Kamloops This Week July 19, 2023

THEATRE SEASON ANNOUNCED A17

Western Canada Theatre will stage seven productions

Annabree and Natasha Fairweather were first same-sex couple to wed in city

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY FOR THIS COUPLE A29

BIG FIGHT CARD ON WAY TO KAMLOOPS A23

The Mamba Fight League will stage bouts at the TCC on July 28

C I T Y PAG E

July 19, 2023

Stay Connec ted @CityofKamloops Kamloops.ca

CO U N C I L C A L E N DA R

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

July 20, 2023

9:30 am - Community Policing Select Committee

July 25, 2023

1:30 pm - Regular Council Meeting

July 25, 2023

7:00 pm - Public Hearing

August 1, 2023 (Cancelled)

2:00 pm - Community Relations and Reconciliation Committee

August 15, 2023

1:30 pm - Regular Council Meeting

The complete 2023 Council Calendars is available online at:

Kamloops.ca/CouncilPor tal

CO U N

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

N OT I C E TO M OTO R I S T S

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

• For tune Drive

Oak Road to Overlanders Bridge

• 6th Avenue

Columbia Street to Lansdowne Street

• Highland Road

South of the Valleyview Arena to Valleyview Drive

• Tranquille Gateway

Improvements Project

Tranquille Road from south of K amloops BC SPCA to Crestline Street

• Ord Road Watermain Connection Project

Singh Street to 8th Street

To stay up to date on road work projects, visit:

Kamloops.ca/Kammute

E S I D E N T I A L O R G A N I C WA S T E

COMING TO A CURB NEAR YOU…

The Curbside Residential Organic Waste Collection Program is coming soon to all single - and multi-family households in K amloops that receive curbside car t collection. If you have a set of garbage and rec ycling car ts that are collected by City trucks, your household is included

Organics Car t Deliver y Schedule*

July 5 to 13: Zone 3

July 12 to 18: Zone 4

July 17 to 25: Zone 5

July 24 to August 1: Zone 1

July 31 to August 8: Zone 2

*Deliver y will include a new Solid Waste Collection Guide The date ranges are a general schedule for car t deliver y by zone Car ts may be delivered to some proper ties slightly before or after the scheduled date ranges

Week ly organics collection begins the week of August 21 Garbage and rec ycling will shift to alternating biweek ly collection. Do not use the organics car t until about week before organics collection begins

LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/Organics

M U S I C I N T H E PA R K

BCLC and the City of K amloops are pleased to present the 29th edition of Music in the Park These free nightly, family-friendly per formances take place at the Rotar y Bandshell in Riverside Park 7:00–8:30 pm until August 31, weather and air quality permitting.

S P E C I A L E V E N T!

9th Annual Midsummer Music Jam

Wednesday, July 19, 7:00 pm

Presented by BCLC, this special evening features Dreams - The Ultimate Tribute to Fleetwood Mac and Gaslighter - Songs of The Chicks

• Beverage garden opens at 5:00 pm—all proceeds to go towards local spor ts organizations

• Food trucks open at 5:00 pm

• Concer t star ts at 7:00 pm

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations on July 19 in suppor t of the K amloops Food Bank

C A L L F O R P H O T O S !

Residents of all sk ill levels and ages are invited to submit their digital photos for a chance to be featured in the 2024 City Calendar. We encourage submissions that highlight our City's diverse population, urban landmarks, breathtak ing environment, and variety of leisure activities.

Individuals with submissions selected for inclusion in the 2024 City Calendar or selected as a cover for any major publication in 2024 will receive public recognition on our website and social media channels and will be awarded a one -month Full Access Family Pass to the Tournament Capital Centre

Deadline: September 29, 2023, at 4:30 pm

Learn more and submit photos at: Kamloops.ca/Calendar

Repor t an issue: 250-828-3461

For after-hours emergencies, press 1.

The full 2023 Music in the Park enter tainment schedule is available at: Kamloops.ca/MusicInThePark

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Google and Meta (parent company of Facebook) have vowed to block Canadian news links and content from their platforms in response to the federal government’s Online News Act (Bill C-18), which requires the companies to pay Canadian media outlets for posting or linking to their news content.

TODAY’S FLYERS

The law will come into effect at the end of the year, but both Google and Meta have been experimenting with blocking access to Canadian news on their respective sites, as some users in Kamloops and across Canada may have experienced.

This serves as an ideal time to remind

readers of KTW to sign up for our free newsletter, emailed to subscribers every weekday morning.

It includes local news you need to know, links to other great reads and an assortment of interesting facts. Sign up now at kamloopsthisweek.com/account/mailinglist

WEATHER FORECAST

July 19: Sunny 32/17 (hi/low)

July 20: Sunny/showers 35/18 (hi/low)

July 21: Sunny 34/17 (hi/low)

July 22: Sunny 32/16 (hi/low)

July 23: Sun/clouds 33/16 (hi/low)

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New drought measures on the way

have been calling for water conservation,” Ma said.

A drought response plan is being crafted and is expected to be revealed by the City of Kamloops next week.

The North and South Thompson water basins are currently classified as Level 4 drought severity — meaning adverse impacts to socioeconomics and/or ecosystems are likely — on a scale ranging in severity from zero to five.

According to the province, the general response is water conservation with restrictions in place. At Level 5, adverse impacts are considered almost certain and regulatory action likely, with the possibility of emergency responses being put in place.

The city this week is in the middle of developing an action plan in response to drought conditions, with a press conference announcing potential new restrictions and water conservation efforts tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, city utility services manager Greg Wightman told KTW

“Definitely restrictions for anybody using potable water and conservation efforts for anyone using potable water,” Wightman said, noting the majority of golf courses rely on their own

PAGE A12

private irrigation systems and do not use the city’s potable water.

How likely an increase to drought Level 5 is for Kamloops is hard to say, according to Wightman, who said the province would be making that decision.

“At this stage, we’re relying on the province’s drought classification levels until next week,” he said.

What would change in terms of  restrictions between Level 4 and Level 5 is part of the response plan the city is in the middle of drafting, Wightman said.

At Level 5, he said, the city will be increasing tis water conservation efforts, but the province has yet to determine what it will require water purveyors to do.

In a press conference on Tuesday (July 18), Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma lauded Kamloops for its drought-response planning.

“I’m very grateful to the local leaders who

To date this year, the City of Vancouver has levied $71,000 in fines for watering restriction infractions.

Wightman said Kamloops has issued no fines to residents for breaking local watering restrictions.

“We’re in the education phase right now, just encouraging people to comply with the existing sprinkler restrictions,” he said.

In Kamloops, sprinkling or irrigating is prohibited between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. from May 1 to Aug. 31. Outside of those hours, even-numbered addresses can sprinkle or irrigate on evennumbered days and odd-numbered addresses can do likewise on odd-numbered days.

Wightman said he had no information on how many warnings have been issued to residents, but said the city will likely start tracking that data as it enters more severe drought levels.

Asked if the city would be directing community service (bylaws) officers to keep a closer eye on residents to ensure compliance with those regulations, Wightman said that is part of its drought response plan. Details of how those officers will be directed to respond will be announced next week.

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

• Province issues drought update

• Mayor urges water conservation

On June 12, Kamloops Mayor Reid HamerJackson (right) filed a lawsuit against Coun. Katie Neustaeter (left), claiming Neustaeter defamed him when she read out a statement on behalf of all council at a March 17 press conference, claiming he had violated personal and professional boundaries with councillors.

Legal response to mayor’s lawsuit expected this week

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

A Kamloops city councillor said she expects her legal response to a lawsuit levied against her by the mayor last month will be filed in B.C. Supreme Court this week.

On June 12, Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson filed a defamation lawsuit against Coun. Katie Neustaeter.

At the time, Neustaeter told KTW she intended to file a response and was looking forward to defending herself after being served more than a month ago.

The window of time to file a response to a civil suit is 21 days.

On Monday (July 17),

Neustaeter said she will be filing a response, likely this week.

“We definitely are [going to file],” Neustaeter said. “It’s just still in process.”

She explained that her lawyer notified HamerJackson’s lawyer, within the 21-day window, that Neustaeter intended to file a response, enabling an extension on the deadline to file, which they requested.

“With indemnity happening and all those other factors, it just wasn’t enough time. I didn’t even meet my lawyer until a couple of weeks ago,” Neustaeter said.

Hamer-Jackson filed the lawsuit on June 12, claiming Neustaeter defamed him when she read out a statement on behalf of all

council at a March 17 press conference, claiming he had violated personal and professional boundaries with councillors.

Hamer-Jackson also claimed Neustaeter libelled him in emails and discussions that included staff and other councillors.

In those communications, Hamer-Jackson claims Neustaeter accused him of communicating with her father — former Kamloops MLA Kevin Krueger — with nefarious intent to gain political influence over her.

On June 20, council voted to approve indemnification from the municipality for the legal action started against Neustaeter. The indemnification will cover her legal costs.

DAVE EAGLES/KTW

LOCAL NEWS

Boy’s death linked to wildfire smoke?

The BC Coroners Service is investigating the July 11 death of nine-year-old Carter Vigh of 100 Mile House, a death believed to be linked to the impact of wildfire smoke on the boy’s asthma.

“The sudden and unexpected death of this young boy is a heartbreaking loss for his family and community,” the BC Coroners Service said in a release.

“As the province experiences greater impacts from the effects of climate change, British Columbians are learning more about the risks associated with wildfire smoke, extreme heat and other environmental factors. This greater awareness can help us respond when risks are identified.”

The BC Coroners Service noted the deaths of more than 600 people during the heat dome in late June 2021 led to greater public awareness of the potentially fatal impacts of extreme heat.

“Our communities are now becoming more aware of the risks presented by wildfire smoke and the measures that can be taken to reduce those risks,” the agency said.

An online fundraising campaign to help the family has been created at gofundme.com. It can be found by searching the site for “In loving memory of Carter Vigh.”

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share our precious Carter Anthony Vigh has passed away,” family member Anamaria Vigh stated on the fundraising page.

“Our family will never be

the same. We ask that everyone continue to keep James, Amber, Cadence and Daxton in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the grieving process. If you have the means to donate to help relieve even an ounce of stress for James and Amber, they will forever be so grateful.”

A celebration of Carter’s life will be held at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre, at 2-175B Wrangler Way in 100 Mile House, on Saturday July 22, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with a procession showcasing his favourite cars, trucks and motorcycles beginning at 12:30 p.m.

The Vigh family requests that people attending the ceremony wear their favourite sports jersey in honour of Carter and his love of sports.

