Kamloops This Week November 23, 2022

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

The popular Santa Claus Parade returns to downtown Kamloops on Sunday, Nov. 27. The parade will begin at 4:30 p.m., leaving from St. Paul Street and Second Avenue. Those who cannot make it downtown can watch the parade live online at kamloopsthisweek.com/santa-clause-parade.

C I T Y PAG E

Nov 23, 2022

Stay Connec ted @CityofKamloops Kamloops.ca

Council Calendar

The public, media, delegations, and staff are encouraged to par ticipate in meetings vir tually through Zoom or to observe through the City YouTube channel

November 22, 2022

10:00 am Committee of the Whole

November 29, 2022

1:30 pm Regular Council

November 29, 2022 (cancelled)

7:00 pm Public Hearing

December 6, 2022

1:30 pm Regular Council

December 8, 2022 (cancelled)

2:00 pm Community Ser vices Committee

December 12, 2022(cancelled)

10:00 am Development and Sustainability Committee

December 12, 2022(cancelled)

1:30 pm Civic Operations Committee

December 13, 2022

1:30 pm Regular Council

The complete 2022 Council Calendar is available online at: Kamloops.ca/CouncilCalendar

Council Meeting Recap

Sign up for the Council Highlights e -newsletter at: Kamloops.ca/Subscribe

Notice to Motorists

Please use caution when driving in the vicinity and obey all traffic control personnel, signs, and devices in the following areas:

• Santa Claus Parade, November 27

Downtown

• Lorne Street

Mt Paul Way to 10th Avenue

• Highland Road

Highway 1 to Valleyview Drive

• 12th Street

Tranquille Road to Kenora Road

• 6th Avenue

Columbia Street to Battle Street

• St. Paul Street

1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

• Columbia Street West Frontage Road

Greenstone Drive to Pember ton Terrace

To stay up to date on road work projects, visit: Kamloops.ca/Kammute

Y O U ' V E G O T M

A I L !

Watch for your City Newsletter arriving with your utility bill this week In this issue, learn about the city wide rollout of curbside organic waste collection, find a 2023 City Calendar pickup location near you, and explore creative ideas for Christmas gifts that involve less waste.

Pedestrian Safety

With the weather changes and decreased daylight hours, follow these simple safety tips to stay safe when walk ing:

• Look make eye contact with drivers before crossing the road

• Listen remove your headphones when crossing the road

• Be Seen wear reflective clothing or use a flashlight to make yourself more visible.

Kamloops.ca/PedestrianSafety

Consider a Career with us

Join

Repor t an issue: 250-828-3461

For after-hours emergencies, press 1.

B U S I N E S S L I C E N C E R E N E WA L S

The City of K amloops 2023 business licence renewal invoices have been mailed. Payments are due by December 31, 2022. If your payment is not received by Januar y 15, 2023, a $25 late payment charge will be added to the balance owing If you have not received your renewal notice or if there has been a change to your business, please contact the Business Licensing office by email at blicensed@kamloops.ca or phone at 250-828-3481 prior to submitting the 2023 payment

For payment options, visit: Kamloops.ca/BLicensed

G I V E L E S S WA S T E T H I S H O L I DAY S E A S O N

Gift giving, decorations, cards, wrapping paper, and more —the holidays can generate a lot of waste that ends up in our landfill

Here are some tips to reduce waste this holiday season:

• Give time and experiences instead of "stuff " Memories last much longer than things. Set some dates, give invitations to loved ones, and go explore a few outdoor (or indoor) spots you' ve always wanted to visit.

• Reuse cards from prior years as gift tags or send the same card back to the original sender and turn it into a fun tradition.

• Reuse wrapping paper and gift bags or use cloth to wrap gifts instead of paper

For more seasonal waste reduction tips and gift ideas, visit:

Kamloops.ca/WasteReduc tion

2023 W I N T E R AC T I V I T Y G U I D E S N E A K

P E E K

The Activity Guide is published three times per year and offers a wide range of courses and programs for people of all ages and abilities The online version now available for viewing at: Kamloops.ca/Ac tivityGuide

Find your hard copy of the 2023 Winter Activity Guide next week's edition of K amloops This Week Registration star ts on Tuesday, December 13, at 6:30 am online or at 10:00 am by phone or in person. Swim lesson schedules are not available in the guide Lesson schedules will be available by November 30. Residents searching for a swim lesson program are encouraged to look online at: Kamloops.ca/Swim or visit the Tournament Capital Centre or Westsyde Pool and Fitness Centre to pick up a physical copy of the winter swim lesson programming

Ways to register:

• Go online to register online, visit: Kamloops.ca/Register

Be prepared! You will need to have an online recreation account before you can register.

Let's Talk K amloops is our engagement website where you can share your voice and shape our city Please subscribe to the project of interest to receive updates Sign up and speak up at: LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca

• Call us call our Customer Relations Representatives at: 250-828-3500

For more information and to view the guide, visit: Kamloops.ca/Ac tivityGuide

City Hall: 7 Victoria Street West, K amloops, BC, V2C 1A2 | 250-828-3311

Nov. 23: Sun and clouds 2/2 (hi/low)

Nov. 24: Sunny 6/1 (hi/low)

Nov. 25: Sunny 5/0 (hi/low)

Nov. 26: Cloudy 3/-1 (hi/low)

Nov. 27: Flurries 1/-1 (hi/low)

BREANNE MASSEY STAFF REPORTER breanne@kamloopsthisweek.com

he KTW Christmas Cheer Fund is back, with readers of Kamloops This Week helping us help the community.

Money raised in the Cheer Fund will be distributed equally to the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter, Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association, Kamloops Brain Injury Association, Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism and the Kamloops branch of the BC SPCA.

The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) expects to receive support from the KTW Christmas Cheer Fund to help cover the cost of vaccinating and spaying and neutering animals, as well as registering guardian infor mation for pet owners through the use of microchips.

“Anyone that has an animal knows how expensive the bills can be,” said Katie Klassen, senior officer of com munity giving, BC SPCA. “Right now, we have about 55 animals in our care at this moment and all those vet bills do add up quite easily.”

There is a $50 fee to vaccinate a cat and a $60 fee to vaccinate a dog, according to Klassen, and the BC SPCA has committed to vaccinating all animals in its care.

Klassen said this the first year the BC SPCA has been a recipient of the Christmas Cheer Fund).

“I think it will definitely support vaccinating, spaying, neutering and microchipping the animals,” Klassen said. “It is definitely one of our biggest expenses and this money will defi nitely help with those expenses.”

There are 574 employees and 3,804 volunteers at the BC SPCA. Of those, the Kamloops and District

branch is home to 20 employees, with a total of 103 volunteers.

In 2021, the BC SPCA assisted 118,917 animals, provided 17,966 homeless animals with emergency care and shelter, supported 34,141 animals through the BC SPCA Pet Food Bank program, had 8,704 ani mals adopted into new homes and provided 12,418 nights of free emer gency pet boarding.

Locally, the branch helped 77 evacuee animals with emergency boarding during last year’s floods and provided 172 animals with emer gency boarding during the wildfires in 2021.

Additionally, there were 284 ani mals that found their forever homes, and 3,570 animals were served through the pet food bank program in Greater Kamloops — a legacy Klassen hopes to continuously improve and support through her capacity as the officer of community giving.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE ON THE STAGE B1

Western Canada Theatre’s play about a radio play begins on Thursday, Nov. 24

Help fund our furry friends

Here’s how to help a great cause

To donate, go online to www.bcicf.ca/ kamloops-this-weekchristmas-cheer-fund. Donations can also be dropped off at the KTW office, at 1265B Dalhousie Dr. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

THANK YOU, DONORS!

BBC Old-Time Fiddlers Kamloops branch: $100

• IG Wealth Management: $1,402

“The mission of the BC SPCA is to protect and enhance the quality of life for domestic, farm and wild ani mals in British Columbia,” Klassen.

“The BC SPCA is the only animal welfare organization in B.C. with the authority to enforce animal cruelty laws under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. We are the largest animal welfare organization of our kind in North America and the larg est animal sheltering society in the world.”

For more information on the BC SPCA, go online to spca.bc.ca/loca tions/kamloops/.

The KTW Christmas Cheer Fund can be found on the front page of the BCICF website. The exact web site address is https://www.bcicf. ca/kamloops-this-week-christmascheer-fund.

Donations can also be made by clicking on the Cheer logo on KTW’s website, at kamloopsthisweek.com.

• Donald & Kathleen Gienow: $50

• Nel Sarrasin, in memory of Gordin Sarrasin: $100

• Susan & Ron Durant: $100

• John & Val Kemp: $100

• Greg Harris: $50

• Simone Werstiuk, in memory of brother Carmen Werstiuk: $50

• Kim & Andrew

Cooper: $150

• IG Wealth Management/Chris Nagle: $500

• Cal & Pat Moulton: $100

• Richard & Terry Taylor: $100

• Nolan Pastoor Real Estate Corporation: $1,500

• Sharlene & Darren McIlwain: $158

The BC SPCA is hoping to use KTW Christmas Cheer Fund money to help cover the cost of vaccinating and spaying and neutering animals. BC SPCA PHOTO

From A5

THANK YOU, DONORS!

Margaret Sandulak:

$100

Sarb & Kam Chattu: $100

Anonymous, in memory of Rose Goar: $50

Anonymous: $50

Ed & Dianne Barker: $250

Anonymous: $50

Abacus Gardening & Landscaping: $1,000

Dianne Jackson: $50

Spencer & Janet Bryson: $200

Vic & Sally Mowbray: $150

Jo-Mary & Bob Hunter: $200

Barbara Eagle: $40

Jerry & Wendy Patrick: $100

Wendy Dickson, in memory of Peter Basson & John Healy: $50

Anonymous, in memory of Dave & Sandy: $100

Barbara Caswell: $75

Lorna McMillan & Robin Johnson: $75

Sharon Moore, in memory of Tom Moore: $100

Anonymous: $100 Silvia Olson: $100

Lynne Totten: $100

Rick Bennett: $50

Bea Smith: $50

Amanda Fenrich, in memory of husband Adam: $100

Linda Jackson, in memory of George E. Wilmot: $100

Doris Finlay: $20

Ian & Margaret Stewart: $100

Amy Regan: $100

Teresa & Colman Byrne: $200

Harriett Chave: $100

TOTAL: $8,320

Council gets first look at ‘23 budget

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

The City of Kamloops needs $7 million more than last year in order to balance the 2023 budget.

That equates a 5.6 per cent increase in needed revenue — an early gauge of next year’s tax increase — for the city to main tain the same service levels as this year.

City council was shown the numbers, department overviews and financial changes and invit ed to give budget suggestions during a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday.

The gap means the city will need to collect $133 million in property taxes in 2023, up from $126 million in 2022.

Finance director Kathy Humphrey told KTW a number of items make up the added $7 million cost, including funding for asset management — the city has raised the budget a half per cent the past four years for

that — climate action initia tives, wage increases and added RCMP officers and police pay.

Humphrey said there are significant increases in the costs of goods and materials in the budget, as well, noting the cost of line paint has risen by more than the inflation rate, which is between seven and eight per cent through October.

“All of those things are really services we have to provide. We can’t go without maintaining the roads. People complain when we have potholes or no lines and the cost of doing those things is

just higher,” Humphrey said.

She said the $7 million figure and the 5.6 per cent tax increase linked to the number are slightly higher than in years past, not ing 2022’s property tax hike was finalized at 4.9 per cent.

“That’s the starting point for the tax increase this year,” Humphrey said of the 5.6 per cent, noting axing supplemental budget items, increasing user fees and/or reducing services as ways in which council could reduce a tax rate.

Among the biggest increase making up that $7 million is

$1.87 million in staff wage increases, $1.3 million in RCMP contract raises and $1.27 million in inflationary costs for items such as contracted services, fleet operations and materials and supplies.

Generally, a one per cent increase in property taxes equates to a $1 million increase in revenue, costing the owner of the average assessed home about $25 more per year on their property taxes, Humphrey said.

The annual property tax increase in Kamloops this century has been in the two to three per cent range and, during COVID-19, dipped below one per cent, Humphrey said.

On Wednesday, the City of Kamloops will launch a budget engagement page on its website and a public budget meeting will be held in the first quarter of 2023, while supplemental bud get items will be considered next February.

The budget will be finalized and adopted in the spring of 2023.

Extreme weather shelter at city’s Alliance Church

inclement winter weather conditions.

An extreme weather shel ter will be available on the North Shore as of Dec. 14.

The 30-bed shelter will open from 10 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. when the temperature dips to -10 C or belt and/or there is an accumulation of at least five centimetres of snow with a temperature of -10 C or colder.

The shelter will be located in the Kamloops Alliance Church at the north end of Overlanders Bridge and will be operated by The Mustard Seed Kamloops, in partner ship with BC Housing. It will operate through Feb. 28.

“The Mustard Seed is thrilled to partner with Kamloops Alliance Church,” said Kelly Thomson, The Mustard Seed’s managing director.

“It’s wonderful to see the faith community stepping in to help address the needs of those experiencing homeless ness in our city in inclement weather. With the support and funding of BC Housing, we are

able to provide up to another 30 beds for those in need.”

Chris Throness, lead pas tor at Kamloops Alliance Church, said the church wanted to help care for those who are the most vulnerable in the city.

“Opening our doors for this emergency weather shel ter is a practical step we can take, to share what we have been given with those who need it the most,” Throness said. “It is a privilege to be able to play a part and our desire is to continue to invest in the future health and vital ity of Kamloops.”

Extreme weather response shelters typically open on nights when the temperature is forecast to drop below a predetermined threshold or when the forecast calls for

During those condi tions, community service providers, shelter operators and street outreach teams co-ordinate efforts to bring unsheltered individuals indoors, a staff report to city council stated.

An emergency weather shelter is something the municipality has been requesting BC Housing add in the city as winter weather conditions take hold.

“We’re pushing BC Housing with regard to extreme weather response,” said Byron McCorkell, the city’s community and protec tive services director.

There are two temporary winter shelters operating daily in Kamloops. One is at the Yacht Club east of downtown and operated by The Mustard Seed.

The second one is in the former Stuart Wood elemen tary building downtown and operated by the Out of the Cold organization.

Jessica Vliegenthart | Partner

Our Partners are pleased to welcome Jessica Vliegenthart to our firm’s Partnership, effective January 1, 2023. Jessica completed her Bachelor of Arts at Simon Fraser University (2008), then her Juris Doctor at the University of Victoria (2011).

First joining our firm as an articled student, Jessica was called to the bar in 2013, and since then has developed her legal practice in litigation, primarily personal injury Jessica comes armed with the determination of an Olympian and the affable people skills that made her a leader on Team Canada, both on and off the basketball court

With deep roots in the Kamloops community, Jessica loves making connections and will absolutely try to figure out if she knows one of your relatives. After retiring from international sport, Jessica now spends her free time outside with her young son and daughter, husband, and small flock of chickens

Congratulations Jessica, from all of us at Fulton!

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson tells KTW he will not stop bringing the homeless to shelters, despite a letter from BC Housing urging him to curtail the practice. STORY, PAGE A11

here you were 40 years ago might be a crystalclear, colour memory, a hazy, black and white image or something in-between.

However, would that reflection of a memory four decades ago be the same for people your age, but back in 1982?

This past weekend featured the 109th Grey Cup game, an instant classic in which the underdog Toronto Argonauts defeated the favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who were seeking their third con secutive championship.

The last team in the Canadian Football League to win three Grey Cup titles in a row was the Edmonton Eskimos (now known as the Elks), who won five consecutive Cups between 1978 and 1982.

In fact, it was exactly 40 years ago this month that Edmonton won the last of its five straight championships, a 32-16 victory over the Argonauts in Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium.

I was 14 years old on that day — Nov. 28, 1982 — and I remember it clearly, as if it was yesterday, with rain pounding on the turf as the Lime and Mustard dynasty used screen passes at will to defeat the Boatmen. Warren Moon and Brian Kelly and Dave Cutler are as fresh in my mind right now as they were on that day.

That same year — 1982 — pro vides other memories that are equally as crisp and clear and instant.

There is the improbable Vancouver Canucks’ run to the Stanley Cup final, in which they were swept by the New York Islanders (like the Eskimos, winning the last of their

dynastic string of titles).

There is the release of Steven Spielberg’s film E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. There is the appearance of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album (just two days after the Grey Cup game). And there is the Falklands War between Great Britain and Argentina.

I remember them all with clar ity — miffed that Hugh Campbell and the Esks had won the Grey Cup yet again, bawling like a hurt baby when Islander captain Denis Potvin hoisted the Stanley Cup in the Pacific Coliseum, crying again (but hiding the tears from my friends) as I sat in the Town Cinema red theatre in Abbotsford and watched an alien capture my heart, arguing with friends whether Billie Jean, Beat It or the eponymous Thriller was the album’s best song and rushing home from school each day at 3 p.m. to read about the Falklands War in the Vancouver Sun that had just been plunked down on our doorstep (and wondering if the mesmerizing Vulcan bomber, a mainstay at the Abbotsford International Airshow, was being used in that conflict).

These memories, spurred by the Blue Bombers’ failed quest for three straight Grey Cup titles this past weekend, are fresh, with the 1980s still regarded by me as fairly recent.

