian-Canadian steel string prodigy Maneli Jamal.

Figueiredo is considered one of the most talented guitar players in the world today.

He is the winner of several important competitions including the Montreux Jazz Competition and the VISA Prize and has released 19 albums to date, three DVDs, and several instructional books.

His music is a fusion between jazz, bossa nova and classical and his unique interpretations and technique have created an army of devoted fans.

York is one of today’s most visible and innovative classical guitar composers, winning a Grammy with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet during their 16-year partnership.

Besides his classical performance and compositional accomplishments, York also has an extensive background as a jazz guitarist, studying with legends Joe Diorio and Lenny Breau.

He studied classical guitar in Spain and has received many awards.

Andrew York is part of the show. [SUBMITTED] Jamal has lived in five different countries (Iran, Belarus, Germany, USA, Canada) and had moved 20 times by the time he was 18.

Along the way, he gained a sense of musical maturity rarely seen among his peers.

He has won many music competitions around the world including placing in the top three at Guitar Idol in England San Franciscan Gore is known for his finger style guitar and his translation of romantic ideas into music.

Gore’s recent CD and postcard release is called Santa Cruz in Song and Image and he is currently expanding upon his work with illustrator Bill Russell on an online series of videos and original songs plus multimedia show called Wine Country: A Pairing of Music and Art. He founded International Guitar Night in 1995 as a forum for the world’s finest guitarists/composers to play with their peers.

Madill kicks off 2015 for Folk Guild LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN

The monthly Cowichan Folk Guild Coffeehouse returns Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Duncan United Church with Greg Madill and the Nightrise Band as featured performers.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and an open stage starts at 7:30 with the headliners to perform later in the evening.

Madill, who won the Island Song Contest at Folkfest in 2010, has been playing music around Vancouver Island for some 25 years in one form or another, and is no stranger to a Cowichan Valley audience.

Whether playing electric guitar and drums in a rock band, strumming assorted eightstringed things, plus the bodhran with the

Ecclestons, or as now, playing ukes, zouks and mandos with the Nightrise Band, Madill says music has always been a driving force in his life.

The songs have to come out, and these days with his son Jevan joining him on guitars and vocals and song writing that joy is only enhanced for the veteran performer.

Also joining him is his long time good friend, and Cowichan Bay boy, Cam Stiles on acoustic bass and vocals.

The trio will be performing songs from Greg’s first solo release, Nightrise, as well as some tunes from his upcoming new recording.

Admission is $10 per person or $5 for CFG members, making it one of the best entertainment deals around.

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Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE WEEK

Avery Charette (on the right) and her sister Briar (left) started piano lessons with Susan Davies in September and have already learned to play a duet together. Avery attends Alex Aiken and is in Grade 1 this year. Briar goes to Queen of Angels pre-school. Briar would like to play piano in a restaurant when she goes up. Avery hopes to take voice lessons as well.

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Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

KIWANIS DIGS IN FOR KETTLE CAMPAIGN

Was a 1905 Cowichan meteor a message from outer space?

F

or all my visits to Mounts Prevost and Sicker to enjoy the panoramic views of the former and to ferret out the history of the latter, I’ve never seen a UFO or a Sasquatch.

Nor have I seen anything that remotely qualifies as either of the above anywhere else in the Cowichan Valley during my 40 years’ residency. I must be blind — if you accept the many claims of others of having observed extraterrestrial traffic and evidences of Bigfoot incursions.

That said, I’m neither believer nor disbeliever. I mean, after all, they’re great fodder for my writings and who am I to look a gifthorse in the mouth?