As of Tuesday, July 18, there were 393 fires burning in the province, according to BC Wildfire Service statistics, 32 of which are in the Cariboo Fire Centre (which includes 100 Mile House) and 44 of which are in the Kamloops Fire Centre.

The province issues air-quality advisories and smoky-skies bulletins whenever an area of B.C. has been or is reasonably expected to be impacted by wildfire smoke.

British Columbians can sign up to be automatically notified of air-quality warnings via an airquality subscription service.

Smoke from wildfires is especially dangerous for people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, older people and infants and young children.

The best ways to protect yourself from the impacts of the smoke are to reduce exposure by:

• staying indoors with windows closed;

• keeping windows closed and air conditioning on when driving;

• reducing time spent outdoors and avoiding rigorous outdoor exercise;

• using high-quality, portable air cleaners with HEPA filtration to remove smoke particles from indoor air;

• visiting places with controlled air supply, such as shopping malls, swimming pools or public libraries.

LEARN MORE

• Wildfire smoke (BC Centre on Disease Control): bccdc.ca/ health-info/prevention-publichealth/wildfire-smoke.

• Sign up here for the air-quality subscription service: aqss.nrs. gov.bc.ca/subscription.html.

Estate and succession planning when your business is involved can feel daunting. Often, there are many livelihoods depending on the success and longevit y of your business Thus it ’s impor tant to proactively plan ahead by clearly identif ying your objectives for all assets owned by both you and your business , and then putting a plan in place to ensure your loved ones and employees are secure

Star t with the input of an estate law yer, who can help you focus the conversation and create an action item list , and then involve others (accountants , financial advisors, etc) as appropriate

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Carter Vigh died on July 11, with wildfire smoke believed to have aggravated his asthma.

OPINION

A decision foretold three months ago

Kamloops council last week made a decision foretold in this column on April 12. Imagine how much could have been accomplished in the past 13 weeks (and longer) had council simply cut to the chase back then and made the decision that was predicted on this page and likely expected by many others.

Last week, council decided to kill standing committees (which are created by the mayor under provisions of the Community Charter) and proceed with select committees (which are created by council under provisions of the Community Charter).

Standing and select committees are essentially the same as they are subcommittees of council created to focus on specific issues — finance, civic operations, community, protective services and so forth. These subcommittees then report to the entire council with recommendations.

While standing and select committees include some members of council — 50 per cent of standing committee members must be council members, while select committees must have at least one council member — only the entire council has the power to enact recommendations from the committees.

When Mayor Reid HamerJackson appointed councillors to the five standing committees earlier this year, all seemed well.

In March, however, everything exploded when the mayor

made unilateral changes to the committees.

Exercising his right as mayor under the Community Charter, Hamer-Jackson stripped three councillors of their positions as chairs of standing committees and appointed nine residents, one of whom worked on his election campaign, two of whom donated money to his election campaign and some of whom are his friends.

The eight councillors were miffed and, exercising their right under the Community Charter, voted to create a select committee to determine the terms of reference for standing committees — in other words, how the committees will be run.

Alas, rather than change how standing committees are run, council on July 12 decided to kill them — a decision that could have and should have been done months ago.

Consider this ridiculousness: there has likely been more discussion by a select committees on the fate of standing commit-

tees than there have been standing committee meetings.

As I wrote on April 12: “Both sides appear to be prepping the battlefield so they can each blame the other side for the inevitable stalemate, while the prevailing faction (the eight councillors) may ultimately do what it could have done long ago … councillors could have simply resigned their positions on the standing committees, thereby dissolving said committees based on the fact the Community Charter dictates that at least 50 per cent of committee membership must include elected officials.

“Council could have then created select committees to address the identical issues addressed by standing committees, freezing out the mayor in the process and bringing recommendations to council, where the eight councillors and their majority votes could implement

whatever they wish, mayoral opposition be damned.

“But the eight councillors have chosen the circuitous route, ensuring voters see they have taken pains to work with the mayor — until, that is, trying to work with the mayor becomes untenable.”

Further confusing the issue is Hamer-Jackson’s insistence that council’s decision to scrap standing committees somehow contravenes the Community Charter. It doesn’t.

Section 141(1), which the mayor is fond of reciting, states “the mayor must establish standing committees for matters the mayor considers would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees. At least half of the members of a standing committee must be council members.”

Hamer-Jackson appears to believe the provincial legisla -

tion states he “must” establish standing committees. In fact, it states he “must” do so only if there are matters he feels need more scrutiny, Furthermore, without 50 per cent council participation, standing committees cannot exist, per the Community Charter.

So, here we are in mid-July, nine months since the civic election, and precious little has been done on the committee front.

Drilling into specific issues to expedite decisions on crucial issues for the entire council has been sacrificed for nearly a year of nonsense.

On a brighter note, there are only 39 more months until the next election.

editor@kamloopsthisweek.com

Twitter: @ChrisJFoulds

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OPINION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO FOCUS ON ISSUES

Editor:

I am very disappointed with Kamloops city council, with the exception of Coun. Dale Bass.

I wrote letters about my concerns to all city councillors and only Bass bothered to respond. I also asked to make a fiveminute presentation about my concerns to council and never received a response.

Our council is too busy attacking and bullying our mayor to focus on their elected duties.

I ask that council stop using our mayor as their personal

scapegoat to divert attention from its lack of action on a host of issues facing Kamloops, including the homeless problem and issues with the bylaws department.

It seems city council’s strategy is to ignore all problems until they go away and blame the mayor for everything to avoid accountability for their actions.

Rest assured, I will not vote for those councillors in the 2026 civic election.

Antonio Berardi Kamloops

WE ASKED:

Given the increase in incidents of floods and wildfires, what is your household’s level of emergency preparedness?

Editor:

The City of Kamloops is planning fire drills to show Juniper residents the three newly prepared emergency escape routes out of the Juniper Ridge neighbourhood should another public evacuation be needed, as happened during a wildfire on Canada Day in 2021.

It is heartening to know the three additional routes have been developed and very nice to hear that community

service officers will be opening the locked gates and escorting fire drill participants along the new routes to ensure people stay on the right roadways.

But who unlocks the gates when an emergency actually happens?

Rather than await city employees with keys to actually get on site (or three sites) in a timely manner, perhaps the city could sign out keys to local residents who live near each of

RESULTS:

PLANNING ESCAPE FROM JUNIPER ATTENTION ALL DRIVERS: IDLE NO MORE

Editor:

The World Health Organization claims outdoor air pollution is estimated to have caused 4.2-million premature deaths worldwide in 2019.

As the heat continues and air quality worsens from wildfire smoke, industry and people driving vehicles, one would think we would do whatever we can to protect the air we breathe.

But that’s not the case. When it’s hot outside, some of us run our vehicles and AC to keep our vehicle cool while we text, wait for a train to pass or just sit. Some even do this while shopping and aren’t even in the vehicle.

It’s a personal choice, but unfortu-

nately, the unnecessary toxic fumes we release are shared with everyone else.

There are those who suffer from asthma, COPD and lung issues. There are newborns and little people who are still developing their lungs. And there are seniors and vulnerable people who find they are safer staying indoors and become temporary shut-ins.

So, if you’re going to run your engine longer than 60 seconds, consider turning off your motor, rolling down the window and toughing it out for a few minutes.

Idling for just 10 seconds wastes more gas than restarting your engine, thereby saving money.

TALK BACK Q&A: kamloopsthisweek.com

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE?

Have you heeded calls from city hall and the provincial government to limit water use?

Vote online: kamloopsthisweek.com

the escape routes.

A half-dozen keys signed out to neighbours at each locked gate should do it as someone is bound to be home. This would reduce the fear factor of residents who may be motivated to maintain the appropriate tools for opening locked gates if and when the time comes.

Peter Mutrie Kamloop

Even the government of Canada reports that if we avoided idling every day of the year, C02 emissions could be reduced by 1.4-million tons annually, which would be the equivalent of taking 320,000 cars off the road for an entire year.

Being aware of health effects caused by idling, the money that would be saved and the reduction of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere provides us with an opportunity to be a good neighbour and to do our part for the planet. Please don’t sit idle(ing).

Angie McLaren Chase

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

LOCAL NEWS

Kamloops-Victoria direct flights begin in October

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

Kamloops Airport is welcoming another direct flight and a new airline.

Beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 17, Pacific Coastal Airlines will be offering a direct flight to and from Victoria, six days per week (not on Saturdays).

The one-hour flights will depart Victoria for Kamloops each day at 3:40 p.m., with flights leaving Kamloops for Victoria each day at 5:05 p.m. Pacific Coastal will use Beechcraft 1900 aircraft, which seat 19 passengers.

The service will be available on a seasonal basis, providing travellers with access

WINNING LOTTO

between the two cities between October 17, 2023, and April 26, 2024. The flights will not operate between May and the end of September, but the airline intends to expand to year-round service if there is enough demand.

“As the exclusive airline offering non-stop flights between Victoria and Kamloops, we aim to improve customers’ travel experience by avoiding the hassle of layovers or time-consuming connections,” Pacific Coast vice-president of customer and commercial Johnathan Richardson said in release.

Kamloops will become Pacific Coastal’s fourth destination served with non-stop flights from Victoria, joining Vancouver, Kelowna and Prince George.

Kamloops Airport manager Ed Ratuski told KTW a direct flight to Victoria has been sought for some time, noting Kamloops is the only major city in B.C.’s Interior without a direct flight to the provincial capital.

“Non-stop Kamloops to Victoria air service has long been on our radar,” Ratuski said in the release. “Beyond the obvious efficiency and convenience for business travel to the provincial capital, this service is an excellent option for visiting friends and relatives that often face unpredictable road conditions and ferry service interruptions to Vancouver Island. This new non-stop service also enhances opportunities for tourism and trade development at both ends of the route.”

Kamloops Coun. Bill Sarai, who is president of the Kamloops Airport Authority

Society, said the route is an important one to the province’s capital for both pleasure and business.

“We look forward to working with Pacific Coastal on identifying more routes to serve our region,” Sarai said in the release.

Passengers can now book their flights on the Pacific Coastal website or by calling 1-800-663-2872. The airline is offering passengers a 20 per cent discount on bookings using the promo code VC2KL to celebrate the launch of the new flight. The website is advertising one-way flights from $189.

Pacific Coastal is a privately owned regional airline operating from Vancouver

International Airport’s South Terminal that flies to 18 airports in British Columbia.

The announcement comes a month after Kamloops Airport added Flair Airlines and a direct route to Edmonton. Flair has been operating a low-cost flight twice a week to Edmonton, on Sundays and Wednesdays, since June 18.