It is, in fact, the last decade in my mind that still shines with relative newness — the 1970s, in my head, is the first decade going backwards that carries with it a tinge of black and whiteness.

But this prompted me to won der: If the 54-year-old me has vivid memories of what the 14-year-old me experienced 40 years ago, can the same be said of a 54-year-old in 1982 thinking back 40 years to 1942, smack in the middle of the Second World War?

Or does the positive or negative aspect of a memory colour its trans mission?

A University of Miami paper in the middle of the pandemic’s restrictions era — in November of last year — notes how the pandemic has played with our perception of time and memory.

Psychology professor Aaron Heller

explained that our sense of time is impacted by the level and amount of newness we experience. During the worst of pandemic lockdowns, our sense of time was profoundly impacted.

Interestingly, the general Groundhog Day-like existence many experienced during the past two years can and has impacted memories with respect to time. Just think of how often you have had a brain cramp try ing to remember when certain things happened since March 2020, when lockdowns began

The fog of the pandemic pause can even permeate pre-COVID-19 events in one’s mind, shifting hap penings you once knew occurred in a certain year into another decade. It is akin to a non-contact concussion.

The University of Miami paper referenced American philosopher William James and French philoso pher Henri Bergson and the fact they were crucial in revealing objective and subjective time, with our past feelings and memories influencing our present experience.

Bergson’s research explained why spending one hour doing two different things can severely alter the perception of how long that one hour has been. Think of being transfixed by a 60-minute movie compared to having a cavity filled for an hour at the dentist.

In simple terms, time seems to fly by when you’re having fun and time seems to drag on forever when you are not. It explains why summers seemed to stretch to eternity when you were a carefree kid, but now get squeezed out quickly by spring and fall when you have to work through July and August.

A similar theory is attached to why some memories can be recalled in HD, while others fade like a newspa per left out in the sun.

Yes, more positive memories, like that first crush or the day you got your first pet, tend to be recalled with more clarity than more mundane memo ries, such as that long drive in the rain to your aunt’s house back in the day.

But retention and playback of spe cific negative memories that have had a profound impact on one’s life, such as the death of a family member, can also be replayed in brilliant colour by the hippocampus, the memoryprocessing centre of the brain.

Perhaps that 54-year-old in 1982 would have had clear memories of her 14-year-old self in the middle of the war. Or, maybe not, depending on whether that memory was connected to the Toronto RCAF Hurricanes’

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OPINION

‘TIS SEASON TO CONSIDER HAVE-NOTS

Editor:

I NEED SOME HELP HELPING THE CITY

Editor:

I recently read a letter to the editor in KTW that detailed con cerns about controlling speeding drivers.

Four months ago, I contacted the RCMP community policing section and spoke with a very nice person to whom I indi cated I would like to volunteer to help control speeders in the Aberdeen area.

I was sent the City of Kamloops website link, where I filled out the form to volunteer for Speed Watch. There has been no response to my volunteering request.

After waiting seven weeks, I called the city’s traffic depart ment and spoke with a very nice person, who assured me he

would contact the RCMP with my request.

There has still been no response to my volunteering request.

The next time I hear that we need more police officers to enforce laws, I am going to go shout as loud as I can into the wind.

I am willing to help in a small way, just not complain. But it seems to have fallen on deaf ears as nobody seems to care that we have a serious problem with a small number of irresponsible speeders, a problem that could lead to an accident and possible death.

Garry Davies Kamloops

Although the holiday season will have a jolly, heartful and joyous atmo sphere, my feeling is miles away from a festive mood when I think about the different realities of the haves and have-nots.

Holiday songs, Christmas gift ideas, travel plans and party ideas are the topic of everyday conversa tion. Store flyers and online ads about Black Friday and Cyber Monday urge us to buy more goods to save more.

But underneath this commercial ized Christmas with its constructed festive bubble and shopping frenzies, precarity and poverty co-exist every

where in North America, including Kamloops.

There is rising inflation and creep ing energy, utility and food costs. A recession is looming, chronic under employment and unemployment are expanding and the affordable and accessible housing crisis is worsening.

In the Interior of B.C., we have experienced a heat dome, an atmo spheric river and extensive wildfires, droughts and flooding over the last two years.

One in five Canadians, approxi mately seven-million people, report experiencing hunger even though more than 4,000 food banks and

LET’S CARE FOR OUR

Editor:

I was appalled on Nov. 7 as I watched Royal Inland Hospital staff try ing to navigate their way to work from their parking spots on Columbia Street, many blocks from the hospital.

The snow was deep,

the wind was fierce and sidewalks had not yet been plowed by the city.

As a nurse who spent 35 years working at RIH, I can’t believe staff are still expected to get to work despite the weather with no parking available onsite.

other agencies are tirelessly providing services.

Many economic, geopolitical and environmental factors impact margin alized groups, including single-parent families, low-income seniors, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, immigrant families and homeless youth and adults.

Christmas is a good time to sit down and exchange ideas about political activism with family and friends and discuss how we can revi talize them together.

Eri Jackson Kamloops

CAREGIVERS

I hear talk of caring for our caregivers. Really?

Shame on you, RIH administration and shame on you, Kamloops.

Heather Heron Kamloops

Kamloops This Week is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour.

If you have concerns about editorial content, please email  editor@kamloopsthisweek.com or call 250-374-7467

If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at  mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163

B r i g h t L i g h t s f o r C h i l d r e n & Y o u t h E v e n t

100% of donations and burger sales go to Big Bear CYAC to support children and youth in our community.

Bring the family and join your Community to show support and raise awareness for Children and Youth. • Burgers provided by Save On Foods • FREE hot cocoa and coffee from Starbucks

- 4:00pm: Per formances by Thompson Youth Honour Choir. 4: 30pm: Burgers go on sale . - 5:00pm: Raising of the star by the K amloops Fire Depar tment and Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson. - 5: 30pm: Stingray announcers and Thompson Youth Honour Choir star t the countdown to the lights . - 5: 30 6:00pm: Music by the Stingray emcees and a dance off ! - 7 :00pm: We all head to the game to watch our boys take on the Prince George Cougars! Big bear will be handing out information about their cause as well as glow sticks to get the rink rocking! Big Bear ’s CYAC ’s RCMP par tners will also be walking around the arena handing out goodies to the kids . 1st intermission: Big Bear CYAC team will be on the Fanboni tossing bears to the loudest fans in the house!

2nd intermission: Lights will be turned off and the glow sticks come out for an amazing per formance by K amloops Youth Choir, and other amazing ar tists such as : • Suzi and Jolie Rawn • Jude Bastien • Renea Denis • Blaine Alexandre • Nicole Clay

DAVE EAGLES/KTW

Mayor vows to continue shelter-seeking work

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said he will not stop trying to find help for the homeless follow ing a recent email from BC Housing raising concerns about his unannounced visits to their shelters.

“I can tell you one thing,” Hamer-Jackson told KTW. “If there’s somebody on the side walk freezing to death, I will try my best to get them into a shelter in Kamloops, B.C.”

BC Housing recently sent the email to the City of Kamloops. In the cor respondence, a BC Housing representative described a visit Hamer-Jackson paid to Moira House, a year-round shelter in Westmount, on Nov. 13 as inappropriate behaviour that was part of a pattern of concern.

Hamer-Jackson has long been known to conduct early-morning outreach with the homeless and often visits shelters.

The mayor, noting he was shown the email by city chief administrative office David Trawin, said he visited Moira House at about 7 a.m. on Nov. 13 with newly elected coun cillors Kelly Hall and Stephen Karpuk. He said the trio went to Moira House, seeking wheelchair-accessible shelter for a homeless man.

Hamer-Jackson said they had been visiting winter shelters at the former Stuart Wood elementary and at the

Yacht Club when they met the man on the street and went to Moira House to see if it had room for him. Hamer-Jackson said he also wanted to inquire of the whereabouts of another homeless man he knew.

When they arrived at the site’s gate, Hamer-Jackson said a man approached and gave them a number to call.

Hamer-Jackson said he called and the woman on the line told him Moira House was full and they left. He said he has since received correspon dence from BC Housing, but did not wish to discuss that further.

In an email, BC Housing told KTW that while it wel comes people helping others access shelter, operators have established processes to sup port visits to the sites.

The provincial body said unannounced visits inside shelters cannot be accommo dated, given how disruptive they are to the privacy of shel ter guests and to staff who are stretched and working in very challenging circumstances.

Asked if the city condones the mayor trying to connect people with shelter, Trawin said it’s not his place to say, noting Hamer-Jackson is acting on his own as an indi vidual in that effort.

Trawin said the city sup ports getting people shel tered, which is why it works with organizations like BC Housing.

“The mayor out there doing the mayor’s thing, it has nothing to do with the City of Kamloops, it has nothing to

do with council,” Trawin said.

“I think the mayor has other concerns with shelters that I think has been fully documented in the past, but there are appropriate ways that, if he or any member of the city wants to know what’s going on in the shelters, then there’s a proper process to follow.”

Hamer-Jackson stressed the need for transpar ency when it comes to shelter operators. He indicated that for the past three years, he has been the major outreach worker after 4:30 p.m. and before 8 a.m. and criticized a lack of outreach workers and shuttle service to get people into shelters.

“I’m just trying to help here,” Hamer-Jackson said. “Until we get proper outreach workers and we get this shuttle moving … no, I’m not going to quit.”

Moira House is run by the Kamloops chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

Executive director Alfred Achoba said clients and visitors to shelters like Moira House cannot show up unan nounced.

“If the mayor showed up to your office every day to bring news to you or to check on what you’re doing, I’m sure you would have con cerns,” Achoba said.

“And, like any other guest, if people show up unan nounced when there’s a formal process they have to take, then yes, it is disruptive as well.”

Reid Hamer-Jackson was elected mayor of Kamloops in the Oct. 15 civic election. He has stressed the need for transparency when it comes to shelter operators.

Nurses want action and less 'talk, talk, talk'

JESSICA WALLACE STAFF REPORTER jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com

Shirley Scott had heard about issues with the health-care system.

However, the retired nurse did not realize the gravity of the situation until her hus band was recently admitted to Royal Inland Hospital. Scott worked for 28 years in RIH’s emergency room and told KTW the current situation is let ting down nurses — who she refers to as “warriors” — and patients.

Scott pointed to dozens of patients forced to wait for a limited number of ER beds, the department functioning like a makeshift ward when beds are unavailable on other floors, added computer work slowing down staff and more.

After her visit to RIH, Scott began talking to current and former nurses and brought together a group of them to meet with KTW to discuss problems and propose solutions.

Scott said she was told by one nurse: “‘Shirley, I want you to tell everybody that we’re giving the best shitty care we can.’ That’s it. Now, I don’t know, but I don’t feel comfort able with that. I had trouble leaving my husband in the hospital and I love nurses.”

The two main problems identi fied in conversations with KTW come down to staffing levels and patient volumes.

A current nurse, who asked not to be named out of concern speaking out would inhibit future employ ment opportunities, said RIH’s ER is “chronically” understaffed, noting differences can be seen at various health-care facilities across Interior Health. She asked why Kelowna’s ER recently received funding for new

staff when requests in Kamloops have been denied.

“We just don’t understand,” the nurse said. “Who says no to us and who says yes to them?”

She said numerous examples of funding inequities can be found throughout Interior Health. Another example is porters in Penticton’s ER. A nurse said a porter is used to transport ER patients to and from various tests, such as a CT scan. The nurse said nurses do that in RIH’s ER, resulting in the loss of a nurse for a few minutes every half hour or so.

“Nurses in Kamloops tend to do more than in other places,” the nurse said.

Funding for administrative positions also seems to flow freely, according to the nurses. Scott said there are too many colonels and not enough warriors in the army.

Meanwhile, nurses say approved shifts are rarely fully staffed and one question the nurses have is: What happens to money saved when shifts

are not filled?

Retired ER nurse Linda Chrystall said agency nurses are hired for $75 per hour to fill shifts, but the nurses are not paid that full amount.

Instead, the company is paid that rate and it then pays the nurse another rate.

Chrystall described the system as inefficient and ineffective.

When shifts are short-staffed, she said nurses are pulled from other departments in the hospital, in a process known as level load ing. It means the nurses — who are ultimately responsible for patients through their nursing licences — are put in environments outside of their specialty and without supports from co-workers with whom they typically work. One suggestion identified is a so-called float pool, which is a pool of nurses specifically tasked with working in different departments to fill vacancies.

Nurses are also expected to pick up overtime shifts, leading to staff

burnout, and there is no longer an incentive to take on full-time posi tions because nurses can always pick up shifts. One nurse pointed to stat holidays that are fully staffed in sug gesting more money for nurses — by way of additional positions, better salary, retention and signing bonuses — could help.

“We need more funding,” the nurse said.

Scott said she knows one nurse who opted to give COVID-19 vac cinations to avoid the stressful situa tion at RIH, further exacerbating the situation.

Meanwhile, ER closures in sur rounding communities, walk-in clinic closures, street issues overflow ing into the ER and a lack of general practitioners in Kamloops are adding to patient volumes.

Communities like Clearwater have experienced rotating closures of their ER and patients are directed to Kamloops. The Kamloops Urgent Care Clinic in Sahali, which was run by ER doctors and churned through patients, closed last summer. About 40 per cent of Kamloops residents do not have a family doctor.

The nurses said the new family doctor pay model is a step forward, but noted everyone from stuffynosed kids to people with more severe ailments end up in emergen cy. One current nurse said the open ing of a walk-in clinic would help to alleviate patient volumes. It was suggested Interior Health could rent a space for doctors to operate the clinic and take pressure off the ER.

With all of this in mind, the nurs es stressed that patient care needs to be priority. They pointed to the roll out of the advancing care electroni cally (ACE), a project to transition the hospital away from paper-based practices to digital, during the pan

demic and one current nurse said the rollout resulted in the loss of more nurses, including retirees who did not want to come back and help because they would have had to have learned a new system.

“Their view of what’s important is not patient care, in my opinion,” the nurse said.

Chrystall said nurses care about people, but when they finish a shift and don’t feel like they were able to give good care, it is no longer a rewarding profession.

The nurses also questioned the lack of consultation with frontline workers. Town hall-style events did not result in changes, they said, add ing they want to feel heard. They do not know who is ultimately making decisions and feel like attempts to raise concerns about various issues to management, Interior Health CEO Susan Brown, local MLAs and others have resulted in no change.

“These people aren’t getting any help,” Scott said. “Why is that? How can you lose your warriors?”

One nurse said many nurses are new and accept the current situa tion, having known no other work scenario. She said there are no longer 30-year tenured ER nurses like Scott.

Similar to Scott, the nurses said people hear about issues in the news, but don’t understand until a loved one needs care. It prompted a chal lenge for decision-makers to spend 24 hours in the ER at RIH.

Asked why people should care, a nurse replied: “Because you’re pay ing money into a system that’s failing you."

Added Scott: “This is the prob lem: ‘Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.’ And nobody turns to you and says, ‘Here’s my critical pathway to help you get out of this mess.’”

Kamloops This Week interviewed Gerry Desilets, clinical director at Royal Inland Hospital, in response to the following questions that stemmed from KTW’s conversations with a group of nurses, who listed various concerns. The list has been condensed for space consid erations. The full Q&A is online at kamloop sthisweek.com.

Q: How many nurses are funded for a fully staffed day shift in the ER at Royal Inland Hospital? How many nurses are funded for a fully staffed day shift in the ER at Kelowna General Hospital?

A: “They have 21 and we have 17,” Desilets said, noting Interior Health has 14 trained emergency nurses, two psychiatric nurses and one patient-care co-ordinator for a day shift at Royal Inland Hospital. He said Kelowna General Hospital has 21 nurses on a fully staffed day shift because that hospital sees more patients on a daily basis. Kelowna General saw 85,877 patients in 2021, with about a 17 per cent admission rate to the hos pital, compared to 68,433 patients that were seen at RIH, with a 12.5 per cent admission rate. In the ER, Kamloops sees between 170 and 210 per day, while Kelowna is around the 250-patient range daily.

Q: Why does RIH have fewer nursing posi tions, while taking on a seemingly similar amount of patients each day?

A: Desilets said it’s hard to compare the two hospitals because they have different staff ing models, are different types of hospitals and have different demographics of patients, patient numbers and types of illnesses seen between each site. “We look at the numbers that come through, but it’s a bit bigger than that and there’s different pieces that fit dif ferent for our team. We have two psychiatric nurses where they have one, so it depends on the complement of patients that are coming through the building where some of those decisions are made,” he said.

Q&A

Q: What would Interior Health say to ER nurses who see this as an inequitable situa tion?

A: “It’s a hard question to answer. They are two different sites, they do see different people. We’re working hard to increase the resources at RIH. There has been a big increase in fund ing for RIH over the last year. We’ve got an increase of $7.5 million for our baseline staff ing, so that has seen an uptick in the number of baseline shifts we can offer to nurses. We try our best to meet the demands of the patients and we struggle, also. All hospitals are strug gling to have enough nurses at bedsides. We’re trying to supplement with areas we can — if we have extra care aides, if we have unit sup port workers who can help,” Desilets said.

Q: Will Interior Health fund additional nursing positions for the ER?