Thus it was that a front-page newspaper article of Sept. 5, 1908, caught my attention.

it’s so fascinating that visitor struck the it’s worth quoting in earth, sending the its entirety: rocks flying in every “Willie McKinnon, direction and causing the 14 year old son of an effect like an earthMr. Angus McKinnon quake in that vicinity. underwent a most The boy was naturstartling experience ally greatly alarmed and had a miraculous at the occurrence CHRONICLES escape from death and rushed into the T.W. Paterson on last Thursday house to acquaint his morning. parents with the very While working in his father’s strange happening. On visiting garden about half past 11 the spot it was found that the o’clock, a meteor about 10 inches meteor was intensely hot, and in diameter was hurled through not for over half an hour could it space and buried itself in the be handled. ground about eight feet from The meteor or whatever it was where the boy was standing. that fell was almost as round as a The meteor could be heard marble and the surface was deepfrom for several minutes before ly scored with what resembled it struck the earth, but the lad, hieroglyphics. thinking it was a train passing, The meteor had passed through

flight, snapping them off like matches. It fell at an angle of about 45 degrees and was travelling in a north-westerly direction when it struck the earth.

Mr. McKinnon has spent most of the time since the incident in trying to interpret the meaning of the markings on the stone and will be glad if someone who has a knowledge of these things, will try to help him out.”

A month later, it was reported that the Dept. of Mines, Geological Survey, in Ottawa, was seeking “fuller particulars than those contained in the [Cowichan Leader] despatch: the time of day, the nature of the sounds emitted by the falling body, their duration and the direction from which they seemed to come, the depth of the hole and the nature

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the finished product of its melt-down as it soared through space. Whatever the case, did it find its way to some cubbyhole in Ottawa? Or is it still in a family descendant’s possession? That 10-inchround “marble” with its strange markings would be a great conversation piece all these years later. www.twpaterson.com

Tel: 250·746·8123 Email: ken@kenneal.com Website: KenNeal.com Facebook.com/kennealduncan Duncan Kiwanis representatives Jamie Lowes and Sue Menzies present the Salvation Army’s Don Bazinet with a cheque for $500 for the

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in which the earth was thrown by the impact.”

Quite an order for young Willie who must have been startled out of his wits at having escaped death by a mere eight feet. The questionnaire included an offer of purchase if terms could be arranged. Whether, in fact, this meteor did make it to Ottawa and public preservation, I can’t say, alas, other than that it’s a matter of record that Willie’s father, Angus McKinnon, was known to be, at the very least, argumentative, and this suggests that negotiations would be challenging.

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Living

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

Polar Bears of 2015

A brave crowd runs down the ramp at Cowichan Bay’s Hecate Park at 11 a.m. Jan. 1 for the earliest of the Valley’s polar bear swims while warmly-clad pals film the event from the sidelines. [LEXI BAINAS/CITIZEN]

A few brave souls stayed in the water for a few minutes longer during the Crofton Polar Bear Swim on New Year’s Day. [ANDREA RONDEAU/CITIZEN]

Some enthusiasts come out every year to enjoy an icy dip. [LEXI BAINAS/CITIZEN]

About a dozen hardy Crofton residents took to the water for the annual New Year’s Day polar bear swim. Spectators watched the madness from the ferry pier next to the boat launch. [ANDREA RONDEAU/CITIZEN]

Nominations accepted until

January 30th, 2015!

For nominations forms and event details, visit:

www.20under40.ca

Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, january 7, 2015

13

Happyy New Yeaar!

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Valley Calendar

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

Miscellaneous

GALAXY BRINGS CHRISTMAS TO FAMILIES IN NEED

• Teen Advisory Group, Duncan library, first meeting Wednesday, Jan. 7, 4:30-5 p.m., ages 13-18. TAG plans activities, special projects, suggest items.

• Free advance genealogy class at the Duncan library Saturday, Jan. 10, 3-4:30 p.m. Early English Genealogy: explores options for those who have traced their family in England back to the 1700s. A look at parish, manorial records and how to find wills, tips for doing so online. Instructor: Carol Stiles, Duncan Family History Centre.

• Cowichan Valley Naturalists Coffee House Jan. 12, 9:30-11 a.m., Freshwater Ecocentre, 1080 Wharncliff, Duncan.

Speaker: Michelle Theberge on “Wolf Country.”