Sarai told KTW the statistics show the Edmonton flights have been about half full so far, adding he hopes the numbers improve to avoid the risk of the flight being cut.

Flair’s low-cost business model depends on filling planes to capacity as the airline makes half of its revenue on ancillary purchases by customers.

Police seek jogger, potential witness in sexual assault

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

As part of a sexual assault investigation, Kamloops Mounties are hoping to connect with a jogger who was wearing fluorescent yellow shorts as a potential witness.

Last week, the RCMP requested information and warned the public after police received a report of a sexual assault on the walking path between Strathcona Terrace and St. Paul Street West in the West End, near downtown.

The incident occurred on Sunday July 9, shortly after 9 p.m., when a man

approached a woman from behind and grabbed her in a sexual nature. Police said an altercation ensued, during which the victim was able to get free.

The man left in the direction of Strathcona Terrace.

“Since then, the investigation has been progressing well and police anticipate it will continue to advance toward the charge assessment phase in the near future,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said in a release. “No similar assault reports have been received since last Sunday and we continue to encourage

anyone with information that may be related to please contact police as soon as possible.”

Investigators want to speak with a woman who was jogging in the area at the time of the assault. She was wearing fluorescent yellow shorts, a black sports top and a pink sweatband and she was jogging toward Powers Road from the St. Paul Street West pathway.

That woman, and any other witnesses, are asked to call Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and reference file 202324436.

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Pacific Coastal will soon be landing an aircraft like this one in Kamloops on a regular basis, beginning in the fall.

Province mulls water restrictions in face of drought

SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com

The provincial government is asking B.C. residents and businesses to limit their water usage due to widespread and early drought conditions.

Bowinn Ma, the province’s minister of emergency management and climate readiness, said it’s not uncommon for B.C. to see drought, but this year, because of how early and how widespread drought conditions are, there is reason for concern.

Ma said if B.C. residents and businesses

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don’t voluntarily reduce their water usage, the province may take action.

“We are currently encouraging voluntary reductions at this time, but regulatory actions may be introduced if necessary,” she said.

B.C. reports six levels of drought, from Level 0, where adverse socio-economic or ecosystem impacts are rare, to Level 5, where adverse impacts are likely.

At last update, four of B.C.’s 34 water basins are reporting Level 5 drought conditions, while 18 of 34 basins — including the local area — are at Level 4.

“These conditions require action from everyone in B.C.,” Ma said.

Another update in drought levels will come on Thursday, July 20.

Dave Campbell of the River Forecast Centre said he is not expecting many significant changes to the current drought codes, except an increase in some areas of the north, where stream flows have further deteriorated.

Ma said everyone in B.C. should be following water restrictions set out by local authorities.

In Kamloops, current restrictions are based on irrigation and sprinkling.

“Think about small changes in your daily routine. Water lawns sparingly, if at all. Take

shorter showers. That can save 19 litres of water per minute,” Ma said.

Current conditions are the result of what happened one year ago.

Jonathan Boyd of the B.C. River Forecast Centre described the situation as a “cumulative impact” drought.

He said the spring of 2022 was relatively cool and wet, delaying that freshet season. Cumulative precipitation since then has measured between 40 and 85 per cent of normal around the province, he said.

The situation worsened this past May, when temperatures between 9 C and 10 C above normal resulted in the earliest snowpack melt ever seen in B.C.

That is now evident in measured stream flows across B.C.

“As of July 10, 81 stations across the province were at their all-time record low. That’s about a quarter of the stations,” Boyd said.

Precipitation thus far in Kamloops has been far below normal.

For June, a month for which the amount of precipitation is seen as an indicator of the severity of the wildfire season, Kamloops received less than one-third of its normal precipitation.

The city typically sees 37.4 millimetres of rainfall in June, but last month just 11 millimetres of rain was recorded across four days.

Fires in the north have prompted the province to call for federal aid and this week, as 150 members of the Canadian Armed Forces will arrive in Vanderhoof and Burns Lake.

Boyd said Environment Canada’s seasonal forecast is calling for above-normal temperatures for August and September, but in the short term, he said it is difficult to accurately predict more than seven to 10 days ahead.

“There is no way to know for sure. The biggest fear would be if we had dry conditions moving into September and October. Only time will tell, but if that were to happen, we could end up in a pretty significant drought at a time when flows are lowest,” he said.

The drought and wildfires have put farmers and ranchers in a particularly tough spot, prompting B.C. Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis to ask the federal government for help.

“This is not an easy time to be a farmer. With fires, floods, drought, extreme heat and extreme cold, animal diseases and a pandemic all within the last three years,” Alexis said. “Their well being is a priority to me and if anyone is in need of mental-health supports, please let us know.”

Kamloops mayor urges reduction in water usage

KAMLOOPS THISWEEK

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson has issued a statement urging residents to be proactive and voluntarily reduce their personal and commercial water use as drought conditions worsen in B.C.

The North and South Thompson water basins are currently classified as Level 4 drought severity — meaning adverse impacts are likely — on a scale ranging up to five.

Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, recently briefed provincial mayors and chairs on the provincial drought status.

“We are currently seeing unprecedented levels of drought throughout the province, so I want to encourage all Kamloops residents to do what they can to reduce their water use,” Hamer-Jackson said in a release.

“We all draw from the same water source and there are small things we can all do to make a difference.”

The province is anticipating a serious drought season that has begun earlier than usual.

According to the provincial government’s drought information portal, as of July 18, the Thompson River at Kamloops is flowing at a depth of 3.53 metres, compared to the normal level of 3.65 metres.

Upstream, the North Thompson at McLure is flowing at a depth of 1.68 metres, compared to the normal level of 2.83 metres. The South Thompson River at Chase is flowing at a depth of 2.53 metres, compared to the normal level of 4.29 metres.

ADVICE FROM CITY HALL

The City of Kamloops has a number of water conservation tips to implement both

indoors and outdoors.

Indoors, residents are advised to keep their showers to five minutes or less, only run dishwashers or washing machines when full and turn off the tap while brushing teeth.

They should also fix any leaks on running taps and toilets and keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the tap.

Outdoors, people should water their lawns sparingly, use a broom instead of a hose to clean surfaces, use rain barrels to collect water for outdoor gardening use, choose drought-tolerant plants and check faucets and hoses for leaks.

The City of Kamloops said its drought response team has been meeting regularly and has reduced the municipality’s overall water use for irrigation by 25 per cent.  For more tips on how to conserve water, go online to kamloops.ca/watersmart.

Cam K lassen’s company has been resur facing driveways, pools, and patios for the last 1 7 years . With two industr yleading, proven products, Sierra Stone and Rubber Stone, they offer best-in-the -business ser vice and reliabilit y. Best of all, most jobs are completed within one day.

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~ CAM KL ASSEN

“ We’ ve been around for a long time so we know and trust the qualit y of the products that we use on our customers’ proper ties” he continues He has a top -notch installation team in K amloops who have been applying Rubber Stone a polyurethane coated rubber par ticulate for years . The most attractive proper t y of Rubber Stone is its f lexibilit y, making it less prone to cracking This is ideal for the tempermental British Columbia climates . Rubber Stone is ideal for a wide variet y of heavy-traffic sur faces including driveways , garage f loors , pool deck s , patios , walkways and sidewalk s .

Cam’s highly-skilled workers have also

been installing Sierra Stone, an epox y coated aggregate.

Sierra Stone is easy to clean and creates a ver y durable sur face. This results in a per fect

overlay for driveways , pool deck s , patios and walkways .

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applications within a day. Vehicles can drive on newly installed sur faces within three to four days . Cam back s up his work , offering warranties on both superior products .

Another Satisfied

Search for mosque site in Kamloops continues

KAMLOOPS ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION WANTS TO BUY PARCEL OF LAND FROM CITY

MICHAEL POTESTIO STAFF REPORTER michael@kamloopsthisweek.com

Kamloops city council seemed to take a vow of silence after being approached by the Kamloops Islamic Association (KIA), which came to city hall seeking a commitment to work toward establishing a mosque within city limits.

The group spoke to council on July 13, outlining its philanthropic work and programming and explaining the need for a larger, centrally located facility.

However, when asked following the presentation by KIA president Faisal Siddiqui for a motion directing staff to look into selling city-owned land on which to build a mosque to the registered charity, no such motion was put forward by council.

Mayor Reid HamerJackson asked if anyone

wanted to put forward a motion to have staff review the concept, but was met with silence. He then said he would do so, but pulled back.

“I can’t do that? OK,” Hamer-Jackson said.

He later told KTW he got the sense from staff and council in the room that he could not put such a motion forward, though no one had specifically stated during the meeting that he could not.

“They indicated I couldn’t,” Hamer-Jackson said, adding he could not specifically remember what cue he got that made him refrain from making that motion.

Coun. Mike O’Reilly put forward, which passed unanimously 8-0. Coun. Katie Neustaeter was not in attendance as she was on vacation.

The KIA has its eye on a piece of city-owned property at McGill Road and Bunker Road, a

location seen as ideal as it is along a transit route and is close to Thompson Rivers University, making it a convenient location for the KIA’s main demographic, which is Muslim students.

KIA director Manahil Bawany told KTW discussions with the city about buying that specific property have gone nowhere.

“Nobody’s told us no, but nobody’s told us yes,” Bawany said.

She said the KIA has been in communication with the city on multiple occasions about the property and has been told there are plans for the site, but has not been told what those plans are.

NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS

Tkemlups te Secwépemc (TteS)

Lands, Leasing, & Tax Department

Telephone: 250 828 9784 | Email: taxation@ttes.ca

2023 Property Tax Notices have been mailed

Due Date: August 2nd, 2023

Payment of property taxes must be received at the Tkemlúps te Secwépemc (TteS)

Accounts Receivable office before the close of business on August 3rd.

Hours of operation, Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 4:00pm

The Finance Department will be open during lunch (12:00pm -1:00pm) during the tax season (July 2nd – August 2nd)

If you have not received your tax notice, contact the Lands, Leasing & Tax Department at 250-828-9784, and payment options for the Accounts Receivable Office at 250-828-9861

IMPORTANT: First Nation Home Owner Grant Taxpayers living on TteS reserve land must submit the Home Owner Grant to the TteS Finance Dept 2023 HOG ONLINE SUBMISSION ~ details on how to enter your HOG electronically enclosed with the tax notice

Please make cheques payable and submit to:

TKEMLÚPS TE SECWÉPEMC - Property Tax

Accounts Receivable - Admin Building

200-330 Chief Alex Thomas Way

Kamloops, BC V2H 1H1

Accounts Receivable Office: Tel: 250-828-9861

Email: revenue@ttes ca

According to the association, it has also had numerous talks with the municipality, developers and realtors in recent years about a variety of possible Kamloops locations for a mosque.