A: “We just increased some of them. With the $7.5 million, all of our units got an increase in nursing baseline shifts and that’s kind of where we’re at. I think as we go in the future, we’ll continue to look at the needs and if we saw that we had different requirements in our emergency department, we’d continue to advocate for more funding,” Desilets said. He did not have a figure when asked how many additional shifts were able to be added from that $7.5 million. He said, overall, there were 150 new positions added from those dollars.

Q: Why are there more general discrep ancies in how different hospitals in Interior Health are funded and operate? We are told Penticton’s emergency room has porters, while Kamloops’ ER does not. Nurses have told us it means RIH ER nurses are taking on more work.

A: Desilets said much depends on the types of people and patients who are coming into the ER. “The acuity, the levels of care that they need, the different types of dynamics — socialeconomic backgrounds of people,” Desilets said. “We do utilize porters, maybe in a differ ent way than Penticton does. We’ve upscaled some porters to unit support workers, so you do a bit of a different job than the porter just sending patients through the building. I think each site looks at different ways they can support their team and the population and, although it might be different, I think it’s hard to compare different levels of sites. He noted RIH is a tertiary site and a major trauma cen tre, which makes a difference in the group of staff chosen to work in the RIH ER.

Asked how patients and demograph ics at RIH differ from Kelowna or Penticton, Desilets said Kamloops, as a major highways centre, sees a large number of trauma patients, surgery patients and cardiac patients from smaller areas, whereas Kelowna sees cardiac patents for different surgeries not available in Kamloops.

Q: One common theme among the nurses who met with KTW was they do not feel as though anyone is listening to them. How does Interior Health engage frontline workers in decisions that impact them?

A: “I’m sorry to hear that people say that and feel that way. We have had town hall ses sions with staff and physicians. We’ve invited them to share their ideas,” Desilets said, not ing RIH also uses “continuous improvement boards” in which unit managers meet with frontline staff to discuss ideas to improve the job, which is then shared with upper manage ment. He said staff also have daily meetings with their department heads. “I think the chal lenging thing for people sometimes is when their idea may not be actioned or they feel they’re not being listened to. We do hear all the ideas and some things we can’t always action for different reasons,” he said.

Concerns raised have been heard before

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Peter Milobar said what KTW has been told by former and current nurses is similar to what he and Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone have heard and he puts cred ibility into it because numbers presented have not been refuted by the health authority or health minister.

Milobar said nurses remain very con cerned, including about their ability to speak up and risk to their jobs, due to a lack of whistleblower protection. With the use of agency nurses, Milobar said nurses are concerned that no long-term fix is on its way.

“I’ve heard from other nurses up there that we have up to 40 — four, zero — agency nurses working at that hospital at any given time,” Milobar said. “So, the stresses and the problems in that hospital have not been fixed. They’ve been Band-

Aided over to give the appearance that everything has been fine, but that’s why the people that are working there day-in and day-out are still speaking.”

Milobar said agency nurses lack con tinuity, understanding of department ebb and flow and time to become orien tated. Milobar said he has heard stories of patients going a day-and-a-half without food and pain medications being missed.

BC Nurses’ Union president Aman Grewal said agency nurses are part of a private system, noting she is in favour of a publicly funded public health-care system.

Grewal said there are 4,300 nursing vacancies in B.C. and agency nurses are filling gaps for a premium. She said gov ernment spending on agency nurses increased from $8 million in 2018 to $64 million in 2019.

Grewal said she has spoken to Interior

Health leadership and came to Kamloops for a town hall this past summer to hear from nurses. She said she is unaware of any improvements since that meeting.

“I have been taking their stories to the government, to the health employer and sharing those stories and putting it to them that they need to come up with solutions,” Grewal said.

She said she asked for a human health resources plan from Health Minister Adrian Dix, adding that nurses need to be at the table.

Ultimately, Grewal said, it is up to health authorities and provincial and federal gov ernments to fix problems.

She said the province needs to retain nurses in the system, recruit nurses and bring back nurses who have left.

— Jessica Wallace/KTW

WITH GERRY DESILETS, CLINICAL DIRECTOR AT RIH

Mixed reaction to

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said he likes what he has heard about Premier David Eby’s Safer Communities Action Plan, while veteran city councillor Dale Bass told KTW she wants to see implementation before forming an opinion.

Over the weekend, Eby announced a list of actions he intends to implement as premier to address community safety.

Among the highlights are new funding for teams of police officers and nurses (like the Car 40 program operating locally), the creation of prolific offender response teams, a new directive to Crown for bail hearings and expanding virtual bail sessions.

The safety plan includes a $3-million fund for integrated mobile community crisis

response by police and healthcare workers in communities throughout B.C., known as Car Teams.

Bass said there are multiple communities that need mentalhealth services.

“The provincial government knows we [city council] have been lobbying for a second Car 40 for years,” Bass said, noting she is not sure what else council can do to secure the provincial funds other than to continue lobbying.

Hamer-Jackson said he is does not know how effective the Car 40 program is, but he has spoken with Interior Health CEO Susan Brown about a possible Kamloops expansion, noting council will need to speak further with the health authority about it.

Car 40 is a program that pairs a mental-health practitioner with an RCMP officer as they respond to calls involving mental-health situations.

Kamloops Mounties and local politicians want to see the Car 40 program expanded, but Interior Health has thus far been non-committal about adding a mental-health nurse to the program. While the city supports two police officers for the program, only one nurse is funded by Interior Health.

The service operates four days a week and only during

Eby’s safety plan

daytime hours. However, as Bass noted, mental-health calls don’t conform to the average work week, noting a second car team is needed to get the service up to 24/7 coverage.

Bass said part of Car 40’s work is following up with people after calls to ensure they are attending treatment.

“There’s an awful lot more than just showing up at an action where police are called,” Bass said.

Eby’s plan will also create repeat violent offender co-ordinated response teams, consisting of police and 21 dedicated prosecutors, 21 probation officers, 21 support personnel and nine correction supervisors.

Hamer-Jackson believe it is a good idea and hopes the plan will include the use of outreach workers, noting they can be effective in getting people into recovery programs.

Another $3 million a year

from Eby’s plan will expand virtual bail hearings so those charged with crimes need not be transported to regional hubs such as Kamloops, Prince George and Nanaimo and get stuck there, homeless. Eby, a former attorney general, has also implemented a new policy on bail that intends to keep repeat offenders behind bars by directing prosecutors to more often oppose bail.

Hamer-Jackson described expanding the virtual bail system as “a great idea,” noting he recently visited two shelters in Kamloops, where he heard from people there trying to get back to their home communities.

“I’m glad he’s focusing on all these issues that we’ve been raising and were key issues in municipal elections all through the province,” Bass said.

“It’s great to talk and to promise, but let’s just see it actually happen.”

PREMIER DAVID EBY

City committees a work in progress

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

Kamloops Mayor Reid HamerJackson is taking his time in get ting city committees — which he has described synonymously as task forces — re-established this new council term.

“These task forces, I don’t want to get them in too quick, I want to make sure we get the right people in there so it’s not going to be four years of nothing,” Hamer-Jackson told KTW. “We want success.”

Hamer-Jackson, who was elected on Oct.15 in his first civic election campaign, said he was working on forming his city com mittees over the past weekend and all day Monday.

“We’re coming up with new ones and more effective ones,” Hamer-Jackson said.

He said he has received pres sure from people to get commit tees established, but equated his process to that of his campaign signs. Hamer-Jackson was one of the last of the civic election candi

dates to erect signs around the city when the campaign began.

“Everybody wanted me to get the signs up right away, I said no, no, just hang on. Let’s get it right. Just calm down,” Hamer-Jackson recounted what he told his sup porters.

“We waited for everyone to put their signs up and, then, when we did put them up, we didn’t put them up in the middle of 40 signs. We put them up in strategic areas and I believe they were more effective.”

New city councillor Kelly Hall told the Kamloops Last Week webcast that he has encouraged Hamer-Jackson to establish city committees for the new term.

“Right now, we’ve got com mittees that are being cancelled because the committee structure isn’t there yet,” Hall said. “We need to get to work.”

In his inaugural address, Hamer-Jackson noted a number of task forces he intends to create.

They will be related to trans portation and infrastructure main tenance, drug addiction, mental

health, street crime, emergency shelters, outreach and recovery centres, business development and retention, schools and rec reation, parks and culture and health care.

Hamer-Jackson said he would also like to establish a task force on housing that would look to replace old and outdated apartment buildings in Kamloops.

He said he will probably mix some of those task force topics in with what were the existing com mittees, but noted he wants to take his time to ensure the right people are selected for each com mittee.

After each election, city council committees are disbanded ahead of the election, then re-established by the next mayor.

In the last term, former mayor Ken Christian in 2018 established a development and sustain ability committee (focused on climate change, community planning and development cost charges), a finance committee (to review services agreements, enhance digital strategy and

investigate the industrial tax bal ance), a community services committee (community safety and social planning, healthy Kamloops task force to focus on families, seniors and those with unique needs), a civic operations com mittee (review service levels, address governance issues and delve into emerging issues) and a community relations committee (maintain and enhance partner ships, including with Thompson Rivers University, Tk’emlúps te Sewcépemc and KamloopsThompson school district).

Christian also established a new streamlined committee struc ture aligned with city services, a structure that cut out members of the general public in favour of three councillors.

Asked if he intended to reverse this, Hamer-Jackson said he would be interested in doing so.

“If it’s anything to do with no public, yeah, I’d definitely be inter ested in reversing that because I’m all about talking to the public and citizens of the community to be able to have a say,” he said.

No mask mandate being contemplated

SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there is no need for the “heavy hand” of a mask mandate in B.C. as other provinces deal with an onslaught of respiratory illness.

In Kamloops, many teachers and students are out sick and the emergency department at Royal Inland Hospital has seen an increase in those coming in with respiratory illnesses, according to a hospital spokesperson.

On Nov. 16, Henry presented provincewide data that showed the test positivity percentage of

various respiratory illnesses since September 2021. The data showed a 20-point increase in test positivi ty for entero/rhinovirus in the past three months, a 15-point increase in influenza and a five-point increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Henry said the uptick in enterovirus cases has been a driver in children needing more hospital care in recent months.

In Ontario and some other parts of Canada, RSV has led to increased hospitalizations of children and some hospitals are overwhelmed.

“We’re not seeing the same pic ture here in B.C.,” Henry said.

The uptick in influenza, how

Pineview school update

The City of Kamloops has sent the expansion of a proposed school site in Pineview Heights to a public hear ing after approving two readings of rezoning and official community plan amendments.

School District 73, which owns a

ever, is important, Henry said.

“This is a warning to us. We’re starting to see influenza circulat ing. We know children often don’t get very sick with it, but some of them do and they can also pass it on to others,” Henry said.

Henry said the current guid ance for respiratory illness of any type is to stay home and limit con tact with others until there is no fever and regular daily activities can be done.

She said those with even mild symptoms should be wearing a mask, noting masks should remain available and accepted in areas like workplaces, transit vehicles and other indoor settings.

But she stopped short of order

triangular piece of property at 1900 Copperhead Dr., wants to increase the size of its 2.28-hectare lot by 0.88 hectares to accommodate the school building, road access to the school from Copperhead Drive, parking, a playground and a basketball court.

Due to the topographic restrictions of the site and its irregular shape,

ing that masks be worn.

“I do not believe we need that heavy hand of a mandate to send a clear message that masks are an important tool that we can all use during this time, and that in every respiratory season we should have one with us and use it in situations where it makes sense,” Henry said.

About 46 per cent of those age 65 and older have received a flu shot in B.C. as of Nov. 13.

Remaining age groups see much less uptake, with coverage of about 28 per cent for those ages 50 to 64, 13 per cent for those ages 18 to 49, 12 per cent for children ages five to 17 and 11 per cent for children ages four and younger.

Henry said monitoring is being

SD73 intends to purchase portions of three parcels of land from adjacent property owners — 1525 Westerdale Dr. and the two unaddressed lots to the east, south and southeast.

“As in most cases, there’s condi tions on the sale and if that [rezoning] goes through, the sale would hap pen,” city development, engineering,

done on school absenteeism, not ing schools “remain supportive and inclusive environments where masks remain available.”

In the Kamloops-Thompson school district, the student absen teeism rate is currently around 23 per cent, which is five per cent higher than this time last year, according to SD73 superintendent Rhonda Nixon.

Nixon said the rate is about seven per cent higher in November than it was on October among students.

Absenteeism among teachers in November has also been higher by about eight to 10 per cent and by about two per cent among sup port staff, Nixon said.

and sustainability director Marvin Kwiatkowski said.

The current site is located on an undeveloped parcel with no existing road access, but the expanded prop erty will be served by Copperhead Drive, which will extend eastward and eventually connect with Aberdeen Drive.

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

BCICF to take funding applications

SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com

The BC Interior Community Foundation will soon be taking applications for $390,000 worth of funding intended for improving internal systems.

The funding comes as part of the $400-million Community Services Recovery Fund — money budgeted by the federal government in 2021 intended to boost Canada’s postpandemic recovery.

That money is being distributed by three national organizations, including Community Foundations of Canada, of which the BCICF is a part, the Canadian Red Cross and

United Way Centraide Canada.

On January 6, 2023, the BCICF will begin accepting applications from non-profit organizations, charities and those doing community service work.

More details will come on which organizations are eligible, but the BCICF works mostly within the boundaries of the Thompson-Nicola Region District, including south to Merritt, west to Lillooet, north to Barriere and east to Chase.

BCICF president Kathy Humphreys said the funding is “amazing” amount of money for the organization to distribute.

“We are so thrilled to have this opportunity to provide support to

charities in our communities at this time, when I know there’s so much funding needed,” Humphreys said.

Applications will be accepted until Feb. 21, 2023, and funded projects will begin in May ,after the BCICF adjudicates.

Humphreys said the BCICF will provide funding for improving systems at organizations to help with their recovery.

“So, it might be something like updating all of their computer sys tems and processes — that sort of thing,” Humphreys said.

A complete list of projects funded by the grants provided by BCICF is expected to be released after the application deadline.

NEW SIGNAL LIGHT TO BE ACTIVATED SOON

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

A new signal light will soon be activated at the intersection of Summit Drive and the Highway 1 onramp in Sahali, between Springhill Drive and Notre Dame Drive.

The new traffic signal will provide vehicles heading southbound from Sahali to Highway 1 with a left-turn arrow as they make the eastbound left turn from Summit Drive to the high way on-ramp.

The intersection will still provide

two crosswalks at the on-ramp for pedestrians and cyclists.

One crossing has no signal and is controlled by a multi-use pathway crosswalk sign with pavement mark ings, while the other will be controlled with pedestrian crossing signals.

Nutters opens in downtown Kamloops

DAVE EAGLES STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com

For Sarah and Dan Sims, becom ing owner-operators of Nutters Everyday Naturals in downtown Kamloops is a reflection of the type of lifestyle they live.

The Kamloops couple was seek ing a business franchise opportunity about which they were passionate and could each enjoy. They came across Nutters Everyday Naturals and began doing their homework.

“It felt like it [Nutters] really aligned with our lives and what we believe in,” Sarah said. “We liked their mission and their values — it just kind of went from there.”

The Western Canadian company was started 40 years ago in Medicine Hat by Dr. Jim Cranston.

Gathering outside the 8,600 square-foot store (the former Value Village building at Seymour Street and Fifth Avenue) on Nov. 19, the Sims were joined by Nutters presi dent Donald Cranston, Kamloops Deputy Mayor Bill Sarai, councillors Kelly Hall and Mike O’Reilly and

Kamloops Chamber of Commerce staff to cut the ribbon to mark the company’s newest and largest store.

Nutters has 24 stores across Western Canada —— 12 corporately owned and 12 franchised.

Sarah said the downtown site is the right location for Kamloops. She said there is sufficient demand for a one-stop store for making healthier choices in the Kamloops’ market — especially in the downtown as housing density increases.

“Downtown is growing a lot with all the developments going on,” Sarah said. “There are people that don’t drive and those that would rather not drive. People on the North Shore, as well, that take the bus. It’s a lot easier to take the bus and get downtown than to take the bus and try to get up the hill. So I think there’s definitely a need for it.”

Nutters offers vitamins and sup plements, bulk foods, natural foods, personal care and fresh, locally sourced produce.

There is also grab and go selec tions for customers wanting quick lunch items, with plans to bring in more healthy meal options.

Being locally owned and operat ed is what Sarah said sets them apart from other health food stores.

The opening was anticipated for this past spring, but the couple found the endeavour to be more involved than originally expected.

“Everything took a lot longer than expected,” Sarah said.

“It was a pretty big process with

the building permit. We faced lots of delays and challenges. And it was hard to source some of the things we needed for construction and hard to find trades people to do the work.”

Sarah said she feels like the past six months were a blur.

“It’s very exciting to be open. We have an amazing team that has been working and learning together,” she said, noting they have been well sup ported by Nutters head office.

“They have been amazing and I can say, it feels like family,” she said. “The support has been fantastic. People are very excited about that. They are finding things that they haven’t been able to find anywhere else.”

Sarah and Dan Sims (centre) cut the ribbon during the official opening of their Nutters store, downtown in the former Value Village building at Seymour Street and Fifth Avenue. Nutters, with 8,600 square feet of space, shares the building with the Big Little Science Centre.