• Cowichan Fish and Game hosting Canadian Firearm Safety course, restricted and non-restricted, starting Friday, Feb. 6, at Glenora clubhouse.

Info and registration: Mike 250-7480319 or email canadianfirearmsafety@ shaw.ca • Friendly Visitors wanted! Volunteer Cowichan program connects an isolated or lonely senior in the community with a Friendly Visitor. Interested? Call 250-748-2133.

• ShoDai Peace Chant, Nichiren Peace Centre, Johnny Bear and Cambrai Road. Meditation Thursdays, 7 p.m., Discovery Sunrise Sundays, 10 a.m. Website: www.viretreats.com.

crafts, chance to meet St. John’s therapy dog.

• Geronimo Stilton Art Show, Duncan library, Jan. 18-24, children of all ages. Come and create your own work of art inspired by Geronimo Stilton books. Work will be posted in library.

• Paws 4 stories, Duncan library, Wednesdays, Jan. 21 and 28, 3:304:30 p.m., ages 6-12. Meet Talini the therapy dog.

• Light up the night storytime, Duncan library, Thursday, Jan. 22, 4-5 p.m., ages 3-plus and families. Storytime features glow in the dark and lightthemed crafts and stories.

• Teen Yarn Craft Group, Duncan library, Thursdays, 5-6 p.m., ages 13-18.

Learn to knit, crochet. Extra needles and yarn provided.

• Family storytime at Duncan library Tuesdays, 10:30-11 a.m., ages 0-5 and families. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun.

Dave Mandag of the Salvation Army is pleased to accept a big donation from Robert Martin and Vishal Boparai of Galaxy Motors. Between Dec. 1 and 21 Galaxy, with the help of Chemainus Foods, provided a donation for every car sold at the Duncan dealership. Galaxy was able to feed 26 local families a full holiday feast hamper. [SUBMITTED]

Info: 250-710-7594. Email: peace@ viretreats.com

Seniors • Chemainus 55+ drop in centre bingo starts Monday, Jan. 5, 6:40 p.m.

• Chemainus 55+ drop in centre hosts a Pancake Breakfast, Saturday,

us library Wednesday, Jan. 14, 3:304:30 p.m. Ages 6-12. Lego provided.

• Game Night, Duncan library, Thursday, Jan. 8, 6-7 p.m., all ages. Board and card games. Bring a favourite or play one of ours.

• Dog Gone reading, Duncan library, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 3:30-4 p.m., ages 6-12 and families. Dog stories, dog

Jan. 17, 9-11 a.m.

• Chemainus 55+ drop in centre Burns Night and Pot Luck Birthday Party, Saturday, Jan. 17, 5-8:30 p.m.

Recreation • Lego Fun at Duncan library Wednesday, Jan. 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m.; Chemain-

Meetings • Cowichan Valley Chapter of the Council of Canadians meets Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7-9 p.m., Volunteer Cowichan Office, basement of Duncan City Hall.

Discussion of water issues, environment, new actions. Info: Donna 250748-2444 or dcameron@seaside.net • New book club at Duncan library.

Group to meet third Saturday of every month noon-1:30 p.m. Leave name and number at front desk of library to find out more or call library 250-746-7661.

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Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, january 7, 2015

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Wednesday, january 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, january 7, 2015

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250-748-2666 ext. 236 sports@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Wednesday, January 7, 2015 | Cowichan Valley Citizen

Caps hope surge is enough for playoff bid “We’ve played fairly well the last few weeks, but we haven’t made up the ground we would have liked. But we’re not throwing in the towel.”

KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

The Cowichan Valley Capitals appear to have turned a corner since Christmas, but head coach Bob Beatty knows his team still has its work cut out for it as far as making the B.C. Hockey League playoffs goes.

“We’ve won four of five since the break, and we’re happy with that,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s probably the rate we’re going to have to play to get into the playoffs.”

Since roaring back from Christmas with a 6-2 win over the Powell River Kings, the Caps have added four move victories to their total, but remain fifth in the Island Division.