The KIA currently operates its Ayesha Mosque in Knutsford, but for years has hoped to move from that rural location to within the city limits of Kamloops.

The association has noted numerous issues with its current location‚ including its remoteness and difficulty to access by those without a vehicle, the building being too small for the programs and lack of water and sewer service.

According to the KIA, the mosque’s size has limited the activities and community services provided at the facility and larger events have required renting larger venues.

The KIA is hoping the City of Kamloops will consider a move similar to one between Prince George’s Islamic Association and that city’s council in 2004, when the municipality sold the group a piece of land, upon which it constructed a mosque.

Bawany said the KIA has not asked the city for any grant or financial aid in seeking the sale.

“If the city is willing to sell it to us, we’ll produce the finances,” Bawany said.

“We want them to see the benefit in us having that location.”

According to the KIA, its membership has grown from 34 families in 2007, when the Knutsford mosque property was

purchased, to its current population of 94 families and 600 TRU students.

Despite the growing numbers, the KIA said it has also lost membership over the years due to people moving from Kamloops, noting almost all of them have cited wanting to move to a bigger city with a mosque that can provide more programs and services as a key reason for leaving.

“When people move to a city, they want to see more programs, especially if they have kids,” Bawany said.

According to the KIA, among those who have left were 16 doctors — three of whom left recently.

There has long been a shortage of doctors in Kamloops and the KIA believes it can be a boon to the recruiting process if it had an adequate mosque to attract and maintain Muslim medical professionals.

Thank you to everyone who helped and attended the July 1st Canada Day/Folkfest Celebration to make it another successful event

Thank you to the City of Kamloops, Council and Employees, Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, Tkemlups Te Secwepemc Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir and the TteS Language and Culture department, Mirjam Jules, BC Lottery Corporation, Kamloops Arts Council, Safeway, Costco, Sahali Save on Foods, Kamloops Multicultural Society Members, Media, Kamloops Pipe Band, Rocky Mountain Rangers, ANAVETS, Kamloops Royal Canadian Legion, Frank Caputo MP, MLA Peter Milobar, MLA Todd Stone, RCMP, Kamloops Ambassadors and Candidates, St John’s Ambulance, Challenger Security, TAF Ventures, Norewest Pumping, Lee’s Music, Bands, Entertainers, Cheryl Blackwell, Howie Reimer, TRU Student Volunteers, and the many Volunteers who put in many hours for this Special Community Event

Thank you to ever yone who sold and bought 50/50

LooPS sets record

Kevin Roy and Jon Fennell have set a Guinness world record.

The duo, who play music under the name LooPS, raced through nine Lower Mainland cities on July 8, playing nine concerts within 12 hours to claim the record.

The Guinness rules stipulate that in order to

achieve the record, the cities must be 50 kilometres apart, each with a population of at least 15,000. The previous record was set by Minhee Jones in England in 2019.

LooPS’ route, in the order they played, began in Squamish before heading to Vancouver, Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Richmond, Mission, Delta and Langley.

The zig-zag journey was necessary to adhere to

the Guinnes edict that each city must be at least 50 kilometres apart.

A fundraising effort coincided with the record attempt and, to date, the band has raised $6,500 for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Its donation run continues, with the band still hoping to add to that tally. Donations can be made through the end of July, online by visiting tinyurl. com/loops-bcchf.

COMMUNITY

Western Canada Theatre reveals new season

THE 2023-2024 ROSTER INCLUDES TWO MUSICALS: SHREK AND JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Western Canada Theatre has released its series of productions for the 2023-2024 season, plays that include two blockbuster musicals.

“I believe in theatre that brings our whole community together,” Western Canada Theatre artistic director James MacDonald said.

“Next season features a dazzling array of iconic musicals, family fun for adults and kids of all ages, razor-sharp classic thrillers re-told for a modern age, hilarious theatrical hijinks and the return of a couple of Kamloops fan favourites.” Of the seven productions, five will be staged at Sagebrush Theatre (in Sagebrush at Munro Street and Ninth Avenue) and two will be performed a Pavilion Theatre (east of downtown at Lorne Street and 10th Avenue).

THE LINEUP

Gaslight: Oct. 19 to Oct. 28, Sagebrush Theatre. Written by Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson and based on the play Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton. In association with Chemainus Theatre Festival.

Amidst the shadows of Victorian London, Bella Manningham’s picture-perfect life isn’t what it seems as she fights to maintain her sanity while untangling a web of manipulation and mystery. Is she losing her grip on reality or is it being loosened for her?

Shrek The Musical: Nov. 23 to Dec. 9, Sagebrush Theatre. Based on the DreamWorks Animation

motion picture and the book by William Steig. Book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. Originally produced on Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions.

Welcome to a magical land of classic fairy-tale characters. But in this fairy tale, things are a little different than what you’ve read in the storybooks. This Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical is laugh-out-loud fun for the whole family, with a heart of green that proves beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre.

Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery: Jan. 25 to Feb. 3, 2024, Sagebrush Theatre. In association with Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque, Ont.

Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of the Baskervilles into a fast-paced, hilarious whodunit filled with twists and turns. Join the fun and see how the truth can be far from elementary.

BOOM YZ: Feb. 22 to March 2, 2024, Sagebrush Theatre. Written, directed and performed by Rick Miller. A Kidoons and WYRD production, in association with Theatre Calgary and The 20K Collective.

In a captivating theatrical journey spanning three decades, Rick Miller’s final chapter of the BOOM trilogy explores the lives of millennials and Generation Z, intertwining cultural moments, iconic figures and personal stories from 1996 to 2020.

Black: Iconic Canadian Women

in Music: March 5 to March 9, 2024, Pavilion Theatre. Created and performed by Krystle Dos Santos.

A captivating musical honouring remarkable black Canadian woman in music, as Western Canadian fan favourite Krystle Dos Santos weaves together inspiring stories, iconic songs and significant moments from black history in the intimate cabaret atmosphere of Pavilion Theatre.

Jesus Christ Superstar: April 4 to April 20, 2024, Sagebrush Theatre. A Western Canada Theatre production. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

An explosive, dynamic telling of the last week of Jesus’ life, full of iconic music, exhilarating dance and stirring performances, in an all-new, original Western Canada Theatre production that will transform Sagebrush Theatre as never seen before. This quintessential 1970s rock opera has wowed audiences worldwide for more than 50 years.

Inner Elder: April 23 to April 27, 2024, Pavilion Theatre. Written and performed by Michelle Thrush.

A young Indigenous girl growing up in Alberta navigates a world of substance abuse, aliens and the spiritual presence of her guiding grandmothers. Award-winning Cree artist Michelle Thrush weaves reallife memories with laughter, grace and playfulness to explore her own inner elder.

Western Canada Theatre’s 20232024 season subscription packages are available through Kamloops Live Box Office (kamloopslive.ca or 250-374-5483) with early bird savings of up to 25 per cent available until Aug. 31.

Among the seven productions in Western Canada Theatre’s 2023-2024 season are Boom YX (top) and Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (above).

RICK MILLER PHOTO KEN LUDWIG PHOTO

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve stopped by to look at a vehicle or are in need of maintenance - your business is important to us.

Memoir recalls the trauma of civil war

DAVE EAGLES STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com

A Kamloops woman has written a book of her experiences as a social worker — Indelible: A Social Worker in the Wake of Civil War .

Driven by a longstanding desire, her education and her faith, mental-health professional Wendy Nordick and husband Bill Blair, a retired judge, plunged into a two-year assignment with Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO).

Nordick said she was motivated to take on the challenge of working overseas from a random newspaper ad she had clipped out, tossed into a desk and rediscovered many years later.

The couple signed up for training before receiving their posting with CUSO in Sri Lanka.

Nordick and her husband landed in the southern mountain village of Newark Eliya in

2011, just two years after the end of a bloody, 25-year-long civil war.

Nordick said she believes her 25 years of clinical social work equipped her with the necessary skills to provide assistance to a country that, at the time, was experiencing the highest suicide rate in the world — the effects of decades of civil war.

There, she began working as a liaison between the hospital and community, educating health-care workers with strategies for caring for the traumatized population.

Nordick said they worked in a hospital, which was formerly an old building used as a brewery.

She said when the opportunity came up to relocate her work to the city of Jaffna, the decision was made and, within that year, they made the transition.

At the time, Jaffna was a bombed-out shell of a city, the result of experiencing long -

standing discrimination and violent persecution against the Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan government.

The war began in 1983 and lasted nearly three decades, ending in May 2009.

Nordick said she got to work teaching a trauma team, which would head out into the community helping those who were suffering as a result of imprisonment and torture from the years of warring.

While training teams to deliver services in the field, Nordick said she was quickly humbled after becoming acutely aware of the war’s devastating impact on people.

“It was during those group sessions that I realized my team had suffered severe trauma from the war. My therapists were traumatized themselves,” she said.

It led Nordick to seek ways to better serve those with whom she was training, to provide

help to others.

Through a connection with Dr. Daya Somasundaram, a senior professor of psychiatry at the faculty of medicine at University of Jaffna, and a consultant psychiatrist working in northern Sri Lanka, Nordick found ways in which she could blend her Western knowledge of care and healing with that of her

learned cultural knowledge.

Now, more than a decade later, Nordick said she felt the time was right to write a book to share her personal account of her time volunteering abroad.

Having regularly posted blogs during her time in Sri Lanka, Nordick said the accounts were quite general in their content, noting many people followed her experiences during that time.

She said that when sharing conversations about her experiences there, people can never really get the full understanding of what it was like.

“We had this experience that I felt compelled to talk about and to bring [my] blog posts out,” Nordick said.

“This book is more about my actual work because I’m a social worker.”

Indelible: A Social Worker in the Wake of Civil War was published by Austin Macauley Publishers and will be released on Aug. 18.

For many people in Kamloops, Wayne Brennan was known as the “bottle guy.” For more than 20 years, he was seen on city streets, pushing a cart filled with bottles and cans he had collected. He died of heat-related complications on June 30, 2021, during the heat dome. This weekend, Wayne’s brother, John Brennan, is organizing a bottle drive in his late sibling’s memory, with proceeds going to the Kamloops Food Bank.

Bottle drive to be held in memory of Wayne Brennan

DAVE EAGLES STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com

When Wayne Brennan died two years ago, there was a community outpouring of memories about the man known well for his years of collecting bottles and cans along city streets.