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

Local bighorn sheep population declining

BREANNE MASSEY STAFF REPORTER breanne@kamloopsthisweek.com

The population of bighorn sheep in the Thompson-Nicola region has been rapidly declining in recent years.

According to the Wild Sheep Society of BC (WSSBC), the Thompson River bighorn sheep have lost up to 50 per cent of the herds in Kamloops Lake and South Thompson.

“We are looking at the Skeetchestn herd as the baseline herd as their populations are rela tively stable,” explained Kyle Stelter, chief exec utive officer of the WSSBC. “Thompson River bighorn sheep populations (Kamloops Lake and South Thompson herds) have declined over the last six to eight years from approxi mately 750 individuals to approximately 350 to 375, while others along the Thompson River have remained stable. The South Thompson herd (Sun Rivers Golf course to Lion’s Head), as well as Kamloops Lake herd (Kamloops Airport to just past Deadman’s Creek) have collectively declined roughly 50 per cent.”

However, the cause of the population’s decline is unknown and several organizations have come together to investigate the cause.

The Skeetchestn Indian Band, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, WSSBC, BC Wildlife Federation and Thompson Rivers University have part nered up to capture and collar 30 bighorn sheep on the South Thompson sheep range this fall. This follows the capture and radio-col laring of 30 bighorn sheep on Kamloops Lake in December 2021.

The WSSBC and its members have so far committed $72,500 to the undertaking, with $52,500 used to purchase 40 GPS collars and

$20,000 allocated to helicopter capture time.

“Current data suggests poor lamb survival and recruitment is a dominant factor, but an investigation into adult female survival is required to determine the extent to which it may be contributing to population decline,” Stelter said.

Thompson Rivers University student Nesa7 White has joined the project team as part of her thesis for her master of science in environ mental science and is expecting to be involved with the conservation efforts until 2024, when she aims to graduate. She will be conducting health assessments in the grasslands to deter mine if one herd has a higher survival rate than another in an effort to investigate why popula tions are declining.

“It’s really extraordinary to have these lambs right here in our backyard,” White said, not ing the traditional ecological knowledge being shared by First Nations elders has captured her interest regarding wildlife conservation efforts.

“We want to restore the herd, and their hab itat, so we can try to bring back the populations up to where they want them to be,” White said.

Currently, lamb survival rates are too low to maintain the herd’s population in the coming years. White’s thesis will include providing rec ommendations to help promote a healthy herd population in the future.

“I really am interested in the traditional ecological part,” White said. “The traditional ecological knowledge is just a really holistic approach to wildlife conservation. I’m excited to weave that into my thesis and it’s [been] really successful in other wildlife conservation projects, so I think that this project could also be really successful because the bands are already involved.”

A collaborative project to capture and collar bighorn sheep populations in the Thompson-Nicola region is geared toward identifying the root cause of the declining lamb survival rate in local populations. The efforts are expected to be ongoing for many years to come.

DARRYN EPP/WILD SHEEP SOCIETY OF BC PHOTO

Mental disorder ruling in stabbing case

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

A Kamloops man who plunged a knife 15 centimetres into the chest of a female security guard at a downtown motel has been found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder (NCRMD).

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Terence Schultes made the rul ing following a Nov. 17 hearing in Kamloops for Lewis Gabriel August, 40, who was charged with aggravated assault in connection with the March 15 attack that took place at Canada’s Best Value Inn & Suites (formerly known as the Acadian Inn) at 1390 Columbia St. downtown.

In an agreed statement of facts, court heard August, who was a Canadian Mental Health Association client and resident of the motel, left his room at about 5 p.m. and walked into an office on the property, where he stabbed the 28-year-old security guard.

August walked in aggressively and came up behind the woman,

who was sitting in a chair, sticking the knife through the right side of her chest. She fell off her chair and, fearing August would stab her again as he again walked toward her, told him, “Please don’t.”

August stayed in the room for about 20 seconds before walking back to his room and calling his mother to tell her he had hurt some one.

Police arrested August at his door without incident and he has been in custody ever since. Court heard August and the female guard had no previous animosity between them.

Two CMHA employees were also in the room and hid under a desk.

August later told a forensic psy chiatrist he walked into that office with the intent to kill all three people, but a calm came over him after he stabbed the guard.

The woman survived her injuries and is recovering. She has had dif ficulty breathing and has dealt with blood-clotting and infection issues during her recovery.

The CMHA had a partnership with the motel at the time to provide

rooms for its clients suffering from mental-health issues. The agreement included having security guards and CMHA staff on site.

Court heard August had a 20-year history of schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medications months before the attack. Two weeks prior, he told his mother tentacles were sucking food out of his stom ach, but his mother told police her son seemed fine.

Defence lawyer Graham Kay entered a not guilty plea due to mental disorder, a finding Crown prosecutor Katie Bouchard did not contend. In an NCRMD application, the onus is on the accused, rather than the Crown, to prove its case.

Court heard from forensic psychi atrist Dr. Johann Brink, who exam ined August for criminal responsibil ity this past summer.

Brinks said August acted out of psychotically driven anger on March 15 and recommended he be found not criminally responsible because, due to his mental illness, he wasn’t able to distinguish what was morally right from wrong.

Brink said August was afflicted with symptoms of severe schizophre nia — paranoid delusions of aliens and strangers that moved into other people’s bodies, as well as what he had for years described as a “poo monster” who could place radioac tive faces in his abdomen capable of communicating with people.

“That was the only way he could see himself freeing himself from the torment of the aliens and the poo monster,” Brink said.

Brink said August believed strangers and aliens were coming into his room at night, swapping out his belongings and changing his hairstyle, and that security guards at the motel was letting them do it.

Brink said August also heard voices of strangers commanding him to engage in vandalism and to harm himself and others, which he said August tried to resist.

The doctor said August had become exacerbated and angered by his delusions and decided to do something “big”.

Brink also examined August in 2004, believing then he was in the

early stages of the illness.

Brinks said August, in his state of psychosis, knew he was stabbing the security guard and understood his actions were legally wrong, but not that they were morally wrong.

Brinks said he didn’t believe August was faking his symptoms, given the consistency of his delu sions in reports to psychiatrists over the years.

Addressing the court himself, August said he wasn’t taking one of his medications when he stabbed the security guard, but added he is now taking the medication, noting it has changed his life and he sees things differently.

Justice Schultes agreed with Brink’s findings, which he described as thorough.

“I am satisfied he has identified the operating mental state in this offence and I readily accept his opin ion,” Schultes said.

August will now have a dispo sition hearing in front of the BC Review Board, which will determine his sentence within the next couple of months.

On September 20, 2022, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FEI) filed its Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Interior Transmission System (ITS) Transmission Integrity Management Capabilities (TIMC) Project (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission The purpose of the project is to enable FEI to detect cracking threats on its ITS pipelines The Application consists of alterations to ITS pipelines and facilities in the province’s interior area The estimated total cost of the project is $84 6 million

SOARING TO SILVER

Volleyball teams land berths in provincials

Everything except hushhush superstitions was up for discussion with KTW

Kayla Dabrowski and the St. Ann’s Crusaders are not will ing to let the public in on their quirky superstition.

“We have one tradition when we call a timeout,” said Dabrowski, a Grade 12 stu dent and team co-captain. “I don’t think I’m able to share it. It would bring bad luck to us.”

The secretive Crusaders are one of five teams from Kamloops that will compete at senior provincial volleyball championships.

THE CRUSADERS

St. Ann’s is sending its boys’ team to Duncan Christian School on Vancouver Island and its girls’ squad to Cedar Christian School in Prince George for single A provincial championship tournaments, which will run from Dec. 1 to Dec. 3.

“They are just so happy and so excited,” said Chandra Mallais, who coaches the girls’ team and is athletics director for St. Ann’s. “I have seven girls graduating and this was their last chance to make it to provincials. In all the [five] years that I’ve been

at St. Ann’s, I’ve never known the St. Ann’s [girls’] volleyball team to qualify for provin cials, so they are beyond thrilled.”

The Crusaders van quished King’s Christian School of Salmon Arm in a semifinal matchup last week end at the A Girls’ Okanagan Valley Championship in Kelowna, the victory secur ing a place in the final and a berth at provincials.

“Oh, the girls were so ecstatic,” Mallais said. “It was a close game. They were up, we were up, they were up … and then we just kind of turned the corner. Their set ting and hitting was just off the charts. The girls were just overjoyed.”

Gavid Dodd of the Kamloops Gymnastics and Trampoline Centre won silver last week at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Find the story on A24.

GRAHAM DODD PHOTO

The South Kamloops Titans’ senior boys’ volleyball team won gold last weekend at the Okanagan Valley Championship. The team is one of five from Kamloops to qualify for senior provincials.

MARTY HASTINGS STAFF REPORTER sports@kamloopsthisweek.com See CRUSADERS,

BLAZERS HEAD SOUTH

AGAIN

Caedan Bankier and the Kamloops Blazers will square off against the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday in Kennewick, Wash., before returning home to prepare for the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Warriors (13-8) and Blazers (9-4-3-1) will square off on Friday, a 7 p.m. start at Sandman Centre. Kamloops is fifth in Western Conference standings following a 3-2 OT loss to the hometown Portland Winterhawks on Saturday. The Blazers downed the Vancouver Giants 4-1 on Friday in Langley.

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

Dodd wins silver at worlds

Gavin Dodd is a soaring Canadian sensation.

The 19-year-old Kamloops Gymnastics and Trampoline Centre ath lete won silver in doublemini at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships, which wrapped up on Saturday in Bulgaria.

Dodd, competing in the senior division for the first time at the world champi onships, scored 29.2 points to finish second. Ruben Padilla of the U.S. earned gold with a score of 30.2. Dodd is the first Canadian male to win a

medal in double-mini at senior worlds since 2007.

Earlier this year, Dodd won gold and set a national difficulty record in doublemini at the Trampoline Gymnastics Canadian Championships in Calgary.

He posted a score of 20.8 to set the Canadian record, which was previously held by Denis Vachon, the Ontarian who scored 20.0.

Dodd was 17 when he claimed his first senior national title in doublemini trampoline in 2021, the same year his sister, Kristina, won bronze in the same event in

the women’s division.

Dodd, a Type 1 diabetic, first hit the podium at a world championship event in 2015, when he won gold in double-mini at the 24th International Gymnastics Federation Trampoline Gymnastics World Age Group Competition in Odense, Denmark.

In simpler terms, he became world champion in his 11- and 12-year-old age group.

His resume has since been padded with podium finishes at provincial, national and world champi onships.

Crusaders’ boys seeking redemption

From A23

Added Dabrowski: “In that moment, we were ecstatic. It’s actually really special. It’s a really proud moment for everyone in our school.”

Both the boys and girls’ teams from St. Ann’s were dispatched in their respective regional title tilts last weekend in the Little Apple.

Immaculata of Kelowna downed the visitors from Kamloops in the girls’ goldmedal match.

Kelowna Christian School spiked the Crusaders to place first on the boys’ side, but the silver-medal finish was enough for St. Ann’s to punch its ticket to provin cials.

The Crusaders’ boys qualified last year for the B.C. championship tournament, but were disheartened, along with many other teams across the province, when flood ing across southern B.C. shut down highways and pre-empted their bid for a banner.

“They’re looking for a

bit of redemption this year,” Mallais said.

THE TITANS

Of the five teams from Kamloops that quali fied for provincials, only the South Kam boys will enter the tournament with Okanagan-champion brag ging rights.

The Titans knocked off the Kalamalka Lakers 3-1 on Saturday in Vernon to win gold at the AA Boys Okanagan Valley Volleyball Championship, the victory emboldening confidence ahead of provincials, which are slated to run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 at Pacific Christian School in Victoria.

“The boys are young. I get that. But just the way they’ve grown all year is really exciting,” said Graham MacGregor, head coach of the Titans’ senior boys. “They’re really start ing to mature. We have next year in our sights, but you never take your sights off this year, that’s for sure. You want to win all the time.”

The team was pegged fifth in the most recent AA boys’ provincial volleyball rankings, an especially promising accomplish ment when considering its youthful composition.

There are no Grade 12s on the team, which features mostly Grade 11 play ers, including four whom

belong to Team B.C. — Alex Howard (outside hitter), Gavin MacGregor (setter), Huxley Wendland (middle) and Brandon Johnson (libero).

“The experience we’re going to get is going to be invaluable because the team is going to be fully intact for next year, too,” said MacGregor, noting some members of his team are entertaining scholar ship offers from post-sec ondary schools.

The Titans’ senior girls cemented their place at provincials by taming the Vernon Panthers in a fiveset thriller in the semifinal round last weekend at the AAA Girls’ Okanagan Valley Championship, which took

place at South Kamloops secondary.

W.L. Seaton secondary of Vernon earned a 3-1 win over the Titans in the goldmedal game.

George Elliot secondary of Lake Country will play host to the AAA Girls’ B.C. Volleyball Championship from Dec. 1 to Dec. 3.

THE SABRES

The Sa-Hali Sabres’ senior boys volleyball team felt spurned when the loca tion of the 2021 provincials was altered amid flood ing and chaos, moved to Richmond from Kelowna.

“They changed venues on us with like two weeks notice and said we’re going to send it down to

The senior boys and girls’ vol leyball teams from St. Ann’s secondary have qualified to compete at the provincial championships.

Richmond because 15 of the 20 teams are from that area,” Sabres’ head coach Mike Chala said.

“We kind of got hooped a little bit. We ran it by our parents. We were going to have to fly. They were like, ‘It’s going to cost way too much.’ We should have gone last year.”

The Sabres, including their sizeable group of Grade 12s that is champ ing at the bit to compete against the best in B.C., knew the importance of a win in a semifinal matchup against Penticton at the AAA Boys Okanagan Valley Championship, which took place last weekend in Kelowna

“All of us knew it with out spelling it out,” Chala said. “They knew if we could get past Penticton, we would have achieved our goal and got our berth in provincials.”

Get cozy in your PJs for the 42nd Annual Santa Parade on Sunday, November 27th, 2022

The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association and Thompson Rivers University are excited to announce this year’s theme is ‘P yj ama Par ty’ Par ticipants are not only encouraged to decorate their f loats with as many lig hts as possible; but ever yone’s also invited to show up in their coziest PJs to be a par t of Kamloops’ biggest pyj ama par ty!

W hen: Wake Up Santa at 4:10 PM followed by the Parade starting at 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 27th, 2022

W here: Starting at 2nd Ave & St Paul St, down 2nd Ave to Victoria St, along Victoria St and ending at 6th Ave

Note: We encourage parade spectators to walk or carpool to the event as there is limited street parking. Two parkades are located on Seymour & Lansdowne St and are FREE on weekends Sunday, November 27th, public transit times will be altered.

We would like to thank our generous Sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible

Sa-Hali boys overcome adversity

From A25

Sa-Hali, its roster plagued by illness, pre vailed in the semifinal showdown to reach the regional final and claim a spot at the B.C. cham pionship, which will run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 at Kelowna secondary.

“I was a bit nervous because we were potential ly missing half of our team [heading into Okanagans],” Chala said. “It really starts playing with your mind a little bit. All I could think was, ‘Man, is this going to come crashing down on us this week because half of my guys aren’t going to be able to play, potentially?’ They made it happen.”

The Kelowna Owls, the No. 1 ranked team in the province, squashed Sa-Hali in the Okanagan final.

No Kamloops school has won a senior provin cial high school volleyball title since the 2015 Sabres’ girls.

Five teams have a chance to bump

the slump in 2022.

NEXT-LEVEL TALENT?

Kamloops cannot lay claim to being a high school hotbed for volley ball.

Due to inconsistency in talent pools, TRU WolfPack men’s volleyball coach Pat Hennelly has been more prone to recruit in Kelowna and Prince George than in his own backyard.

But Hennelly is encouraged by this crop of seniors and juniors, a selection of whom hone skills toiling for Kamloops Volleyball Association clubs to augment high school experience.

“The club system has been robust,” Hennelly said. “And it’s awesome to see this many high school teams go to provincials.”

The WolfPack bench boss said he is recruiting players from South Kam’s senior boys’ team and has been in contact with a couple of the Sa-Hali boys, too.

He also mentioned

“He’s definitely a varsity athlete,” Hennelly said.

“I think he’s 100 per cent [going to play] basketball, but he could be a varsity volleyball player, as well. No problem.”

Sarah Loedel, an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s WolfPack volleyball teams, has been taking the lead in organizing high school tournaments on cam pus, including the recent Howler events, which fea tured 48 junior clubs and 32 senior teams.

Next up is the 24-team Junior Boys Provincial Volleyball Championship, which will run from Thursday to Saturday at the TCC and dovetail with Canada West volleyball action.

TRU will play host to Saskatchewan, with the women to get underway at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and the men to follow both nights.

Caleb Gremaud of Westsyde secondary, a standout for the Blue Wave basketball team.

The Sa-Hali Sabres qualified for the senior boys’ provincial volleyball championship last year, but flooding and chaos across the province kept them from attending the big dance. This year, they’re going.

City of Kamloops

Let the Games begin?

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc is hold ing a press conference on Friday, Nov. 25, one expected to be related to its bid for the 2027 North American Indigenous Games.