The recent success has come despite a team-wide bout with the flu and several nagging injuries, including one that forced veteran Thomas Gobeil to miss two games last weekend. Among the players to step up lately are the young trio of Kade Kehoe, Ryan Burton and Adam Osczevski, who have combined for 19 points in the last four games.

“They’ve found some chemistry,” Beatty said. “They’ve played extremely well and faced some

BOB BEATTY, Capitals head coach

Capitals defenceman Skylar Pacheco celebrates teammate Daniel Wanner’s goal against the Surrey Eagles last Saturday with a facewash. [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN] good competition too. It’s definitely a good sign.”

Fellow youngster Sean Harrison has continued his consistently strong play, while defencemen Ben Verrall, Mitch Stapley and

Jake Switzer have come into their own as well.

On Tuesday, Dec. 30, Harrison scored the game-winner as the Caps edged the Victoria Grizzlies 4-3 in overtime after Darien Craig-

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head forced the extra session with his late goal. Kehoe scored twice in regulation, while Burton and Skylar Pacheco each had two assists in the contest. Matt Zentner earned the win in net, making 33 saves on 36 shots.

Back in Victoria last Friday, the Caps were doubled up 6-3, with Harrison, Luke Santerno and Julien Lepage providing the goals, while Pacheco counted another two helpers. Zentner faced 34 shots and turned aside 28.

At home on Saturday, the Caps

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came back from a 3-2 third-period deficit to dump the league-worst Surrey Eagles 6-4. Burton led the way with a goal and three assists, while Kehoe scored once and added two helpers. Craighead and Osczevski each had a goal and an assist, while Harrison and Daniel Wanner rounded out the scoring.

Zentner picked up another victory by making 20 saves on 24 shots.

Finally, the Caps got by the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 5-4 in Port Alberni last Sunday. Osczevski scored the lone goal of the third period, which stood up as the game winner. He, Kehoe, Craighead and Pacheco each recorded a goal and an assist, with Brodie Smith adding the other goal. Rylan Bechtel had three helpers, and Burton added two. Zentner was back between the pipes again and stopped 38 of 42 shots for the win.

With 15 wins, 24 losses, one tie and one overtime defeat, the Caps have 32 points, eight fewer than the Bulldogs, who still occupy the final Island Division playoff berth.

The Bulldogs also have six games in hand on the Caps.

Beatty hasn’t given up hope on narrowing that gap, which shows in his approach to the league’s trade deadline this Saturday. Beatty doesn’t plan on trading any of his 20-year-olds.

“The vultures are circling, obviously, with our start. We’ve played fairly well the last few weeks, but we haven’t made up the ground we would have liked. But we’re not throwing in the towel.”

The Caps host the Nanaimo Clippers this Friday and the Grizzlies next Tuesday, both games starting at 7 p.m.

VS

Your Cowichan Valley Capitals Friday, January 9th 7:00 pm

GO CAPS!

Tuesday, January 13th 7:15 pm

Sports

Cowichan Valley Citizen | Wednesday, January 7, 2015

19

New year not kind to Kerry Park Islanders so far KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

The Kerry Park Islanders stumbled into 2015 with a pair of losses on the road last weekend, extending their Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League losing streak to four consecutive games.

The Isles lost 5-1 to the Peninsula Panthers last Friday and 4-0 to the Comox Valley Glacier Kings the following evening.

Nick Kean scored Kerry Park’s only goal of the weekend midway through the second period of Friday’s game, set up by Tyson Malloch and David Bittner. Goalie Ty Rennie was blasted with 55 shots and managed to stop 50 of them.

“They were ready to go,” Isles owner Mark Osmond said of the Panthers. “Our guys were rusty and it showed. It wasn’t really a 5-1 game, but we made mistakes and they cost us.”

On Saurday, the Isles had all 28 of their shots stopped by Comox’s Zachary Straza.

Leighton Williams also made 28 saves in the Islanders net, but four pucks got past him.

“We outplayed them in the first period,” Osmond said. “We should have been up 4-0, but we couldn’t put pucks in the net.”