This weekend, Wayne’s brother, John Brennan, is organizing a bottle drive in his late sibling’s memory, with proceeds going to the Kamloops Food Bank.

The General Grants North Shore recycling centre at 611 Fortune Dr. has an account set up to take empty drinking containers in Wayne’s

memory from Friday, July 21, to Sunday, July 23.

John said the bottle drive is being organized to remind people about Wayne, who spent most of his life in Kamloops.

For many Kamloopsians, Wayne was well-known as the “bottle guy.” For more than 20 years, he was seen on city streets, pushing a cart filled with bottles and cans he had collected.

He died of heat-related complications on June 30, 2021, during the heat dome.

“I’d like to know how many miles he put on those legs of his in his life,” John said. “I tell ya, he never quit moving. He was a goer, I tell

ya. He had a lot of ambition for a young guy. He coulda sat on a curb with his head in his hands, saying, ‘Oh, woe is me.’ But he didn’t. He got up and did something and he did become wellknown in Kamloops.”

John said he will be taking part in this weekend’s bottle drive. He will head to Kamloops from his home in Surrey with a truckload of bottles and cans.

“I hope that the food bank does well with it. That’s the main thing — and to bring Wayne’s name back into the light for a day or two,” John said.

“He was a terrific brother, anyway. I know that.”

BRENNAN FAMILY PHOTO

I Hate Bouillabaisse! feeds hungry young minds

DAVE EAGLES STAFF REPORTER dave_eagles@kamloopsthisweek.com

Author Douglas Vandor’s first book, Salmon on Toast , garnered rave review and, introduced readers to Pug the Slug.

Two years later, Douglas, a former Olympic rower and a graduate of Northwest Culinary Academy, has served up his latest offering — I Hate Bouillabaisse!

From his own experiences in the kitchen, Vandor has been carving a niche in the children’s book genre.

I Hate Bouillabaisse! feeds into a child’s imagination and fascination with food.

Central character Sophie, doesn’t find her Tante (Aunt) Annette’s culinary creations all that appetizing.

Tante Annette’s explanations of each new dish she creates only encourages young Sophie’s vivid imagination of far out foods.

When her Tante Annette says, “Sophie, eat your vichyssoise,” Sophie groans.

Tante Annette asks, “Don’t you like potatoes and leeks?”

“Did Tante Annette say potatoes and beaks?” Sophie asks.

As each new dish is presented during

their weekly Sunday dinners, Sophie’s mind conjures up something entirely different — and yucky.

Mice and mushrooms, peppers and ants, tomatoes and trolls — Tante Annette’s attempts to describe her dishes with long, funny names like, vichyssoise or bouillabaisse — fall on deaf ears.

Sophie hears only what she wants to

Last year, the Cit y of Kamloops used its por tion of provincial gambling revenue for hosting Cascades Casino and Chances Kamloops to help improve communit y facilities like the Hillside Stadium running track

hear and this leads to some imaginative storytelling the next day at school.

Sophie learns from her classmates that apparently not everyone has eaten potatoes and beaks — pterodactyl beaks, Sophie presumes.

The picture book whet the appetites of local primary students when KTW introduced Tante Annette and the vivid imagination of young Sophie.

The young audiences made personal connections to their own stories of favourite family meals, especially the Kindergarteners.

Older primary students also had fun sharing their own “horror” stories of similar experiences with food.

Hands shot up in the air to have a chance to tell their own tales of family meals gone awry.

The bright, bold and colourful images, which illustrator Stefanie St. Denis created, helps the story come alive for young listeners.

As pages turned, the youngsters in the audience eagerly anticipated Sophie’s next meal and what her imagination would inspire.

“I liked all the detail.”

“The ants were gross!”

“The troll freaked me out, but it was

my favourite part of the story.”

“I like how there were bugs instead of food.”

“The aunt’s food is scary.”

“I wish it [story] was longer.”

Author Vandor lives in Vancouver with his wife and two children. I Hate Bouillabaisse! is available at all major retailers, including Chapters/Indigo, Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback, hardcover and e-book formats.

There is also a French version of the book, with the title Je déteste la bouillabaisse!

SUMMER READING CLUB WELCOMES ALL AGES

There is a summer reading club for everyone, including kids, teens and adults. Clubs run through Aug. 26 and sign-ups can be done at local libraries and at the mobile library.

The summer reading clubs have a theme of journeying through time. As part of a special addition to the club this year, children can take part in programming at Aberdeen Mall, where a weekly storytime event is held each Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. For more information about summer reading clubs, go online to tnrl.ca/src.

ever y play, you’re making BC even bet ter.

save-on-foods presents: [share with us]

EYE ON COMMUNITY

CHARITY CALENDAR

Share It Forward with Save-On

If you have a photo of a charity donation, a grand-opening picture or other uplifting images, email them to editor@kamloopsthisweek.com, with “eye on community” in the subject line.

UPCOMING

The Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run For the Cure is back again and is ready to let people know of the ways to get involved. The will have information booths at various throughout the city this summer, leading up to the October 1 run.

The Society is setting up their blue and pink information booths to share registration information for the October run, offering trivia information on breast cancer facts and identifying where proceeds from the event will go within the community.

At the Kamloops Daybreak Rotary Ribfest on August 11 to 13, there will be an info booth in the Save-On-Foods Fun Zone in Riverside Park and at the Kamloops Regional Farmers’ Market on Saturday, Sept. 2.

For more information, follow CIBC Run For the Cure social media pages for promo codes and to stay up-to-date. Also, go online and visit their FaceBook page, https://shorturl.at/ btwzL and Instagram page, https://shorturl. at/himAX.

PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR KAMLOOPS COMMUNITY

KAMLOOPS ELKS LODGE MAKES THE GRADE, COVERING UNIVERSITY FEES FOR STUDENT to our Lodge member’s daughter to help cover her first year’s university fees. The donation for $2,000 was recently made by Kamloops Elks Lodge No. 44 to university student Sarah Nielsen. On hand to present the cheque is president Vaino Pennanen (left) secretary/treasurer Wayne Saboe, student recipient Sarah Nielsen, esquire Bobby Yearly and past-president Mike Wolansky.

kamloopsthisweek.com |

778-471-7536

SNAKES CHASING TITLE

Connor Barrett (left) and the Kamloops Venom lead the Vernon Tigers 1-0 in the best-of-five Thompson-Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League final, with Game 2 slated for Wednesday, July 19, in Vernon. For more on the series, turn to A26.

Kamloops a proving ground for MMA circuit

Find the fight card — which is subject to change — for Mamba Fight League 12 online at kamloopsthisweek.com.

Mamba Fight League is expanding to the Interior and Okanagan — and Kamloops is stop No. 1.

The promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, Mamba

Fight League 12 Contenders, is slated to get underway at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 28, at the Tournament Capital Centre.

“It’s a nice show, like a UFC,” Mamba promoter Kultar Gill told KTW. “There will be local fighters there, guys from Vernon, Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton.”

Two Kamloopsians — Zack Currie and Derek Apps — are scheduled to fight in their hometown.

Currie and Michael Evens of Coquitlam will square off in the 185-pound weight class. Apps and Chris Tremayne of Surrey

are slated to clash in the 200-pound weight class.

One of the 14 tilts will feature females, with Nicolette Ling of Vancouver and Lizzette Miller of Kelowna set to throw down.

“If everything goes well, we’ll be in the Okanagan every year as an annual event,” Gill said. “It’s a great night out and a great event just to bring the whole community together.”

Gill said VIP table ticket sales are going well, but general admission sales have been a tad slow. He expects walk-up sales to be strong and would like to see a crowd of about 1,000.

“I’m older now. When we fought, our coaches and local promoters gave us the foundation and platform to train and fight,” Gill said. “From there, we launched to the international level. Mamba Fight League is here to launch the next generation of elite athletes and fighters.”

Novice and advanced kickboxing, amateur and advanced MMA and jiu-jitsu action will feature at the fully sanctioned B.C. Athletic Commission fight night.

Gill planned to bring a card to Kamloops a few years ago, including a retirement bout for River City fighter Matt (The Riot Maker) Baker, but the pandemic pre-empted the event.

“It’s an amateur event first,” Gill said, noting a licensed bar will be on site. “It’s our first time in Kamloops. We’re bringing the local amateur talent. If it all goes well, next year we’ll bring the professionals.”

Abbotsford, Langley, Richmond, Surrey and Burnaby are among cites that have hosted Mamba events. Gill said the circuit’s best-attended card to date took place in the Abbotsford Centre, with more than 4,000 in the crowd.

“The first year, it will go great,” Gill said. “After that, we’ll get more and more people coming.

“Kamloops is the Tournament Capital, so why not?”

For more information, call Gill at 778552-4411. Buy tickets online at vtixonline. com.

MARTY HASTINGS STAFF REPORTER sports@kamloopsthisweek.com

ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

Soccer Quest, KYSA clubs win provincial championships

onion bag in support of goalkeeper Jayce Dauk.

The Boys B Provincial Cup soccer tournament was held this past weekend in Langley.

Five Kamloops teams — four from the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association and one from Soccer Quest — were in action, with two clubs winning provincial titles.

B.C. BANNER

With a nucleus of longtime teammates, under-13 Soccer Quest was among pre-tournament favourites heading into the provincials.

After a wake-up call in the final round-robin game, the Kamloops club steamrolled its competition to claim gold on Sunday, besting host Langley United 5-1 to secure the B.C. banner.

Jakob Fleishauer (2), Bryson Frudd, Nick Schneider and Hudson Steeves bulged the old

Kaashi Puni of Soccer Quest was named man of the match.

“They were four-yearolds in our program at the facility,” head coach and Soccer Quest technical director Jamie Spendlove told KTW. “It’s the first time we’ve had a group that’s come right the way through. There’s six or seven of them that were there from the start.

“They’ve known each other for years, they’ve played together for years and they’ve been coached professionally for years.”

Soccer Quest blanked Nelson 4-0 and Coquitlam Metro Ford Benfica 4-1 in round-robin action before dropping its final pool-play tilt, falling 3-1 to South Delta.

“It was my fault maybe,” Spendlove said. “We were overconfident, for sure. We also spent the day before, the whole afternoon, at the Aldergrove water park.

You’ve got to have some fun with them too, right? They were a little tired, but it was a blessing in disguise in the end. When we got to the final, they weren’t going to have it again.”