The press conference is set to be held at 11 a.m. in Moccasin Square Gardens at Highway 5

and Shuswap Road. The North American Indigenous Games is the largest multi sport and

cultural event hosted in Canada and the United States and specifically targets Indigenous popula tions.

Historically, the North American Indigenous Games has brought together more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from more than 756 Indigenous nations.

Kamloops Vibe lead league

Marjorie Boisvert and Rochelle Smith notched two goals apiece on the weekend for the Kamloops Vibe, who remain atop South Coast Women’s Hockey League standings after a pair of games against the visiting Richmond Devils at Memorial Arena.

Kamloops (8-1-2) earned a 6-2 victory over Richmond (3-4-2) on Saturday, with Ashley Fisher making 21 saves to pick up the victory between the pipes.

The Devils and Vibe played to a 3-3 tie on Sunday. Fisher turned aside 18 shots.

Recording points on the weekend for

Kamloops were Rochelle Smith (2G, 2A), Boisvert (2G, 2A), Jaedon Cooke (1G, 3A), Kathleen Cahoon (1G, 1A), Melinda Smith (1G), Allison Aie (1G), Katy Thorne (2A), Sarah Botter (1A) and Ts’setkwu Dunstan (1A).

The Vibe are slated to play three games this weekend on the Lower Mainland — against South Fraser (6-1-2) on Friday, Richmond on Saturday and Fraser Valley (3-2-1) on Sunday.

Rochelle Smith leads the team in scor ing, with 12 points, including four goals, in 10 games.

R OA D C LO S U R E A N D R E M O VA L O F

D E D I C AT I O N B Y L AW N O. 18 - 410

( A D J AC E N T T O 852 A N D 876 V I C T O R I A S T R E E T )

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on December 6, 2022, K amloops City Council will consider adopting Bylaw No 18-410, a bylaw to authorize the closure of road and removal of dedication as a highway shown as being a par t of road dedicated on Plan 193 all in DL 234, KDYD, as shown outlined in black bold on the following plan:

Dawson Thomas notched his first career Kootenay International Junior Hockey League goal and his Kamloops Storm throttled the Kelowna Chiefs 6-1 on Saturday at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.

Peyton Kelly (2), Cole Senum, Samuel Lewis and Harrison Ewert also scored for the Storm, whose goaltender, Cody Creasy, stopped 13 shots to pick up the victory

between the pipes.

Ezekiel Kirkness scored for Kelowna in support of goaltender Brendan Smith, who made 33 saves in a los ing effort.

Kamloops (10-8-0-2) is 7-2-0-1 in its last 10 games and sits third in Doug Birks Division standings, one point behind the Sicamous Eagles (11-8-1-0) and 11 points in arrears of the firstplace Revelstoke Grizzlies (14-1-2-3).

The Summerland Steam will play host to the Storm on Friday, Nov. 25. Kamloops will play host to Sicamous on Saturday, Nov. 26, a 7 p.m. start on Mac Isle.

The bylaw, along with the sur vey plan, is available for viewing on the City ’s website at this link: https://kamloops civicweb net/document/154200/BL 18 410 352222 FINAL pdf

Inquiries may also be direc ted to realestate@k amloops.ca or by calling 250-828-3548

All persons who wish to register an opinion on the proposed closure may do so by :

• appearing before City Council on December 6, 2022, at 1:30 pm, at City Hall (7 Vic toria Street West); or

• written submission: emailed to legislate@kamloops.ca mailed or hand- delivered to Legislative Ser vices, 7 Vic toria Street West, K amloops, BC, V2C 1A2

Please note that written submissions must be received by the Legislative Ser vices Division no later than Friday, December 2, 2022, at 12:00 pm. Written submissions, including your name and address, are included in the Council Agenda, and will be posted on the City ’s website as par t of the permanent public record. Please note that the City considers the author ’s address relevant to Council’s consideration of this matter and will disclose this personal information in accordance with Sec tions 26 and 33.1 of the Freedom of Information and Protec tion of Privac y Ac t (BC ).

Kamloops.ca

The traditional emblems of the Kamloops people: The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc flag and coat of arms

Recently a flag was raised on the median in front of city hall to cel ebrate the relationship between Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops.

People are curious about what the Secwépemc flag means, so this article endeav ours to explain the symbols.

Known as the “Flag of the People,” the symbolism has several meanings. The domi nant white and red are the historic colours of the Tk’emlupsemc (the Kamloops people).

The red and black arms of the cross represent the red path of the spirit and the black path of the people. Superimposed on these paths are blue wavy lines of the riv ers. The intersection of the cross represents the heartland and traditional community of Tk’emlupsemc for hundreds of generations, depicted by the winter lodge, or c7istkten. It is surrounded by a gold disc, the life force of the sun.

In the white quadrants are the fawn and salmon in red, representing the traditional foods of the people. At the ends of the red and black arms of the cross are rectangles in the four colours of the cardinal points — north (red), west (black), south (white) and east (yellow).

A Coat of Arms was originally produced

and, besides the shield of the flag, includes other symbols — the Eagle, Rock, Coyote and Fox. The Eagle is coloured red like the people, the wings are blue representing the sky. The flowers on the Eagle’s wings are the wild roses of the Kamloops area.

The Rock on which the Eagle is perched symbolizes the mountains, especially mounts Paul and Peter, that protect the valley.

The gold and brown Sash under the Rock are also from nature. The gold represents the bunchgrass, the brown represents the copper — the most important ore used by the Secwépemc.

The red and white Sash represent the colours of the Tk’emlupsemc. The white Coyote wearing a collar of pine branches is the teacher, peacemaker, transformer and cul ture hero of the people.

The red Fox, wearing a collar of copper beads that symbolize the mineral wealth of the area, with eagle feathers, is the speaker and represents the political body authorized to talk on behalf of the people. The Coyote and Fox stand on the green grass of Mother Earth, which reminds the people of their obligation as stewards.

The motto (missing on the Sash in this

image) is Wel Me7 Yews Re Stk’emlupsemc, “The People Endure and Flourish.”

Both the flag and coat of arms were offi cially adopted and approved in 1996 by Robert Watt, chief herald of Canada, who consulted with former Tk’emlúps chief Manny Jules and the late cultural expert John Jules, who came up with the concept and explanation of the symbols.

Thanks to Clinton Gray of Tk’emlúps communications for the image of the flag. Ken Favrholdt is archivist of the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.

KEN FAVRHOLDT SPECIAL TO KTW

7, 2022 Bids to purchase the boat may be made in person at Robin’s Marine & Snowmobile Service located at #2 468 Okanagan Way in Kamloops.

TAKE NOTICE That a 2005 Bridgeview Marine built 22’ commercial fishing boat centre console style with a 4 stroke115 hp Merc and 4 stroke 10 hp aux engine will be sold in pursuant to the Repairers Lien Act, RSBC 1996 c 404, to pay a debt for boat repairs owed by Lorn Magnussen in relation to the above described boat in the amount of $15,000 The boat will be sold to the highest bidder as of Dec

order was made for service on you of a notice of family claim issued from the Kamloops Registry of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in family law case number 59923 by way of this advertisement In the family law case, the Claimant claims the following relief against you: divorce

You must file a Response to Family Claim within 30 days after the date of the publication of this notice, failing which further proceedings may be taken against you without notice to you

You may obtain a copy of the Notice of Family Claim and the order for service by advertisement from the Kamloops Court Registry, located at 455 Columbia Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 6K4.

Catherine Maria Vandersman a k.a Catherine Maria Jackson a k.a Catherine Maria Miller

Name of party

Address for Service:

c/o #300 180 Seymour Street Kamloops, BC V2C 2E3 Fax: (250) 374 1144 Email: service@morellichertkow com

L and Act: Notice of Application for a Disposition of Crown L and

Take notice that SEASON MARINE INVESTMENT CORPORATION (C/O LIT TLE

RIVER BOAT WORLD), from Sorrento, BC has applied to the British Columbia Ministr y of Forests (FOR), Kamloops, for a foreshore lease renewal and marina upgrade situated on Provincial Crown land located at Little River Boatworld, 403 Little River Road, Sorrento, BC.

FOR invites comments on this application. The Lands File is 0324771. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to the Senior Land Officer, Kamloops, FOR, at 441 Columbia Street, Kamloops, V2C 2T3 Comments will be received by FOR up to Januar y 9, 2023.

FOR may not be able to consider comments received after this date Please visit the Applications, Comments and Reasons for Decision Database website at http://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ for more information. Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

CANIM L AKE BAND/ELIZA ARCHIE MEMORIAL SCHOOL

G R A D E 6 7 T E AC H E R

LOCATION: Eliza Archie Memorial School

APPOINTMENT: 1.0 FTE School Calendar Year Januar y June 2023 On Year Term Contract

RATE OF PAY: Based on Canim Lake Band Teacher Salar y Grid

Eliza Archie Memorial School, located in beautiful Canim Lake area, is seek ing a Grade Grade 6-7 teacher for the 2022-2023 school year Our educators work as par t of a collaborative, energetic teaching team focused on creating success for all our students Our staff follows the BC Curriculum with additional programs such as Readwell, Reading Master y, Six Minute Solution, Jump Math suppor ted by the First Nations Schools Association.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION INCLUDE:

• Bachelor of Education

• A member and in Good Standing with the BC College of Teachers

• Training and experience teaching Intermediate level

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Proven ability to successfully work and interact with children, youth, parents/guardians, staff and visitors in a professional manner

• Good organization, time management and prioritization sk ills

• Strong morals and ethics, sound judgement and reasoning sk ills, along with commitment to discretion and privac y

• Strong verbal and written communication, and excellent interpersonal sk ills

• Physically able to per form all assigned tasks

• Criminal Record Check clearance

COMPETENCIES:

• Must be adaptable, flexible and be willing to work closely in a collaborative teaching environment

• Preference will be given to those candidates who have experience in First Nations Schools Please submit cover letter with resume, references to: Michelle Archie, Education Administrator

Canim Lake Band Box 1030 , 100 Mile House, B.C., V0K 2E0

EMAIL: michelle.archie@canimlakeband com

250-397-2225

NUMBER: 250-397-2334

work followed by 13 days of ime off Employees will be provided w th camp and/or company supplied accommodation during their scheduled days of work A travel allowance is provided.

Ser vice Technic ans are responsible or produc t installation, field suppor t and maintenance, equipment repair customer proper t y management and equipment rentals

In order to meet cus omer s te access safet y requirements applicants must par ticipate in an alcohol and drug test be ore being considered eligible for hire Stream Flo ndustries Ltd. is a privately owned and operated Canadian manufac turer of wellhead produc tion gate valve and check valve equipment

This is a part-time, 1 night per week contract delivering newspapers to carriers, businesses and apartments. Applicants must have a suitable vehicle (van or covered pickup) with all necessary insurance and a valid BC driver’s licence Pay is based on a combination of hours worked, papers delivered and kilometres driven but each route usually averages out to between $79 per delivery for about 3.5 hours worth of work per regular delivery, with extra pay during busy holiday periods!

Kamloops This Week 1365 Dalhousie Drive Kamloops BC V2C 5P6 or call us at 250-374-0462

P A P E R R O U T E S A V A I L A B L E

DOWNTOWN

Rte 306 261 6th Ave 614 911

Seymour St 600 696 St Pau St 753 761 V ctoria St 26 p Rte 308 355 9th Ave 703 977 St Paul St 35 p Rte 310 651 695 2nd Ave, 660 690 3rd Ave 110 292

Columbia St(Even Side) 106 321 Nico a St 43 p Rte 311 423 676 1st Ave 400 533 2nd Ave, 107 237 Battle St 135 173 St Paul St 27 p Rte 313 430 566 4th Ave 520 577 5th Ave 435 559 Batt e St 506 Columbia St 406 576 N co a St 418 478 St Paul St 34 p Rte 317 535 649 7th Ave 702 794 Co umb a St Even S de) 702 799 Nicola St 40 p Rte 318 463 6th Ave 446 490 7th Ave 409 585 8th Ave 604 794 Battle St 17 p Rte 319 545 6th Ave 604 690 Co umb a St Even Side) 604 692 Nico a St 12 p Rte 322 694 11th Ave 575 694 13th Ave 1003 1091 Battle St 1004 1286 Columb a St(Even Side 1004 1314 Nicola St 56 p Rte 323 755 783 6th Ave 763 884 7th Ave 744 764 8th Ave 603 783 Co umb a St Odd S de) 605 793 Dominion St 52 p Rte 324 606 795 Pine St 33 p Rte 325 764 825 9th Ave 805 979 Co umb a St Odd Side) 804 987 Dominion St, 805 986 P ne St 64 p Rte 326 850 11th Ave 1003 1083 Columb a St(Odd S de) 1003 1195 Domin on St 33 p Rte 327 1103 1459 Columbia St(Odd S de) 1203 1296 Dom n on St 38 p Rte 328 935 13th Ave

C over eaf Cres Dom n on Cres Park Cres P ne Cres 62 p Rte 329 880 1101 6th Ave 925 1045 7th Ave 878 1020 8th Ave 605 795 Pleasant St 39 p Rte 330 1062 1125 7th Ave 1066 1140 8th Ave, 601 783 Douglas St 37 p Rte 331 984 987 9th Ave 1125 10th Ave 901 981 Doug as St 902 999 Munro St 33 p Rte 335 1175 1460 6th Ave, 1165 1185 7th Ave Cowan St 550 792 Munro St 56 p Rte 339 1265 1401 9th Ave 916 1095 Fraser St 26 p Rte 340 McMurdo Dr 23 p Rte 370 Nicola Wagon Rd, 35 377 W Seynour St 36 p Rte 371 Connaught Rd 451 475 Lee Rd, W St Pau St 73 p Rte 380 Arbutus St Chaparral P , Powers Rd, Sequo a P 69 p Rte 381 20 128 Centre Ave Hem ock St,

Pembroke Ave 84 p

Rte 108 1010 11th St 831 1017 12th St 821 1161 Selkirk Ave 68 p

Rte 137 106 229 231 330 C apperton Rd, 203 266,268 285 Le gh Rd 172 180 W lson St 23 p Rte 170 A view Cres 1680 1770 Westsyde Rd 50 p

Rte 173 1655 Batchelor Dr Le ghton Pl 1708 1729 North River Dr Pennask Terr 36 p Rte 175 Norfolk Crt, Norv ew Pl 821 991 Norview Rd 36 p Rte 180 807 1104 Qua l Dr

Quai s Roost Crt & Dr 79 p Rte 185 Bearcroft Crt 1003 1099 Norv ew Rd 44 p

WESTSYDE/WESTMOUNT

Rte 207 820 895 Anderson Terr 1920 1990 Westsyde Rd (Even Side) 24 p Rte 221 3013 3072 Bank Rd Bermer Pl 710 790 Bissette Rd 3007 3045 Westsyde Rd (Odd S de) 60 p Rte 234 Orcrest Dr Sage Dr 35 p Rte 247 Elder Rd Grant Rd 3020 3082 Westsyde Rd (Even Side) 53 p Rte 249 3085 3132 Bank Rd 600 655 B ssette Rd Cooper Pl Hayward Pl Norbury Rd 57 p Rte 253 Irv ng Pl 2401 2477 Parkv ew Dr, Rhonmore Cres 2380+2416 Westsyde Rd 45 p Rte 255 2478 2681 Parkv ew Dr 28 p Rte 261 2214 2297 Grasslands Blvd Woodrush Crt & Dr 57 p

BROCKLEHURST

Rte 1 Argyle Ave, Ayr Pl 1063 1199 Crestl ne St 1008 1080 Moray St Perth P 93 p Rte 2 2605 2795

Joyce Ave 52 p

Rte 4 727 795 Crest ine St 2412 2680 Tranqu lle Rd 40 p Rte 6 2450 2599 Br arwood Ave 2592 Crestl ne St 2431 2585 Edgemount Ave Paulsen Pl, 2406 2598 Rosewood Ave, 1101 1199 Schreiner St 79 p Rte 24 Dale P Lisa Pl 806 999 Windbreak St 50 p

Rte 30 1810 1897 F eetwood Ave, 995 1085 Southi St 30 p

Rte 31 Desmond Pl 1008 1028

Desmond St Inglewood Dr Newton St Oxford St 54 p

Rte 41 Alexis Ave 520 796

S ngh St, S ater Ave 59 p

Rte 42 1718 1755 Brunner Ave De nor Cres 608 790 Holt St 46 p Rte 49 Centenn al Dr 1005 1080 Holt St 1661 1699 Parkcrest Ave 31 p Rte 61 Popp St Stratford Pl 1371 1413 Tranqu le Rd Waterloo Pl, Woodstock Pl 38 p Rte 64 Va halla Dr 93 p

RAYLEIGH

Rte 833 Cameron Rd Dav e Rd 44 p Rte 836 136 199 Cahi ty Cres Hyas P 4551 4648

Spurraway Rd 35 p Rte 838 4556 4797 Cammeray Dr, Strawberry Lane 62

In Loving Memory of Brennan Beltrano

October 27, 1999

November 28, 2021

Love always, Mom & Dad

Each Loss

Each loss is very different, The pain is so severe. Will I ever stop missing This one I loved so dear?

Good times we had together, The moments that we shared We didn’t have to tell each other How much we really cared.

I never dreamed you’d go away, Never thought of sorrow. So sure you’d always be here Took for granted each tomorrow.