After scoring 30 times as they won their first four games of December, the Isles have now scored just four goals while losing their last four contests. The players are trying to be too fancy, Osmond believes.

“They’re trying to do too much with the puck instead of just shooting it at the net,” he said.

The Isles are still in the middle of the South Division pack, but just one point ahead of the Saanich Braves. Their hopes of

The Kerry Park Islanders battle Devon McFarlane (12) and the Mill Bay Rec Hockey League all-stars in an exhibition game during the Christmas break.

[KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]

catching the Westshore Wolves are fading, as the gap now stands at 16 points with 12 games remaining. Osmond would be happy if his team can hold down its current spot until the end of the season.

“We want to finish third,” he said. “That’s our goal. It will be a bit of a shootout. We have to win games, but we’ve got the team

Stingrays’ speed shows at Richmond FastSwim KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN

After a couple of meets at their home pool to get ready, the Duncan Stingrays swim team faced its first true test of the season at the 2014 FastSwim hosted by the Richmond Rapids at Watermania.

The Stingrays sent 14 swimmers to the meet, where they were among nearly 500 competitors from across the province.

“We are very proud of our swimmers,” head coach Leanne Sirup said. “Their hard work and dedication over the first 14 weeks of this season are evident by their results.

“What’s more, their performances were done in a predominantly provincial racing arena, which will undoubtedly give the swimmers confidence when going into their provincial championships.”

Half a dozen Stingrays achieved personal bests in 100 per cent of their races: Oliver Castle, Olin Dahlstrom, Ty Dahlstrom, Cailine Keirstead, Dylan Kruger and Brielle Woodruff. Four more — Gavin Morrison, James Ogihara-Kertz, Mary Paridaen vanVeen and Savanah Van Nieuwkerk — had personal bests in all but one of their events.

The rest of the pack also put up personal records. Laura Kissack posted six, Jeremy Kissack and Sophie Paridaen vanVeen had two each, and Haakon Koyote had one.

In total, the Stingrays had personal bests in 69 of their 84 races, good for 82 per cent.

“If we exceed 60 per cent as a group we are happy for our swimmers,” Sirup said.

Olin Dahlstrom finished with medals in all of his races, including three golds and two silvers. Laura Kissack made the top five in all of her events, and collected one medal of each colour. Kruger was in the top 10 in each of his races, with three silver medals. Castle made the top eight in all of his events, including one bronze. VanNieuwkerk also reached the podium with a bronze.

The club also had several swimmers put up provincial qualifying times. OgiharaKertz earned a AA qualifier in the 100m freestyle, Kissack recorded AA championship qualifiers in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley, Keirstead earned a AAA qualifier in the 50m breaststroke, and Kruger had a total of four AAA championship qualifiers in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke and 200m breaststroke.

Castle picked up his first Canadian Age Group qualifier in the 13 and under 200m backstroke, and broke a 20-year-old team record in the 400m IM, shaving nearly five seconds of Greg Bate’s mark from 1994.

Finally, 11 of the 14 Stingrays climbed the rankings in at least one event: Morrison, VanNieuwkerk, Keirstead, Kruger, OgiharaKertz, Castle, Laura Kissack, Jeremy Kissack, Olin Dahlstrom, Ty Dahlstrom and Sophie Paridaen vanVeen.

“Of those 84 events we raced, the Stingrays climbed the rankings in 64 of those events — that’s three out of every four races the Stingrays made their presence known,” a proud Sirup stated.

to do it.”

The Isles got a boost recently when they learned that Cody Short could return to the lineup next month. Short was thought to be lost for the season because of an injury he suffered in September, but he has started skating with the team.

“Hopefully he will be back in the lineup in

the first week of February,” Osmond said.

“The players are all excited. They all respect him, and he was our best player before he got injured.”

The Isles will visit the Victoria Cougars on Thursday, then host the Saanich Braves on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. before ending the weekend at Oceanside on Sunday.

20

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