THE ROSTER

Jakob Fleishauer, Bryson Frudd, Koen Jorgensen, Antonio Nunez, Ignacio Matute, Michael Asante, Lucas Humphrey, Nico Velasco, Kaashi Puni, Hudson Steeves, Grayson Boak, Miguel Crawford, Cole Chung, Peter Kanyangu, Nick Schneider, Beckett Isaak, Jayce Dauk and Braeden Osmond are on the squad.

Head coach Spendlove has help from assistant coach Kennedy Asante.

TOP OF THE HEAP

Pasco Cuzzetto’s voice told the story.

“Sorry, I have no voice, from yelling,” Cuzzetto said with hoarse chuckle.

In-store and sidewalk sales, games, and live music all weekend long!

The under-13 Soccer Quest boys thumped host Langley United 5-1 to win a B.C. soccer title.

The under-17 Kamloops Youth Soccer Association boys are provincial champions.

See BLAZE, A27

MARTY HASTINGS STAFF REPORTER sports@kamloopsthisweek.com

SPORTS

Home finales

Connor Mrazek and Tomas Pena notched goals for Nautsa’mawt FC in a 2-1 victory over Rivers FC of Kamloops in men’s League1 BC soccer action on Saturday in Vancouver.

Broadfoot leads way for B.C.

Jayden Broadfoot of Tk’emlúps/Kamloops was among Team B.C. flag bearers during the North American Indigenous Games opening ceremony on Sunday in Halifax.

“It’s a great honour to represent my team, community and province at the North American Indigenous Games,” Broadfoot said in a NAIG press release.

Broadfoot, who plays for the 16-and-under Team B.C. basketball team, was one of two B.C. flag bearers, along with 19-and-under female volleyball player Leah Parker of Prince George and Métis Nation BC.

More than 20 athletes from

Kamloops are in action at the event, which wraps up on July 23.

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson will be in attendance on July 21 when the successful bid for 2027 NAIG will be announced.

Tk’emlúps/Kamloops is up against Calgary for the right to host the 2027 Games, which will feature more than 6,000 participants from 756 Indigenous Nations in Canada and the U.S., ages 13 to 19, competing in 16 sports over an eight-day period.

Tk’emlúps/Kamloops is the lone Indigenous-led bid.

GOT A VAN OR A TRUCK?

Use it to earn CASH!

Kamloops This Week is looking for energetic individuals to join our team of Contract Drivers

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!

Alesandro Comita scored in a losing effort for Rivers (4-6-3), which slipped to sixth in league standings and out of post-season contention.

Nautsa’mawt improved to 4-5-5 and sits fifth in league standings. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.

Rivers will wrap the campaign on Sunday, July 23, with a match against visiting

Whitecaps FC of Vancouver (5-26), a 4:30 p.m. start on Field 2 on McArthur Island.

Whitecaps FC and Rivers will square off in women’s League1 BC action on Sunday, with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. on Field 2 on Mac Isle.

Rivers (1-12-0) will be aiming to finish the campaign with an upset victo-

ry over the leagueleading Whitecaps (10-2-1).

Emily Clark scored for Rivers in a 4-1 loss to Nautsa’mawt (9-32) on Saturday in Vancouver. Rivers will this Sunday honour Soccer Quest and Kamloops Youth Soccer Association teams that recently won provincial titles.

A very BIG THANK YOU to our amazing supporters!

The Speak Up Self-Advocacy Awareness Society would like to thank all of our incredible event partners, volunteers, and donors. Without this support, this event would not have been possible.

Event Partners

• City of Kamloops

• Kamloops Society for Community Inclusion

• New Horizons Professional Support Services

Donors

• The Art We Are

• Booster Juice

• The Chopped Leaf

• Connective

• Craig’s Bakery

• The Fun Factor Family Fun Centre

• Kraft-Heinz

• London Drugs

• Miller Mechanical Engineering

• Ms. Whimsey’s Gift Emporium

• The Noble Pig Brewhouse

• Pink With Envy Nails & Esthetics

• Princess Auto

• Rocky Mountain Chocolate

• Starbucks, Downtown

• Vista Community Services

• YMCA Challenge Hosts

• BC Transit

• City Hall

• London Drugs

• Kamloops Museum

• New Horizons

• The Vic Downtown Booths

• Connective

• Motion

• Special Olympics

• Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada

• White Cane Club Volunteers

• Andrew

• Bogey

• Brian

• Briana

• Colleen

• Gift

• Gina

• Jordyn

• Kristen

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

Music at the Museum

Ages 5 and under $5

Join the KMA for a special summer edition of Music at the Museum! This program will introduce your little one to the Kamloops Museum through songs, stories, and music Weather dependent, this program may be offered outside, so please dress for the weather!

Kamloops Museum and Archives

Sat July 22

9:45 am to 10:30 am

Sagebrush Summer

Age 5 and under - Free

Bring your family to the KMA to explore the Kamloops ecosystem and join us in building a sagebrush forest in the Museum There is something for everyone in this hands-on activity

Kamloops Museum and Archives Sat Aug 5 9:45 am to 11:00 am

Painting, Singing, Acting, Dancing

This camp program is a great opportunity for children who are interested in trying out new areas of the arts or that already loves multiple disciplines

Kamloops Performance Company

Mon - Thurs Aug 14 - Aug 17

Ages 4 - 6 4/$100 9:30 am to 11:30 am

Ages 7 - 10 4/$140 9:30 am to 12:30 pm

XploreSportz Summer Camps

Ages 4-6, 6-10 and 7-12 Visit PacificSport Interior BC website pacificsportinteriorbc com/ to learn more about the camps that are being offer this summer

July 2023 – August 2023 $195/week

Please submit your resume, description of your vehicle IN PERSON to: Circulation Manager Kamloops This Week

V2C 5P6 or call us at 250-374-0462

• Crooked Crown

• Fabricland

• Fresh Is Best

• Fresh St. Market

• Saputo

• Save On Foods, Valleyview

• Soul Stones

• ICS

• Kamloops Brain Injury Association

• KSCI

• Nolene

• Tami

• Tracy

• Vicki

• Yvonne

* Reduce rate for second child $175/week

Kamloops.ca

Jayden Broadfoot (left) and Leah Parker were B.C.’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the 2023 North American Indigenous Games.

Dylan Hooper and Rivers FC fell 2-1 to Nautsa’mawt FC on Saturday in Vancouver. ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

MASTER JEH’S MEDALLISTS

STEWART DUNCAN

Six Master Jeh’s Taekwondo athletes earned medals at the B.C. Taekwondo Championships, which took place on June 24 in Burnaby.

“We’re really proud of their performance,” said Jay Hockersmith, chief instructor for the Valleyview club.

Jagger Portelance, 9, brought home bronze in poomsae (patterns) and gold in sparring; Riley Horsman 12, won silver in poomsae and bronze in sparring; Cambria Osborne, 16, won silver in poomsae; Elliot Carpenter, 6, took silver in sparring; Dreah Portelance, 14,

CAMBRIA OSBORNE DREAH PORTELANCE ELLIOT CARPENTER

won bronze in poomsae; and Ryder Gotthard, 12, claimed bronze in poomsae.

“It was the firstever tournament for Cambria, Dreah, Ryder

Six Master Jeh’s Taekwondo athletes earned medals at the B.C. Taekwondo Championships, which took place on June 24 in Burnaby.

“We’re really proud of their performance,” said Jay Hockersmith, chief instructor for the Valleyview club.

and Eliot, so for them to see their dedication pay off like that was a big boost for them,” Hockersmith said.

Jagger Portelance, 9, brought home bronze in poomsae (patterns) and gold in sparring; Riley Horsman 12, won silver in poomsae and bronze in sparring; Cambria Osborne, 16, won silver in poomsae; Elliot Carpenter, 6, took silver in sparring; Dreah Portelance, 14,

before, last February in Vancouver. They both did great. As an instructor, seeing their personal growth along with their taekwondo skills is a huge thrill.”

won bronze in poomsae; and Ryder Gotthard, 12, claimed bronze in poomsae.

“It was the firstever tournament for Cambria, Dreah, Ryder

Barrett tallies 10 points in Venom

Landon Lockwood tallied six points, including three goals, and Seamus Bankier had two goals and five points for the Venom, whose starting goaltender, Robert Gerow,

and Eliot, so for them to see their dedication pay off like that was a big boost for them,” Hockersmith said.

“Ryder and Jagger were in one tournament

before, last February in Vancouver. They both did great. As an instructor, seeing their personal growth along with their taekwondo skills is a huge thrill.”

Barrett tallies 10 points in Venom victory

stopped 33 shots to pick up the victory between the pipes.

Jayce Mayall logged five minutes and 19 seconds of action in goal for the Venom and allowed two goals on seven shots.

Dane Kinney (2), Miller Renaud and Austin Krug also scored for Kamloops, which will travel to Vernon on Wednesday, July 19, for Game 2 of the best-of-five series.

Waylen Stowards (2), Colton

victory

Connor Barrett racked up five goals and 10 points for the Kamloops Venom in a 14-5 victory over the Vernon Tigers in Game 1 of the Thompson-Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League final on Sunday at Memorial Arena.

Colmorgen, Aiden Wattie, Ethin Campbell, Tegan Evans, Kian Yargeau and Caden Peters recorded goals for the Tigers on Sunday in support of goaltender Ryley Lockhurst, who made 52 saves in a losing effort.

Landon Lockwood tallied six points, including three goals, and Seamus Bankier had two goals and five points for the Venom, whose starting goaltender, Robert Gerow,

The Venom will play host to Game 3 on Saturday, July 22, a 7 p.m. start at Memorial Arena. Vernon will host Game 4, if necessary, on July 25.

stopped 33 shots to pick up the victory between the pipes.

Jayce Mayall logged five minutes and 19 seconds of action in goal for the Venom and allowed two goals on seven shots.

Dane Kinney (2), Miller Renaud and Austin Krug also scored for Kamloops, which will travel to Vernon on Wednesday, July 19, for Game 2 of the best-of-five series.

Waylen Stowards (2), Colton

Colmorgen, Aiden Wattie, Ethin Campbell, Tegan Evans, Kian Yargeau and Caden Peters recorded goals for the Tigers on Sunday in support of goaltender Ryley Lockhurst, who made 52 saves in a losing effort.

The Venom will play host to Game 3 on Saturday, July 22, a 7 p.m. start at Memorial Arena. Vernon will host Game 4, if necessary, on July 25.