Now my life is all confused Since you went away.

You took a part of me And for help I daily pray.

But when God sent you to me

He never said that you were mine, That I could keep you always –Only borrowed for a time.

Now, He’s called you home, I’m sad and I shed tears. Yet I’m glad He loaned you to me And we had these many years.

Gary Runnalls

On Saturday, November 5, 2022, incredible Husband, Father and Gramps, Gary Runnalls passed away in Kamloops, BC at the age of 74.

Gary was a member of the RCMP for over 30 years, loved fishing, laughing and spending time with his family Gary was a huge sports fan and passed along his passion and knowledge of sports to his kids. Yet none of them are big Edmonton Oiler fans. Gary enjoyed letting his kids’ friends out of speeding tickets, telling bad jokes, cheating at card games and not letting anyone pass him by without a chat. He will be so missed by all that knew him.

Born to Ethel and Roy Runnalls, Gary is survived by his wife of 52 years, Irene Runnalls and their four children: Leah Nelson (Brian, Darrin, Brittany), Conni Damini (Danika, Brayden, Kiel, Cadence, Turner), Richard Runnalls (Michelle, Tyler, Hailey, Jacob, Drew) and Terri Runnalls (Adalyn, Easton).

A celebration of life will occur at a later date.

Condolences may be expressed at www.schoeningfuneralservice.com

Sharon Anne Cotter 1937 - 2022

We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beautiful mother/grandma on Sunday, November 13, 2022. Sharon was born to Frank and Ilene Wright in New Westminster on August 12, 1937.

Sharon had a lengthy career in Elementary Education and inspired many young minds. Sharon was lucky enough to have travelled the world two times over First as a stewardess for Air Canada in the 1960’s and then again when she retired from teaching. Sharon never missed an opportunity to celebrate an occasion or milestone with her family Holidays with “Grammie” were always well planned, and fun filled. We look forward to carrying on many of her traditions in the years to come.

Sharon is survived by her daughters, Suzanne (Brad) Tiessen, Jennifer (Taylor) Parsons and grandchildren Alexis, Halle, Olivia, and Bennett.

Special thanks to the staff of 7N at RIH for making moms last days comfortable and her special friend and neighbor Terri Baber for taking care of us.

There will be no formal service but a Family Gathering will be held in the spring.

If friends desire, a donation to the BC Lung Association in Sharons’ memory would be appreciated.

Condolences may be sent to the family from www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com 250-554-2577

Frederick Lee McKnight

Frederick Lee McKnight has passed away October18, 2022 after a battle with cancer while at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops BC. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Flo Falardeau; his brothers and sisters in Halifax, NS: Marita Anstey (Wayne), Barry McKnight, (Florence), Suzanne Forgeron (Tom), Barbara Barber (Ken). He is predeceased by his father Nelson McKnight and his mother Dorine McKnight.

Fred was a Steelworker for 35 years in New Westminster, BC. He was a movie buff, loved reading books on woodworking, cooking and photography At the age of 73, he started motorcycle riding, and owned his own computer business in New Westminster He excelled at everything he learned. He was a generous and kind man who lived by the Golden Rule.

He will be missed very much.

Condolences may be made to www.schoeningfuneralservice.com

Beverley Anne Muir

Beverley Anne Muir (née Wenaus) passed away peacefully November 11, 2022.

She was born on December 13, 1948 in Burnaby, British Columbia.

She worked as a nurse, owned her own preschool and daycare and taught as a School Support Worker until her retirement. Beverley was always there for her family, friends and the many children that she taught and cared for

Beverley is survived by her husband Bill Muir, daughter Melissa and granddaughter Cecileigh, son Michael, daughterin-law Kirstin and grandsons Larry and Liam. All of whom loved her dearly, as did Beverley loved them back. She is also survived by her sister Leslie Wenaus and her brother Ronald Wenaus, sister-in-law Cindy, sister-in-law Janet, nieces and nephews, extended family and many friends.

Beverley’s family would like to thank the staff, nurses and doctors at the Royal Inland Hospital.

To honour Beverleys' wishes there will be no funeral service.

Pennies From Heaven

by Charles L. Mashburn

I found a penny today, Just laying on the ground But it’s not just a penny, This little coin I’ve found.

“Found” pennies come from heaven, That’s what my Grandpa told me He said angels toss them down; Oh, how I loved that story. He said when an angel misses you, They toss a penny down Sometimes just to cheer you up, Make a smile out of your frown So don’t pass by that penny, When you’re feeling blue It may be a penny from heaven

That an angel tossed to you.

A year ago you left this world. Lives shattered; dreams lost. We struggle to carry on, but the hardest part is learning to live without you

In life you touched many lives; in death you changed many lives.

Victoria Ella Renee Brettell

January 29, 2003 - November 15, 2022

It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of our daughter Victoria Ella-Renee Brettell at the age of 19. Victoria is survived by her loving parents Robert and Gail Brettell (née Povoas) and numerous Aunts, Uncles and Cousins that love her dearly

Victoria attended David Thompson Elementary, and Westsyde Senior Secondary School while living in Kamloops (moving from Vancouver in 2007), after graduation she set her goals on a degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University

Victoria loved life and all the experiences it had in store for her She had a passion for learning, maintaining honour roll status throughout her high school years. Her various pursuits of dance, skiing, soccer, volleyball, 4-H, work and travel garnered her numerous friendships that will far exceed her time on this earth.

While Victoria was at SFU she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer (Alveolar Rhabdomyo Sarcoma). Her fight was arduous but brief. She fought her illness with the same fortitude and determination that she poured into all her interests, ultimately ending the battle on her terms.

A Celebration of Victoria's Life will be held at 1:00 pm on November 26th, 2022 at Harper Mountain Ski Resort.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada (www.sarcomacancer.ca) or The Terry Fox Research Institute (www.tfri.ca).

Condolences may be expressed to the family from www.myalternatives.ca

Joyce Mary Louise Neis

August 24, 1938 - November 11, 2022

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our beloved mom, aunty, grandma, and great grandma, Joyce Mary Louise Neis. Joyce is survived by her seven children; Shirley (Robert), Leo, Edward, Bertha (Roger), Agnes, Angeline (Philip), and April. Joyce is also survived by her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved her dearly

She was a faithful member of the Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Parish with her beloved husband Clarence Neis. Both Clarence and Joyce were greatly fond of Father Peter and the OLPH family Joyce was a donor too many different charities around Kamloops and her giving heart knew no bounds. Joyce was a beautiful person inside and out. Not only was her home always a safe welcoming space for friends and family, but Joyce herself was always willing to lend a helping hand or ear to anyone who needed love and support. She will be remembered for her never ending kindness, delicious home-cooked meals, and beautifully unique heartwarming love that only Joyce could offer

Prayers will be recited at 7:00 PM, Friday, November 25, 2022 at OLPH Church, 635 Tranquille Rd. The Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 26, 2022 at OLPH church. Celebrant, Reverend Father Peter Nguyen. A further celebration of life will be held in August of 2023 with details to follow

Condolences may be sent to the family from www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com 250-554-2577

Leslie Brown

It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Leslie Wayne Brown on October 28, 2022, at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Leslie was born March 6, 1945, in Eastbourne, England. Left to cherish his memory are sons Theodore (Bridget), Frederick (Ashley), granddaughter Lydia Brown and their mom Freda Brown. Also, sister Linda (John) Groves, brother Alan, sister-inlaw Marilyn Perry, brother-in law Alan Harper and numerous special nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place. There will be no formal service as per his wishes.

Very special thanks to everyone who cared for our Dad at Royal Inland Hospital.

Condolences may be expressed at: www.schoeningfuneralservice.com

Mary Houghton nee (Driedger)

November 14, 1929 November 11, 2022

Muriel Morgan

1921 - 2022

Muriel Morgan passed away quietly in her sleep early November 6, 2022.

She grew up in North Vancouver worked in Burrard shipyard, Departments of Veterans Affairs Vancouver and Kamloops, Indian affairs Merritt, married Philip Morgan (predeceased) and enjoyed ranching at Shulus. Later moving to Rayleigh, Vancouver and Heffley Lake She enjoyed ranching, hiking, cross country skiing, and gardening around her home.

Muriel is survived by her son John (Ann McKinnon) and her nephew Morley

Our thanks go out to the staff of the former Berwick Brio and Sienna Ridgeview care facilities who together took care of her for 7 years. Donations to the Thompson Rivers University Foundation or Nicola Valley Institute of Technolgy foundation in lieu of flowers.

Condolences may be expressed at SchoeningFuneralService.com

Phil (Rudolf Jacob) Knippelberg

It is with great sadness, that we announce the passing of our father, brother, son and papa, Phil Knippelberg (Rudolf Jacob), on October 26, 2022.

Phil was predeceased by his wife Brenda, parents Elsie and Fred, brother Paul and grandaughter Jordyn Closson. Phil leaves behind his son Shawn (Tanya), daughters Tanya Stupnikoff and Tara (Kevin) Folstrom, his two sisters Teresa Webber and Karen (Bill) Klarich , and 4 amazing grandsons - Brandon, Connor, Logan and River He also leaves behind a greater extended family (Becker ’s and Lepine’s).

Phil spent the majority of his life in Kamloops and in the taxi business. In the 1990's Phil founded and operated Classic Cab Company, with the cool old cars, which was always one of his greatest passions.

Once he retired, he and Brenda spent all of their spare time catching all the fish in Paul Lake and Pinantan Lake. Once Brenda passed away - the fishing stopped. We love to think that he is with her again, catching all the fish, wherever they are.

Service to be announced.

Fond memories linger every day, Remembrance keeps them near

On the afternoon of November 11th, Mary passed away, leaving her husband Frederich (ve7ffk), two sons, four grandsons and two greatgrandchildren. Mary will be cremated and kept until Fred's demise at which time both will be buried at Whispering Pines in Logan Lake.

There will not be a Funeral Service.

Q. I told you Murray wanted to be cremated? Is it done yet?

A. A lot of people think it’s as simple as that. It isn’t. There are a number of legal documents to sign before we’re allowed to proceed. That plus the minimum 48 hour law in BC.

May the Sunshine of Comfort Dispel the Clouds of despair

Robert "Bob" Edward Taylor

July 31, 1924 - November 14, 2022

We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Robert (Bob) Edward Taylor of Kamloops, who passed away peacefully on November 14, 2022, at 98 years of age.

Born in Sedgewick, Alberta, Bob came to British Columbia in early 1935 with his grandparents in a covered wagon in his pre-teens, settling first in the Slocan Valley, Chase Creek, and then Malakwa, BC. He enlisted in the Air Force, was stationed in Dartmouth where he met Nina. They married on the family farm on PEI. After WWII ended, dad had money from his soldier ’s settlement fund, and bought a small farm with Nina in Malawka, across the road from his grandparents. Mom worked on the farm and dad worked at logging and driving trucks and a gravel crusher Dad had many talents and later worked for Canford Lumber as a log scaler and with the job brought a move. His daughter, Shirley, was born in Salmon Arm, BC in February 1947. Sandra followed shortly after and was born in Kamloops, BC in November 1948. Janice was born in Kamloops, BC in April 1950. Kamloops was our home for twenty years. Dad and two partners briefly owned a small sawmill. Dad worked for H&K Lumber until the summer of 1956. From there, he worked selling sawmill and logging equipment for different companies, travelling throughout the interior of B.C. In August of 1969, dad went to work for Weyerhaeuser Canada in Vavenby, BC. During this time dad also designed a sawmill and built one of the first log splitters.

Dad and mom moved to Clearwater and bought a house. While in Clearwater, Dad was very active in the curling club and with the community He “retired” in October of 1984. Soon following that, dad became a parks maintenance contractor at Mahood Lake and Bridge Lake. In 1986, Bob and Nina moved back to Kamloops where dad continued to be very active in curling and slo-pitch well into his mid 80’s. In July of 2006, our beloved Nina passed. Dad and Anne reconnected and as a couple, were able to travel and share a good life until Anne passed away in October of 2017. Dad loved Kamloops and happily spent many hours at the cabin he built in 1962 at East Barriere.

“Remember the hydro plane, dad”. Love you and miss you.

There’s a huge hole in our hearts.

Bob is survived by his children Janice “Jan” Damini of Kamloops and Sandra “Sandy” Rayner of Chilliwack, his sister Marguerite Bennett of Hornby Island, seven grandchildren and their spouses, sixteen great-grandchildren, one great-greatgrandson, and numerous nieces and nephews He is predeceased by daughter Shirley Haywood, first wife Nina Taylor, second wife Anne Genier, mother Nellie Whitford, step-father Bill Whitford, and his five siblings.

Viewing will take place at 12:00 pm on Monday, November 28, 2022 in the Rosewood Room at Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive. A Graveside Service will follow at 1:00 pm in Hillside Cemetery, 750 Notre Dame, with Pastor Don Maione officiating. A Celebration of Bob’s Life will take place at 2 :00pm in the Kamloops Curling Club, 700 Victoria Street.

The family would like to offer a specials thanks to Gemstone Care Centre. Flowers gratefully declined. If friends so desire, memorial donations in Bob’s name may be made to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family from www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com 250-554-2577

Heather Charmaine Suttie

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Heather Charmaine Suttie, our beloved mother, nana, sister, and friend, passed away on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at age 69.

Heather began her career in catering and transitioned on to banking. Upon moving to Kamloops, Heather worked with Crown Counsel Victim Services. She later transferred to Probation, from which she retired in 2012. Heather greatly enjoyed travelling, especially with family and close friends. Among her most-loved destinations were Mexico and Hawaii. She was also a passionate crafter

Heather ’s skill at planning weddings, showers, and other events was unmatched. She was a wonderful hostess who excelled at entertaining. A party hosted by Heather was sure to last until the wee hours of the morning, with everyone’s drinks always full and no one leaving hungry

Nothing was more important to Heather than family She thrived when surrounded by her favourite people, particularly at the many reunions held over the years, where she could often be found happily dancing the night away

Heather is survived by her sons Jason and Warren (Robyn), her grandchildren Sophia and Wyatt, her siblings Keith (Ilona), Deborah (Wayne), and Tammy (Gary), as well as their children and families. Heather was predeceased by her husband Richard, and her parents Walter and Isabel.

The family would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the staff at Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home, who provided incredible care and compassion during Heather ’s final weeks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who are able consider donating to hospice in honour of Heather ’s memory

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022, at 10:00am, at Schoening Funeral Service, with a tea to follow

Condolences may be expressed at www.schoeningfuneralservice.com

Pamela Butcher (née Borthwick)

March 10, 1955 - November 15, 2022

It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our wife, mother, sister, and friend. After a courageous battle with cancer, Pam passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family at the age of 67.

Pam is survived by her husband Owen ‘Butch’, daughters Billie (Sid), Bobbi (Cam), step-daughter Jennifer, grandchildren Jaia, Vinay and Sunil, two brothers, three sisters, and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her father Alvin Palmer Borthwick, mother Edith Grayce Fryklund, and her brother Mervin.

Pam and Butch spent most of their married life in Pineview of Prince George where they raised their daughters, met many lifelong friends, and were proudly involved in their community Pam was also very proud of the work she did as a care aide at Parkside Care Home and UHNBC prior to retiring to Cache Creek. Pam lived a very active life, enthusiastically being involved with many hobbies and events, always living life to its fullest. She had an infectious laugh that will be dearly missed.

A very special thank you to Dr Sarah Trudeau, as well as the amazing team at Ashcroft Community Care.

Please join us in remembering Pam as we host a celebration of life at Pineview Community Hall in Prince George on December 3, 2022 at 10:30 am. We welcome you to bring stories to share over coffee, tea and snacks.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society

COMMUNITY

250-374-7467 or email editor@kamloopsthisweek.com

It’s a Wonderful Life becomes play within a play

SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com

Aplay within a play is set to hit the stage at the Sagebrush Theatre beginning Thursday, Nov. 24.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will run until Dec. 10.

At the heart of the play is the beloved Christmas classic, but the adaptation by Joe Landry goes beyond that, telling the story of characters who bring it to life and learn lessons along with the charac ters they're playing.

The play stars National Theatre School of Canada graduate Alex Furber, the multi-talented and WCT favourite Tracey Power, Laine Gillies and Annette Loiselle, who will be making their WCT debuts, and a trio of experienced WCT actors, includ ing Kirk Smith, Christopher Weddell and CBC Radio Kamloops host Doug Herbert.

But one person on stage won't be one of the play's actors. Sound designer Lukas Vanderlip will have a prominent role in the live radio play within a play, using Foley props to live produce some 200 sound cues.

At Vanderlip's disposal will be dozens of Foley props used to create the soundscape of the radio play. The use of props to create specific sound effects was pioneered by and named after American film techni cian James Foley.

Vanderlip has spent weeks experimenting by wandering around his home, through grocery stores and in rehearsal spaces tap ping, scraping and banging on objects to find the right sounds for the play.

"For example, if you're hearing ice cracking, that's a stalk of celery — you kind of crack it and then snap it for the sound of ice cracking, and then we have a bucket of water and

a plunger," Vanderlip told KTW

Other actors will also step in to help Vanderlip along the way, par ticularly when he is performing the play's score on piano.

The live sound role is somewhat of a departure for Vanderlip, who has several sound engineer credits under his name with WCT and came up as an actor under the company's Stage One Theatre School. It's a role he's looking forward to and one from which he's already grown.

"It's just a super cool way to get creative with sounds. Recording has given me a lot of freedom in mess ing with sound in a program, but doing live Foley has really expanded my recording brain," he said.

Director Johnna Wright said it was decided just a few weeks before rehearsal began that Vanderlip be moved to a more prominent posi tion on stage.

"He's a bit of a one-man band at times," Wright said.

The actors on stage will also have their work cut out for them, playing multiple characters, quickly swap ping voices or costumes to make it all work.

"If you're wondering how you keep all those characters straight, we think about that a lot," Wright said. "And we put effort into making sure the audience knows who's who, with distinct voices," she said.

Wright said she is excited to show her directorial take on the

classic story and how our lives mat ter in ways we don't necessarily realize.

"You have to see how the inner clockworks of how the radio play gets made, how they work together to tell that story. It's a really cool extra bonus on the story," Wright said.

Tickets for the show are available at the Kamloops Live box office, online at kamloopslive.ca or by phone at 250-374-5483.

Actors rehearse a scene from It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. From left: Tracey Power as Sally Applewhite, playing Mary Bailey, Alex Furber as Jake Laurents, playing George Bailey, and Lukas Vanderlip and Ross Nichol creating sounds at the Foley table, which will be featured on stage.

DAVE EAGLES/KTW

DAVE EAGLES/KTW

Calling youthful artists and authors of all ages

Kids! Send us your holidaythemed drawings — they can relate to Christmas, Hanukkah (which will be celebrated this year from Dec. 18 to Dec. 26), Kwanzaa (cel ebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) or any other celebration.

Or, they can simply be winter scape creations.

In addition, we are again wel coming readers of all ages to send us Christmas stories, kept to a maximum word count of about 500.

We will publish as many draw ings and stories as we can in our Dec. 21 edition of Kamloops This Week, but we need to receive them by Dec. 15.

Email your artwork and stories to editor@kamloopsthisweek.com.

We look forward to seeing them and know KTW readers look for ward to the annual creative edition of the newspaper.

Comedy festival begins

Match Game game show.

A newly named comedy festival is coming to three Kamloops venues starting on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

The Drew McLean Comedy Festival, named after the late promoter who brought a lot of laughs to Kamloops, will run from Nov. 23 to Nov. 26, spanning three venues and 20 comedians.

Headlining acts include Sean Cullen, Lisa Baker, Patrick Maliha, Ron Vaudry and Dakota Ray Hebert.

Cullen, a three-time Gemini Award winner, wrote and starred in his own CBC series and is a regular on the Comedy Network’s

Others set to take the stage this year at what was formerly known as the Kam Comedy Fest include Ryan Williams, Kyle P. Ferris, Arron Butowski and Bonnie Esson.

Among the festival’s three venues is The Effie, which McLean started in order to bring more comedy and music to the city.

Following McLean’s unex pected death on Nov. 8, 2021, fellow promoters, musicians and comedians took to social media to remember McLean.

“It was always his dream to own his own stage, where he could support new talent and give a chance to anyone who wanted to try something on

stage,” reads a statement post ed to the Effie Arts Collective Facebook page.

The festival kicks off on Wednesday at the Effie, featur ing Tim Nutt and Kamloops’ best pro-am comics.

Headliners will rotate venues with different combi nations of comedians each night, with events taking place at the Effie (422 Tranquille Rd. in North Kamloops), in the Blackwell Room of the Plaza Hotel (downtown at Victoria Street and Fourth Avenue) and at The Blue Grotto (down town at 319 Victoria St.).

For more information and to buy tickets, go online to tinyurl.com/drewscomedy fest.

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

The Drew McLean Comedy Festival used to be known as the Kam Comedy Fest and has been renamed in honour of the late Drew McLean (left), a promoter who helped grow the comedy scene in the city.

MATT BAKER PHOTO

BREANNE MASSEYSTAFF REPORTER breanne@kamloopsthisweek.com

The Repair Café will be hosting a chil dren’s event to repair broken toys for, and with, children and their families.

The event is being presented by the Transition Kamloops Network and the Thompson-Nicola Regional Library.

On Saturday, Nov. 26, families are wel come to bring toys that require repairs to the North Kamloops Library between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a helping hand for its first-ever family-friendly event.

The North Kamloops Library is in the Library Square complex at 693 Tranquille Rd.

“Repairing is becoming, not so much a lost skill, but people feel intimidated by it sometimes, and this is just an opportu nity to show kids [how to take something apart] and play around with a screwdriver to see what’s inside it,” said Carl Gagnier, Repair Café event organizer. “Taking something apart is easy. Putting it back together is the hard part.”

Attendees will be required to register upon entering the program room at the library and will be given an estimate of how long the wait will be to repair their items from home. From there, folks are encouraged to browse through the books at the library while they wait in the queue.

There will be a limited number of work stations, including two electrical and mechanical tables, two sewing tables, one wood-working table and a table for chil dren and their families to take apart some items at this year’s venue.

“The Repair Café isn’t just about fix

ing items,” said Catherine Schmidt, Thompson-Nicola Regional Library System’s adult services co-ordinator.

“It’s about showing you how the fix happens. The library is all about providing new skills and new options for learning, so the Repair Café really fits into that niche, and if parents bring their children to the [event], the kids are going to learn a bit about what goes on underneath the sur face. And, if it can’t be repaired, they can learn how to take it apart and play with the pieces. It’s all about a learning expe rience. in addition to that sustainability piece.”

The purpose of the Repair Café: Children’s Edition is to help locals build resiliency and self-sufficiency, while investing in a future with reduced con sumption and dependence on fossil fuels. The Transition Kamloops Network’s goal is to support a local economy, healthy ecosystems and grassroots communitybuilding.

And, with the holidays fast approach ing, Repair Café organizers remain opti mistic families will be able to repair and re-gift lightly used toys this winter after this first-ever children’s event.

“It’s all about the three R’s — recycle, reuse and reduce,” Gagnier said. “By repairing, we reduce things going into the landfill and it’s an opportunity to teach some new skills and become a little more resilient to use the items that we have, rather than consuming new things.”

Those interested in volunteering to help the Repair Café at upcoming events can send an email to repaircafe@transi tionkamloops.net for more information.

Terry Shupe’s woodwork ing shop will make a cameo at the Repair Café: Children’s Edition this weekend.

With up to 30 handmade wooden cars in tow, the retired provincial judge turned toy maker will be at the North Kamloops Library event as a fixer, offering demonstrations to children and their families with a reward in mind for partici pants.

“I have a variety of mod els to choose from, so the kids who attend get to pick whichever [model] they want to work on,” Shupe said. “Then they’ll attach the wheels and take home their car.”

Shupe will provide each participant with a hand crafted wooden car, a cup of

glue, a damp rag, dowelling and a toothpick during the activity.

He will explain the pro cess of building toy cars and support families with the insertion of the rear wheels. Together, participants will ensure the axle will stay intact on each respective toy car before its departure to a new home.

The free children’s toys at the library will be available to families on a first-come, first -served basis.

“I’ve done woodworking for 20-plus years and, in the past, I donated to Christmas Amalgamated and in the past (before the pandemic), I had this same exercise at Canada Day,” Shupe said.

Shupe has also donated wooden cars to

families in need. both locally and abroad.

This winter, he plans to offer the workshop to immi grant and refugee families being served by Kamloops Immigrant Services.

However, the lessons for families and sustainability of the café strike a differ ent chord for Shupe on a personal level as he values the impact it could have on future generations in the community.

“This concept of the Repair Café is innovative and it sounds exciting because we are, after all ,a throwaway society as opposed to fixing,” Shupe said.

“The notion is innovative and I think it’s really excit ing.”

— Breanne Massey/KTW

Fixer Terry Shupe will be bringing wooden cars in need of repairs to enlist the help of children who might like to learn the art of fixing toys at this weekend’s Repair Café: Children’s Edition.

DAVE EAGLES/KTW FILE

Kamloops Seniors’ Light Tour returns

SeniorsLightTour for information.

The City of Kamloops’ 46th annual Seniors’ Light Tour will take place on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Individuals ages 55 and older are invited to enjoy the free bus tour to see the best lights in the city.

After the tour, both the Kamloops Rube Band and the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron will provide live enter tainment while hot beverages and holiday goodies are served at Sandman Centre.

After the festivities, participants will be returned to their pickup location by bus.

“After a two-year interrup tion due to the pandemic, we are excited to be able to bring the community back together to cel ebrate the joy of the holiday sea son,” said Chelsea Fortin, the city’s Tournament Capital and events co-ordinator.

“What started as a one-off event with two buses and fewer than 60

seniors has grown into a tradition with more than 600 seniors, 25 buses and close to 100 volunteers.”

In partnership with First Transit, a bus will pick up partici pants from more than 20 locations throughout the city.

The event is free, but registra

tion is required. To register, call 250-828-3500 or visit Kamloops. ca/SeniorsLightTour. Registration deadline is Thursday, Dec. 1.

Participants who require han dyDART are encouraged to register for the service after they have registered for the lights tour with

the city. To schedule a handyDART seat for the evening, phone BC Transit at 250-376-7525.

LEND A HAND

Volunteers are needed. Those interested in volunteer ing can visit Kamloops.ca/

A volunteer orientation session will take place at the Tournament Capital Centre on Monday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m.

LIGHT UP THE ROUTE

Is your home or business on the tour route? Residents along the tour route are encouraged to help the night by putting up some lights.

The tour route and bus pickup locations are available at Kamloops.ca/SeniorsLightTour.

OTHER LIGHTS

Kamloops This Week’s Christmas in Kamloops website has a list of events and an interac tive map of Christmas lights on which you can add addresses for readers to enjoy.

Find it all online at christ masinkamloops.ca. To find the Christmas lights map, click on the index icon at the top right and the pulldown menu will lead you to the map section, where the city map will light up more each day.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Claus is on his way to Kamloops

The annual Santa Claus Parade will return to downtown Kamloops this weekend.

The Jolly Old Elf will be woken from his slumber at around 4:10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27, before the parade begins at 4:30 p.m.

The downtown parade route follows Second Avenue from St. Paul Street to Victoria Street and then along Victoria Street, ending at Sixth Avenue.

Participants and parade watch ers alike are encouraged to dress up in their pyjamas, following this year’s pyjama party theme.

The 42nd annual parade is being presented by the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (also known as Downtown Kamloops) and Thompson Rivers University.

“Kamloops loves this event and we want to make sure it’s a cherished time for families and all Kamloopsians,” Downtown Kamloops executive director Howie Reimer said.

“The Pyjama Party theme will add another fun element and the lights at dusk make the event such a spectacle. Thanks so much to TRU. This event couldn’t happen without their generous

community support.”

Thompson Rivers University is once again title sponsor for the event.

“The holiday season is so important to so many people. It’s a chance for all of us to get together with family and friends and with each other as community neigh bours,” said Brian Daly, TRU’s vicepresident of university relations.

“Events like the Santa Parade bring people together in celebra tion. All of us at TRU are excited to be part of this event and we encourage everyone in Kamloops to take part. Truly, there is some thing here for everyone.”

Parade watchers may run into Elmo and Cookie Monster at this weekend’s event, as the celebration tends to attract all sorts of characters.

DOUGLAS/ KTW FILE PHOTO

KAMLOOPS

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW FILE PHOTO

ALLEN

Check out these Christmas craft fairs

DAVE EAGLES STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com

If the Christmas list is long and you’d like to get started early, Kamloops This Week offers an assortment of craft fairs, bake sales and bazaars happening across the city in the coming weeks.

Local artists and vendors have been busy preparing their wares for the many weekend craft fairs throughout the city and neighbouring regions.

2022 CRAFT FAIR LIST:

• Nov. 26: Kay Bingham Christmas Craft Fair, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kay Bingham elementary, 950 Southill St.;

• Nov. 26: Christmas Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sorrento Memorial Hall, 1150 Passchendaele Rd., Sorrento;

• Nov. 26: Kamloops Arts and Crafts Club Xmas Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Heritage House, 100 Lorne St.;

• Nov. 27: BC SPCA Kamloops and District Christmas Craft Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thompson

Rivers University Campus Activity Centre;

• Nov. 27: Mayfair Senior Centre arts, crafts and bake sale, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 755 Mayfair St. Park on adjacent streets;

• Nov. 27: Pinantan Craft Fair and Bake Sale, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 2540 Hines Rd., Pinantan;

• Dec. 2 and Dec. 3: Barriere

Christmas Artisan Market, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., North Thompson Agriplex, 4856 Dunn Lake Rd., Barriere;

• Dec. 3 and Dec. 4: Christmas Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Dunes At Kamloops, 652 Dunes Dr.;

• Dec. 3: Heffley Creek Christmas Craft Fair, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Heffley Creek Hall,

6995 Old Highway 5;

• Dec. 3: Cache Creek Christmas Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cache Creek Community Hall, 1270 Stage Rd., Cache Creek;

• Dec. 3: Christmas Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sahali Mall, 945 Columbia St. W;

• Dec. 3: Barnhartvale

Christmas Craft Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Barnhartvale Hall, 7390 Barnhartvale Rd., cash only;

• Dec. 3: Kamloops United Church Craft Market, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St.;

• Dec. 3: Country Christmas Bazaar and Tea, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., OLPH Parish Hall, 635 Tranquille Rd;

• Dec. 3: Westyde elementary PAC Christmas Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3550 Westsyde Rd.;

• Dec. 10 and Dec. 11: Artisan Holiday Market, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monte Creek Winery, 2420 Miner’s Bluff Rd., Monte Creek;

• Dec. 10 and Dec. 11:

Christmas Craft Fair and Artisan Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun Peaks Centre, 3200 Village Way, Sun Peaks;

• Dec. 10: Christmas Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sahali Mall, 945 Columbia St. W.

If you have a craft fair you would like added to the list, email the details to editor@kamloops thisweek.com.

A TIME FOR TREE TREATS

The Woodward Christmas Tree Farm opened for the season this past Sunday amid a festive atmosphere. Clockwise from far left: A wine barrel Christmas tree greets visitors in the Privato Winery tasting room, located on same property as the Christmas tree farm; the DeHamel family — father Dean, mom Tianta and kids Henley a Hudson — takes the hayride to cut a tree; three generations of the Westran family have a burger by the firepit before cutting a tree; Gareth Mackenzie and family are happy with the tree they chose.

The Woodward Christmas Tree Farm is located at 5505 Westsyde Rd.

For information on operating hours and events, visit the Woodward Christmas Trees page on Facebook.

ALLEN DOUGLAS PHOTOS/KTW

Chamber Musicians of Kamloops’ Windjammer Quintet.

Back row: Janet Watson, Edmund House and Lucy Benwell.

Front row: Karen Gibson and Cuyler Page.

Concert review: CMK has unexpected delights

CAMILLE BAINS THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Chamber Musicians of Kamloops’ Winds of Change concert on Nov. 19 at Kamloops United Church featured a five-person wind ensemble and provided many unexpected delights.

First up, Renaissance music played on early music instruments: two crumhorns, a tambourine and the whole recorder family, including a gigantic bass.

Later in the program, on their more familiar instruments — flute (Janet Watson), oboe (Karen Gibson), clarinet (Lucy

Benwell), horn (Edmund House) and bassoon (Cuyler Page) — was a lovely baroque piece by Jean-Philippe Rameau and Haydn’s superb Divertimento No 1 in Bb

We were then taken through the transition from courtly music to that for the general public — from sea shanties to Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin.

As always in chamber music concerts in Kamloops, there were a host of interest ing stories that informed us about instruments and program items. Especially delightful was Edmund House’s demonstration of the

origin (in the hunt) and suc cessive changes to the horn.

(“Horn” is the true name of the instrument we often call “French horn.”)

Additionally surprising was an item on the program composed by Neil McKay, who was born in Ashcroft.

Next up for the Chamber Musicians of Kamloops is Collage on Dec. 10. Featured performers will be Catharine Dochstader, Cvetozar Vutev, Laure Matiakh and a guest.

Tickets for both in person and online concerts are avail able through CMK’s website at chambermusiciansofkam loops.org/. Prices range from $15 to $25.

Christmas with the KSO nears

The Kamloops Symphony will hold its annual Christmas with the KSO concert at Sagebrush Theatre on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

Three shows will be held over two days, including 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. performances on Dec. 17, a Saturday, and a 2 p.m. event on Dec. 18, a Sunday.

The symphony said the festive show will be lively and joyous, featuring harp soloist Naomi Cloutier and the KSO Chorus led by guest con ductor Antonio Delgado.

Delgado, born in Caracas, Venezuela, is a conductor of the world-renowned National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela and has conducted every major orchestra in that country.

He has also been invited to conduct in Italy, Cuba, Guatemala and Panama and, since 2010, has been the musical director and con ductor of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra.

Delgado will lead the KSO Chorus through Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols for choir and harp, as well as selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Handel’s Messiah

Non-profit societies can apply for up to 20 complimentary tickets for the 2 p.m. concert on Dec. 17. Applications can be submitted online at kamloopssymphony.com.

General admission tickets are $50, with discounts available for seniors and youth, available at the Kamloops Live box office, online at kamloopslive.ca, or by phone at 250-374-5483.