STEWART DUNCAN SPECIAL TO KTW

CAMBRIA OSBORNE DREAH PORTELANCE ELLIOT CARPENTER

RILEY HORSMAN JAGGER PORTELANCE RYDER GOTTHARD

RILEY HORSMAN JAGGER PORTELANCE RYDER GOTTHARD

MASTER JEH’S MEDALLISTS

Blaze hold on for gold

Head coach Cuzzetto and the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association Blaze were in full voice after edging Bays United FC of Victoria 2-1 in the Under17 Boys B Provincial Cup goldmedal game on Sunday.

Mutsa Kanyangu scored in the first half and James Upshaw gave the Kamloops club a 2-0 lead about 20 minutes into the second half.

Bays, which clobbered the Blaze 8-1 earlier in the year in pre-season action, tallied with about 15 minutes remaining in the second half.

“We were on the edge of our bench, for sure,” Cuzzetto said. “It was a full-on defensive clinic from there. Our goalie (John Tomczyk) stood tall and we were able to hang on.”

Prince George downed KYSA 4-3 in the round-robin opener. The 10-men Blaze clawed out a 1-0 win over Coquitlam Metro-Ford FC and finished pool play with a 3-1 triumph over Nelson.

The Blaze were playing for their captain, Jonas Edstrom, who tore his ACL before the tournament.

“It was surreal,” Cuzzetto

said. “After losing our first game, the boys battled back.”

THE ROSTER

The U17 Blaze roster includes John Tomczyk, David McClymont, Jacob Nicolson, Mutsa Kanyangu, Kieran Harrison, Zachary Fortin, Armaan Serown, Zoraver Ollek, James Upshaw, Jacob Eichenberger, Markus Molett, Kaiden Goddard, Luca Alas, Jack Bacon, Nolan Stubbings, Trevor Molett, Adam Khelouiati, Abian Latif and Jonas Edstrom.

Staff members include head coach Pasco Cuzzetto, team manager Bruce Harrison and assistant coaches Christiano Ferrara, Aaron Ocano and Tony Cuzzetto.

ON THE PODIUM

Four KYSA clubs were in action on the weekend in the Boys B Provincial Cup.

The U17 Blaze won gold, the U14 Blaze claimed silver, the U16 boys won bronze and the U15 boys placed fifth.

The U18 KYSA team placed sixth in the A Cup provincials, which wrapped up on July 2 in South Surrey.

LATE HEROICS SNARE BRONZE FOR B.C.

Liam Connolly, Logan Rubel and Kooper Groeneveld of the Westsyde Blue Wave helped Team B.C. win bronze at the under18 Western Showcase football tournament this past weekend in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Alberta White led B.C. 25-22 late in the fourth quarter of the bronze-medal game when quarterback Connolly and receiver Groeneveld connected on a game-winning, 36-yard touchdown pass.

Connolly threw a wide-receiver screen pass to Groeneveld, who dangled his way through Alberta defenders and into the end zone for the major.

B.C. vanquished Alberta White 29-25.

Sim, Schulz of Ridge Runners reach podium

Jordan Sim and Carman-Anne Schulz of the Kamloops Ridge Runners reached the podium at the Midsummer EightKilometre Race on Sunday in Kelowna.

Sim clocked in at 39 minutes and 59 seconds to place third in the male 60- to 64-year-old divi-

sion. Schulz (41:46) won bronze in the female 65to 69-year-old division.

Jeff Vogt of Kelowna placed first overall with

a time of 26:51, finishing nine seconds ahead of former Canadian female marathon record holder (2:24:50) and twotime Olympian Malindi Elmore of Kelowna.

The race was the eighth stop on the Interior Road Race series.

Schulz and Nina Gales, who recorded a

time of 49:47 to place sixth in the female 50- to 54-year-old category, are on track to earn Iron Legs honours, which are given to athletes who complete each of the series nine races.

The final race — Fast Days of Summer 5000 — will take place on Sept. 3 in Kelowna.

Logan Rubel (left), Liam Connolly and Kooper Groeneveld won bronze with Team B.C. at the under-18 Western Showcase football tournament this past weekend in Sherwood Park, Alta. The trio belongs to the Westsyde Blue Wave.

“

“We didn’t think that the Arctic would crash by now and yet it’s almost gone,” Nicholson said.

“We didn’t think we’d be seeing these wildfires in Australia and the United States and elsewhere with the frequency and severity that they’re being seen. Given that we’re at about one degree Celsius, we thought those were far-distant prospects. So 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial averages could turn out to be far more devastating than had been imagined when that target was set as the threshold for international action.”

Last month was the planet’s hottest June on record and probably the hottest in about 12,000 years.

This month is shaping up to be

What we’re seeing is climate impacts that scientists thought would accompany certain temperatures happening far more rapidly, with far more devastating effects than had been forecast,” said Dr. Simon Nicholson of the Forum for Climate Engineering Assessment at American University.GWYNNE DYER World WATCH

the hottest July and there’s a good chance that August will also break the record because the relentless upward creep of global heating is being supercharged by the return of the cyclical El Niño phenomenon in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

It’s not just very high temperatures — more than one-third of the U.S. population is now under extreme heat warnings and Phoenix has had almost 20 consecutive days of temperatures above 43 C — but

UPCOMING SPEAKER SERIES

the heat lasts into the night, too.

Southern Europe is the same from Spain to Turkey, with daytime temperatures in the low 40s C and little relief at night. Europe, which keeps better records on this than does the United States, counted 61,000 heat-related deaths last year. This year’s numbers will be much higher.

South and Southeast Asia had their heat waves in April and May (45 C and higher in India and Thailand) and now it’s time for torrential rain and landslides in Japan, Korea and China. That’s really due to the heat, too, as high temperatures mean higher evaporation, which means much more rain.

It is all quiet in the Southern Hemisphere, where it’s still winter, but El Niño probably means record bushfires in Australia by December. That is worrisome because they have just discovered that the 2020 fires were big and hot enough to drive the smoke up into the stratosphere, where it started destroying ozone and expanding the ozone hole again.

There are El Niño-linked

droughts in South America and southern Africa, of course — and did I mention there are still 500 wildfires burning in Canada?

What scientists thought would be happening around 2030 is happening now. The years 2029 or 2030 is when we were scheduled to breach the aspirational never-exceed level of 1.5 C higher average global temperature if emissions continued on the current track, but somebody forgot to allow for the fact there’s an El Niño every three to seven years.

Oops!

Now the World Meteorological Organization is saying the global average temperature is likely to exceed +1.5 C at least once, but perhaps a number of times, between now and 2027.

How likely? About 66 per cent likely.

Ever since 2015, we have been operating with two never-exceeds.

The big, flashing red lights, with sirens blaring, are at +2 C because, after that, we would be crossing lots of tipping points: Arctic sea ice gone, Amazon forest turning into savan-

DOUBLE

nah, methane coming out of melting permafrost, lots of things causing rapid, unstoppable further warming.

But they also set the lower, aspirational never-exceed target of +1.5 C because they were worried some of the tipping points might activate even before +2 C.

“Aspirational” because, even in 2015 ,it didn’t look very likely we would be able cut our emissions that rapidly. That’s what we are heading for right now and the forecast is that we’ll be in a zone for extremes past +1.5 C until 2027.

Then, if all goes well, the El Niño will have been replaced by the cooler La Niña and the global average temperature will fall back to normal. Well, to a new normal, say, +1.3 C.

That would be nice. If we have been really efficient about reducing our emissions in the meantime (miracles do happen), we might not see +1.5 C again until the early 2030s. But if we cross some tipping points in the next few years, they won’t go back to “normal” afterwards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.

Join Cardiologist, Dr Danny Malebranch at RIH for an in-person, “hear t-to-hear t” about cardiac care at Royal Inland Hospital Here, Dr Malebranche will provide the public with depar tmental updates and share accounts of the innovative use of technology happening right here in Kamloops

Dr Danny Malebranche graduated from medical school at UBC and specialized in Cardiology at the University of Toronto He continued his education in interventional cardiology at the University of Calgary with advanced structural interventional cardiology training at the University of Bern, in Switzerland He also attended the graduate program in Quality Improvement/Patient Safety at Harvard University Along with his wife, Dr Mary Malebranche, General Internist at RIH, and their three children, Dr Malebranche recently planted roots in Kamloops; bringing a wealth of medical knowledge to our community

To register for FREE, call the RIH Foundation office at 250-314-2325

your

The RIH Foundation stands proudly as CPKC’s 2023 Community

Par tner for the CPKC Women’s Open It is within this meaningful alliance that CPKC will generously MATCH up to $25,000 of all contributions raised through the Kamloops Has Hear t Campaign

These funds will be used to advance life-saving cardiac care at Royal Inland Hospital Together, let’s make a hear tfelt difference in our community

Lorie Kane – CPKC Ambassador

Dr Danny Malebranche

the power of giving from

TRAILBLAZERS CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Same-sex marriage was legalized in B.C. on July 8, 2003. Sixteen days later, Annabree and Natasha

Fairweather made history when they became the first same-sex couple to be married in Kamloops

SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com

The two women behind Kamloops’ first samesex marriage are celebrating their 20-year anniversary.

Annabree and Natasha Fairweather were married on July 24, 2003, just 16 days after B.C. legalized same-sex marriage on July 8, 2003.

The couple met at Safe Spaces youth group, then a federally funded program that had started up in the late 1990s. The program for LGBTQ and 2S (two-spirit) youth between the ages of 12 and 26 is today operated by Interior Community Services

“When I was a young person first coming out, the community was hard to find,” Annabree told KTW. “There were gay dances down at the Old Yacht Club and there were safe spaces and youth support groups … and those things were life lines to me as a young person finding my own way.”

The couple moved from Kamloops shortly after tying the knot, landing in Alberta, where both attended the University of Lethbridge and lived in that city for 16 years before returning to B.C.

They now live in the Lower Mainland.

Natasha said upon arriving in Alberta, the couple quickly found community — and some conflict, encountering an anti-same-sex marriage rally shortly after arriving.

“Annabree and I, newlyweds and new to town, held hands and walked right into the middle of it and we found an amazing group of counterprotesters,” Natasha said.

The two said Lethbridge changed a lot over the course of those 16 years, as many places did.

Having grown up as a gay youth in Kamloops, Annabree said she watched as the city made similar progress, to the point of having its inaugural Pride Parade in 2017, which she said the couple attended in spirit, with many friends still in town involved in planning and seeing it through.

Growing up, however, that progress was a bit harder to see.

Annabree said when dances for gay youth ended at the Old Yacht Club, it was a bittersweet end of an era.

“We recognized that there didn’t need to be secluded gay dances in out-of-the-way spots, all ‘hush-hush’ anymore, because gay people could just go to the bar a little more safely,” she said. “But that was also what was exciting about being a young gay person in the early 2000s.”