CHAMBER MUSICIANS OF KAMLOOPS PHOTO

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

Kamloops welcomes Nature Bus on Nov. 27

THISWEEK

The Kamloops Naturalist Club is hosting Nature Canada’s Nature Bus, which will be in the city on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Nature Canada is collect ing messages and letters from nature-loving individuals and will be delivering them to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Nature in Montreal in early December.

It is an international meet ing bringing together govern ments from around the world. Participants will set out new goals and develop an action plan for nature over the next decade.

The Kamloops Naturalist Club noted it is an opportunity for the world to agree on a plan and to act together to halt and reverse nature and species loss across the planet.

Letters collected for delivery

to Trudeau will highlight why Canada’s nature and species are worth protecting and why a strong framework is needed to halt and reverse its loss.

The Nature Bus will be in Riverside Park on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Activities at the park will include tents with displays by the Kamloops Naturalist Club and allied groups, facts about local native and endangered species and ecosystems, free face-painting featuring native species of animals and flowers by Cheeky Faces, free hot apple juice courtesy NuLeaf Produce, crafts for kids of all ages and, weather permitting, the Valhalla Smoke House food truck.

The Kamloops Naturalist Club was founded in 1981 and is affili ated with the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists.

For more information, go online to kamloopsnaturalistclub. com.

KAMLOOPS

Daphne Patterson discovers some great books and records during a weekend visit to the semi-annual Barb’s Used Boon and Music Sale, which raises money for the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra. The sale is being held in part of the former Value Village building, downtown at Seymour Street and Fifth Avenue. The sale runs through Saturday, Nov. 26. Hours of operation are noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

DAVE EAGLES/KTW

Mastermind Studios wants to get cooking

BREANNE MASSEY STAFF REPORTER breanne@kamloopsthisweek.com

The northern wing at Mastermind Studios may soon be home to a commercial kitchen set.

The full service video production company, located at 954 Laval Crescent in Southgate, is conducting a fea sibility study to gauge the com munity’s interest in its vision to host cooking shows — and to collect feedback about potential uses for the proposed commercial kitchen when it is not being used for film and photography projects.

“We’re trying to add to Kamloops, not take away or compete or create any prob lems for anybody,” said Peter Cameron-Inglis, Mastermind Studios’ chief executive officer and executive producer.

“We want to work with various organizations, support ing various non-profits and helping supporting various different businesses, not just standard businesses that might be looking for something unique — even businesses in the culinary arts — we want to know if there are ways that we can leverage this [idea] to sup port them.”

Cameron-Inglis is optimis tic that a commercial kitchen set could serve to attract producers from the Lower Mainland to Kamloops, as well as from other provinces.

Conversely, he thinks there could be opportunities for con tent specialists who currently travel long distances to film cooking shows in Vancouver.

“There’s a couple of Indigenous cooking shows that are in the region that are cur rently travelling to Vancouver to film,” Cameron-Inglis said. “Our hope is that they would look at filming here, and work ing with us in order to travel ]to Kamloops] instead of going so far away.”

Additionally, CameronInglis is hopeful producers from Vancouver may be able to travel to Kamloops for filming opportunities when sets are not available for bookings in their home region, ultimately with the hope of boosting the local economy for others.

However, the reality of downtime from filming and photography could prove to be an asset to other businesses in the area.

“Before we invest a whole lot of money into it, we need to understand all of the costs that relate to it and speak with all of

the different regulators, from health inspectors to permits from the city,” he said.

“We want to make sure that we understand the entire nature of what we’re doing and what all those costs related to it are, so that we can see if there’s a return on investment.”

Masterminds Studios’ fea sibility study will result in an internal business case to pro vide insights into the benefits, costs and risks of justifying the proposed commercial kitchen set for new and existing clients alike.

The feedback it receives from roughly 30 of the studio’s existing network of clients and other members of the commu nity will be evaluated before a decision is made.

Cameron-Inglis remains optimistic the appetite for a commercial kitchen could result in a one-stop shop for many individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations before spring.

“We want to add more fla vour to the City of Kamloops,” he said, noting the community has a diverse culinary arts culture.

To offer your input about how you might be able to utilize a commercial kitchen, email peter@mastermindstu dios.ca with your ideas.

Riversong up for awards

Yamaha, Fender, Martin and Gibson.

Riversong Guitars of Kamloops is a finalist in four categories in the 30th annual Musical Merchandise Review’s Dealers’ Choice Awards.

Riversong is a finalist in:

• Product of the Year (Riversong P2P River Pacific);

• Acoustic Guitar of the Year (Riversong P2P River Pacific);

• Ukulele of the Year (Riversong Pacific);

• Electric Guitar of the Year (Riversong T2).

Riversong, owned by Mike Miltimore, is up against global heavyweights in the musical instrument business, including

Musical Merchandise Review was established in 1879 and is the world’s oldest and most-read musical industry magazine.

Unlike awards determined by a panel of experts or an edito rial the recipients of the Musical Merchandise Review’s Dealers’ Choice Awards are chosen by musical industry dealers who determine what gear has been superior — in terms of sales and profits — this year.

Winners are expected to be announced in early December.

For more information about Riversong, go online to riversongguitars.com.

Mastermind Studios’ chief executive officer and executive producer Peter Cameron-Inglis: “We want to add more flavour to the City of Kamloops.”

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

Iceland seems to be on everyone’s bucket list these days,” a friend exclaims when I tell her I will visit there soon.

“I hope it lives up to the hype,” I reply.

My wish list of sights starts with waterfalls, puffins and Icelandic horses. It goes on to include glaciers, black sand beaches and icebergs. Some wildflowers would be nice, too.

We are not even 15 minutes from Reykjavik along the Ring Road, the main highway that goes all around the island, when we spot a crowd of Icelandic horses in a lush seaside field. They have thick glossy coats and toss their long, shaggy manes like supermodels as they walk toward us. These are the first of many we see, but each time we are charmed.

Not long after seeing the horses, another wish is crossed from the list.

Surrounding a red-roofed white church on a hilltop is a field of mauve and blue lupines. Stretching almost as far as we can see is an undulating carpet of blooms wav ing in the wind. At times, we see them lining the road for kilome tres or covering mountainsides or colouring vast expanses purple in an otherwise empty landscape.

Sheep are the other constant roadside companions. They could graze almost anywhere in the countryside but they have a propensity for hugging the edge of the road and wandering onto it.

An oft-seen sign says: “Icelandic lamb, free range since 894” and I guess the sheep take roaming as their right.

Not far from Lake Myvatn, we dodge hissing steam vents as we explore the post-apocalyptic-look ing landscape at Hverir.

I walk too close to a billowing cloud of steam coming out from a vent and my glasses are completely fogged. This barren red plain is studded with steaming fumeroles and gurgling mud pots, all reminders of the volcanic activity going on beneath the surface.

We take a winding road over the

mountains to a remote spit of land in northeast Iceland. Puffins roost in burrows on the grassy hillside and they strut about, flapping their wings and dodging their noisy seagull neighbours. Steady streams of puffins dive into the water and they return with their beaks full of tiny fish to feed their young.

Seeing them within a metre of me is more than I hoped for when I had made my wish list.

Our experience with Arctic terns is less bucolic. Our photos taken from the roadside alarms them and we are dive bombed by dozens of screeching terns. It is like a scene

from Hitchcock’s movie The Birds. We realize nesting sites are nearby and make a hasty retreat.

I am grateful for my waterproof clothing for some of our waterfall viewings. At Seljalandsfoss, I cautiously make my way along a slippery path.

It brings me behind the water curtain and I get thoroughly soaked from the spray. In no way does this diminish the fun of being so close to where the waterfall hits its bottom pool. I get equally wet when I wander up to the face of Skogafoss and peer far up through the mist to its lip.

Dettifoss, while not that high or wide, is considered one of Europe’s most powerful waterfalls in terms of water volume. It is hard to believe such a huge amount of water can gush by. Gullfoss’s flow runs over a broad series of smaller drops before disappearing into a deep, spray-filled gorge.

My favourite is Godafoss, known as the “waterfall of the gods.” Multiple cascades, with the aquamarine colour of glacier water, pour over a wide rocky crescent.

Glacier blue is also evident in the icebergs floating on Jokulsarlon Lagoon or standing on Icy Beach. Icebergs calve from glaciers surrounding the lagoon.

Jostling against each other, they eventually float out to the ocean and the tide washes some up onto the black beach. They stand like kinetic sculptures, slowly melting until they are once again washed out to sea.

After seeing the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and the vast field of moss-covered lava from the late 1700s eruption, I contemplate my list of sights.

Geysers, steam vents, glaciers, icebergs on black beaches and thundering waterfalls — check.

Handsome horses, comical puffins and lupines galore — check.

Such scenic diversity in this tiny country is a marvel and, for me, this land of ice and fire is incredible.

Travel Writers’ Tales is an independent newspaper column syndicate.

For more, go online to travelwriterstales.com.

“

Luscious lupines reach for a monochromatic sky amongst an open countryside outside the city of Reykjavik, Iceland.

KAROLINE CULLEN PHOTO

Photo: Douro River Portugal

WHAT IF JESUS HAD NOT INCARNATED?

NARAYAN MITRA ryanmitra225@gmail.com

This year, Nov. 27 is the first Sunday in Advent and, for the four Sundays following, Christian faithful begin to anticipate and proclaim the four watchwords of the season: peace, joy, grace and love.

Advent celebrations are bound to bring Christian com munities and churches together in a celebration of the eternal message of goodwill.

Christmas will once more be celebrated not just by Christians, but by non-Christians, as well, as a religious and cultural festi val. But the central message of Christmas will remain the same, namely: lncarnation equals God becoming man.

Apostle John wrote in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory.”

However, the concept of incarnation is not unique to Christianity. Hinduism, a faith tradition as old as mankind, believes in incarnation known as Avatar. It means god taking a physical form in the world in a human or animal form.

One of the Hindu scriptures, Gita, declares that whenever there is decline of good and uptick of evil, Lord Krishna incarnates himself in the world to destroy the evil and to reestablish the good in order to save the righteous and to destroy sinners.

The obvious question is: If

the concept of incarnation is not unique to Christianity, what are the differences between the incarnation of Jesus and all other incarnations?

Let me suggest at least two.

Apart from several significant differences, one is that of the purpose behind incarnations.

Lord Krishna, explaining the purpose of his incarnation, is believed to have said: “incarnate myself in every age to save the righteous and to destroy sin ners.”

On the other hand, the Bible gives the purpose of the incarna tion of Jesus in this way: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus himself said: “For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”

And, in another context, Jesus said: “For I have not come to call [save] the righteous, but sinners.”

Behind these two opposite purposes there are two distinct and opposite theological con cepts. Hinduism and other reli gions divide mankind between good and evil. Their thesis seems to be that God helps the good and gives them salvation because they are good.

By being good, mankind has earned their salvation. According to them, God destroys the evil sinner because by being evil that is what they deserve.

It’s interesting that in Hinduism, the “evil” are always “they” and the righteous are always “we.” There is no sense of personal sinfulness or the con cept of inherent sinful nature.

According to Christian theology, no one is good enough

to meet God’s standard and so no one can save himself by just being “good.”

The Bible says: “There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who does good, not even one. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:10,12, 23.

In the Old Testament, prophet Isaiah wrote: “The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene. So his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him.” Isaiah 59:15-16.

Sinful mankind was not able to save itself, so God took it upon Himself to save them and sent His son to save the sinful world.

The Bible describes God as having compassion on sinners. He is not pleased with their destruction. He wants them to turn to Him and be saved. The different and opposite purposes of incarnation bring out two opposite concepts of God.

In one, God is the God who judges and destroys the sinner. In the other, God is the God who saves, provides salvation through His love for the sinner. Of course, the God of the Bible will also judge one day, but He does not delight in it.

Another major difference between the Hindu avatars and the incarnation of Christ is expressed in the plural versus singular use of the word avatar, many versus one, and how often it has to take place.

In the same text quoted from Gita, Krishna told his disciple Arjuna: “Whenever there is decline of good and up rise of

evil, I incarnate myself from age to age,” meaning, as often as needed.

The Hindus’ scriptures list 10 major avatars, but theoretically “whenever” indicates that there is no limit.

It surmises that from time to time, evil raises its head again and again, which makes another avatar necessary with no end in sight. There is a duality of good and evil, both co-existent and eternal and hence, there is no permanent victory of good over evil.

On the other hand, Jesus was able to accomplish his work once, for all and forever. He does not need to incarnate himself repeatedly.

As the author of the book of Hebrews said: “But this priest, after he had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12.

The Bible has a clear answer to the question: “What if Jesus had not incarnated?”There would not be any personal encounter with God, unless at His whim and pleasure — a blackout period, off and on and a period of permanent triumph of evil over good.

The birth of Christ brought the lustre of hope to this dark world. As someone has aptly said: “Sin’s darkness retreats when Christ’s light is revealed.”

Narayan Mitra is a volunteer Chaplain at Thompson Rivers University. KTW welcomes submissions to its Faith page. Columns should be no longer than 700 words in length and include a short bio of the writer. Email  editor@kamloopsthisweek.com.

City of Kamloops

AC T I V I T Y P RO G R A M S

Programs are cancelled if the minimum numbers are not met

History Guest Lecture Free

Join historian Dr Maureen Atkinson to explore her research on the Manson Family Grounded in archival materials from the Kamloops Museum and Archives and her passion for exploring local and regional history, Atkinson will bring to life the fascinating story of one of Kamloops’ early families

Kamloops Museum and Archives

Sat Dec 17 2:00 PM 3:30 PM 10:30 AM 12:30 PM

XploreSportz Pro D Day Camp

Ages 7 12 $40

Register your child for our multisport camp where they will get to try 3 different sports, meet new friends, and have a day filled with fun!

McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre Mon Dec 5 8:30 PM 4:30 PM

D I D YO U K N OW

NEW Pre and Post Natal Programs are Coming in Jan 2023

Pre Natal Yoga Westmount-Gym & TCC

Pre Natal Spin & Stretch TCC

Post Natal Mom and Baby Yoga TCC and Valleyview Hall

If you are a mom to be or mom and babe (under crawling age) don’t miss your chance to join an amazing community of supportive moms to learn powerful health and wellbeing practices that will support a healthy pregnancy and post natal journey Our pre and post natal instructors are highly experienced both mom ’ s themselves and are ready to help you reach your pre and post natal health and wellness goals

WEEKLY HOROSCOPES

ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20

You have an energy to release this week, Aries But you are not sure if the world is ready for you Don’t expect the same reaction from ever yone when you interact

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21

Something in your life that seems ordinar y on the sur face can turn into something that is rather special Taurus Keep your eyes peeled for ever y possibility

GEMINI

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22

Sometimes the less traveled path can take you to some pretty special places, Cancer Don’t be so quick to rule out oppor tunities that are right in front of you

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23

Star t evaluating personal habits that may be holding you back, Leo Upon closer examination, you may discover that there are some things you can easily change for the better

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23

Consider a par tnership that falls into your lap, Libra It may provide you with some new social and business connections There’s a lot of oppor tunity coming down the pike

SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, it is alright to desire some quiet, but too much excitement is surrounding you lately for things to settle down just yet Ride this wave a little longer

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan20

Capricorn, no matter how much work you have on your plate, rest assured that you have all of the resources available to get things done successfully

AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18

The stars are interested in showering you with plenty of love right now, Aquarius This could be one of the most enjoyable weeks you’ve had in quite a while

May 22/Jun 21 VIRGO Aug 24/Sept 22 SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21 PISCES Feb 19/Mar 20

Gemini, all of the fanfare you are about to receive can make it seem like you are the most popular person on the planet Revel in the attention while you have it

Virgo, much to your relief, your hard work could star t paying off ver y soon It has been a long time coming, so enjoy any rewards that come from your effor ts

A week full of possibilities and positivity lies ahead for you, Sagittarius The only question is, “what are you going to do with it?” Bring a friend for the ride

ZITS by Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman

SHOE by Gary Brookins & Susie Macnelly

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne

PARDON MY PLANET by Vic Lee

ARCTIC CIRCLE by Alex Hallatt

LENGTH-ENING

By

Tour de France stage

Envelops

Pound who wrote ‘In a Station of the Metro’’

C sharp equivalent

Slowly move (in)

Sends unwanted texts to maybe

Utterances of agreement

Totally loved

Present at bir th

What s so flippin easy to cook with?

Dinner at which ‘‘Dayenu’’ is sung 88 Fried pastries popular in New Orleans 89 Baby that rarely sleeps at night 91 Kind of high-fat, low- carb diet 92 Unlike π 93 Business magnate who is a Stanford University dropout 94 Actor Omar 95 Electronic toy with a blue pull handle 97 ‘On Juneteenth author Gordon-Reed 100. Some beachwear 101. Show- off 102. Mournful peals 104. Play opener 105. Rhimes with an eponymous production company 106. Pummel 107. Infuse (with) 108. Joy of T V 110. Sole connector? 114. Potato peeler targets 117. Patella neighbor in brief 119. One may get in the way of a collaboration 120. Purge (of ) 121. Abbr in a bir th announcement 122. Site used by NASA, in brief

FUN BY THE NUMBERS

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes The more numbers you name, the

Michael Lieberman