Asked for her thoughts on LGBTQ rights these days, Annabree said she has some concerns over the current debate over transgender rights, including drag queen events and “living out loud.”

“Ten years ago, I had a lot more hope about expanding rights and more social supports for queer people and all kinds of spectrums and diversity in people,” Annabree said.

“We’re seeing a lot of backlash at the moment and I don’t know where that’s going, but it is a concern for me and my kids, who live in a queer family.”

Natasha, meanwhile, pointed to the giant magnifying lens that is social media and said the backlash likely appears bigger than it actually is.

“We were recently at Coquitlam’s very first Pride Day event. It was small, but so enthusiastic and it was heartfelt and heartwarming and nothing but love and happiness and good energy,” Natasha said.

To start their family, the couple used artificial insemination to conceive, with each taking a turn carrying a child.

Natasha said the couple had some problems in health care while trying to conceive, but life with kids thereafter has been just like any other family.

Natasha said the couple has asked their kids, who are now 8 and 11, if anyone has ever teased them about having two moms.

“They look at us like we have two heads. It’s just, ‘Why would anyone ever tease us about that?’ The world is just so different now,” she said.

Annabree said the couple’s kids are well supported, with family and extended family around for all of the usual ups and downs that come with life.

After 20 years of marriage, Natasha said the key is to approach every problem together.

“But on a more joking note, the only secret to marriage that I can say is that if you want to have a good marriage, you should have married me,” she said, laughing.

ABOVE: Annabree and Natasha were married in Riverside Park on July 24, 2003, in what was the first same-sex marriage in Kamloops. Same-sex marriage was legalized in B.C. 16 days earlier. The couple contacted about 20 people on the list of marriage commissioners before finding one — Patricia Tait — who would perform the ceremony.

LEFT: The Fairweather family at the July 15 Pride event in Coquitlam.

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NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD

1. Band with the 2021 No. 1 hit ‘‘Butter’’

DOWN

1. ‘‘.?.? is there a reason, though?’’

2. Its name derives from the Washoe for ‘‘lake’’

3. Informal farewell

4. G, in the C scale

5. Hopping joint?

6. Devious sorts

7. Conductor Zubin

8. Asks to join

9. A couple of chips, say

10. Collegiate beaver mascot whose name is its school spelled backward

11. Overseer of Windy City buses and trains, in brief

12. Twitter username

13. Software engineer, for short

14. Chill place to stay?

15. ‘‘Olympia’’ painter

16. Like some winter roads

20. Chinese zodiac animal of 2023

21. Minus

23. AirPods, e.g.

24. National org. that doesn’t actually have an age requirement for membership

28. Designer Schiaparelli

32. Go down in flames

33. Cheri of Hollywood

34. ‘‘Be right with you!’’

36. Wildlife spotted in Haleakala National Park

37. Recede

38. Female 20-Down

40. Negro (Amazon tributary)

42. Certain side wagers informally

45. Silicon Valley, e.g.

46. Angles above 90 degrees?

47. Cat, in Spanish

49. Feature that helps to avoid late penalties

51. Contents of some streaks on cheeks

52. Unflagging

53. Shocked sounds 55. Pottery oven 57. Excavated 59. Poetic lament

WORD SCRAMBLE

61. Sullivan’s opponent in a landmark free speech case: Abbr 62. Stephen K ____, British standup comedian

Alien-film franchise, for short

Prefix with sphere or system

BY REBECCA GOLDSTEIN AND RAFAEL MUSA

ANSWER: EDVOL

CROSSWORD ANSWERS FOUND ON A25

FUN BY THE NUMBERS

puzzles are formatted as a

grid, broken down into

To

3x3

sudoku the numbers 1 through

row,

and

must fill

Each

can appear only once in each

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 easier it gets to solve the puzzle! ANSWERS

WEEKLY COMICS

WEEKLY HOROSCOPES

Sometimes you feel a need to be in charge to prove that you are capable, Aries This week take a back seat and fall in line with the established modus operandi

You may get into the habit of focusing on past mistakes, Taurus This week, instead of falling into old habits, think about how you can grow and learn from your mistakes

Gemini, it ’s time to be sociable and put out feelers for different adventures Make sure you share on social media channels that you’re available and ready to have fun

Cancer, keep track of your mood this week, as it is easy to swing from glad to glum in no time at all Friends can help keep you on a more even keel for the time being

Leo, a refreshing sense of energy comes your way, and you star t to jump head-first into all of those projects that have been pushed aside You’ll sail through tasks in no time flat

An interesting travel oppor tunity comes your way, Virgo However, at first glance it might not seem like the type of trip you would normally take Keep an open mind and be surprised

Treat yourself to something special in the days to come, Libra Perhaps it is a costly fragrance you’ve been spying or a new piece of furniture You earned the indulgence

It ’s time to take your foot off the gas and slow down to a crawl, Scorpio A well deser ved break should be on your itinerar y ; other wise, you may burn through all of your fuel prematurely

Sagittarius, teamwork is the answer right now, especially when your to-do list seems to be growing exponentially Recruit some close confidantes to help you along the way

Make your career a priority this week, Capricorn You may be feeling unsettled where you are now There is no saying where things will go, so exercise caution when making decisions

Aquarius, wanderlust is on your brain You’ve been fantasizing about all of the grand adventures you can take Figure out a way to fund a getaway and get started

Pisces, something profound may have happened to you and you may need to sift through all of your feelings over the next few days Take all the time you need to process

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

BABY BLUES by Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott

of B A D Games Inc dba Fun & Games of the City of Kamloops in the Province of British Columbia

Notice is hereby given that B A D Games Inc dba Fun & Games filed an Assignment in Bankruptcy on July 13, 2023, and that the First Meeting of Creditors will be held on August 3, 2023 at 11:00 AM, Via Video Conference Contact the Trustee at 250-372-5353 for Video Conference par ticulars

Dated at Kelowna this 14th day of July, 2023

#220 – 1980 COOPER RD KELOWNA, BC V1Y 8K5

HOME CHILD CARE PROVIDER

PERMANENT FULL-TIME

Salar y: $ 16.75 hourly /40 hours a week

Languages : English

Education: Secondar y (high) school graduation cer tificate or equivalent experience

E xperience : 1 year

Work site environment: Non-smoking

Work setting: Employer 's home

Responsibilities Tasks :

• Assume full responsibilit y for household in absence of parents

• Travel with family on trips and assist with the child super vision and housekeeping duties

• Bathe , dress and feed the child

• Discipline children according to the methods requested by the parents

• Instruct the child in personal hygiene and social development

• Maintain a safe and healthy environment in the home

• Organize , activities such as games and outings for the child

• Prepare and ser ve nutritious meals

• Prepare the child for rest periods

• Super vise and care for the child

• Tend to emotional well-being of the child

Contact with resume and cover letter : Eshan Samarakkody (samarakkodyed@gmail com )

LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FULL TIME/PERMANENT

Requirements & Qualifications:

• Experience in a law office or equivalent experience, knowledge in Family Law considered an asset;

• Legal Administrative Assistant certification from an accredited institution, or equivalent education;

• Strong computer skills, including proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office and accounting/ document management software;

• Excellent writing and drafting skills;

• Ability to prioritize wor k and manage time effectively;

• Ability to wor k both independently and a part of a collegial team;

• Strong interpersonal skills professional, courteous and mature character;

• Ability to exercise discretion with sensitive/ confidential matters; and

• Highly dependable and adaptable with great wor k ethic.

Benefits: Competitive compensation

Health Benefits: extended health, dental, life

Paid Time Off: vacation and sick days

Schedule: Monday to Friday (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Work Location: In person

Please for ward your resume to lmartin@martinlawyers.ca

INTERESTED? CALL 250-374-0462

COTTONWOOD MANOR (144-unit seniors apartment building on North Shore) needs a FULL-TIME

MAINTENANCE PERSON

Duties include doing routine checks and preventive maintenance on all building and mechanical equipment; looking after plumbing problems such as leaking taps, unclogging and replacing toilets; putting out City of Kamloops bins for garbage and recycling pickup; keeping building and grounds clean and tidy; small electrical repairs and suite renovations; changing filters on HVAC units; drywall repairs, snow removal and miscellaneous other duties A criminal record check is required

Please send resume to #307 – 730 Cottonwood Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2B 8M6 or email to info@cottonwoodmanor.ca

SEEKING A JUNIOR ASSOCIATE/ ARTICLING STUDENT TO JOIN OUR FIRM

WITH A FOCUS ON CHILD PROTECTION MATTERS

Education Requirements:

• Law Degree (LL.B/J.D.) from an accredited law school

• In good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia

Find detailed infor mation about this position on our website: www.martinlawyers.ca

Benefits:

Competitive compensation commensurate with experience

• Ongoing professional development

• Dental

• Employee Assistance Program

• Extended health Care

• Life Insurance

• On-Site par king

Please for ward your resume to lmartin@martinlawyers.ca

CAUTION

While we tr y to ensure all adver tisements appearing in Kamloops This Week

In Loving Memory of Carole Anne Kay

May 9, 1938 – July 28, 2015

Carole was born in Vancouver, BC and shortly after birth, her family moved to Edmonton, AB

She completed High School and graduated from Business College in 1957.

She was a very happy person, who liked to cook and who loved dogs. She enjoyed making special treats and cakes in the Festive Season for family and friends.

Her favorite places for holidays were Hawaii and Las Vegas

She will always be remembered and missed by her sister, two sisters-in-law, a brother-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews. She will always be remembered by family, friends and her best friend, her husband Robert (DEN)

Ask DRAKE

Drake Smith, MSW Funeral Director

Every Wednesday in KTW!

Q What if I want my ashes to be buried in my country of birth?

A There are at least two things to consider Firstly, how to get them there Some countries have involved procedures for shipping. Secondly, how to secure the plot in your homeland. Again, there are rules and procedures We can help if you’d like

Drake Cremation & Funeral Services

210 Lansdowne • 425 Tranquille Rd

250-377-8225

• DrakeCremation com

AFFORDABLE & NO BLACK SUITS

Bob McLean

December 10, 1932 - July 13, 2023

Sadly, we announce the passing of Bob at the age of 90. He is survived by his wife Jean, daughters Deb (lain) Seal, Lori (George) Bali, grandchildren Reid (Vannessa), Andrew, and Catherine (Jayme), great-grandchildren Tait and Olive, as well as his sister Lois and brother Bill. Bob is predeceased by his parents Donald and Maud, and brothers Alastair, Ian, and Red.

Bob loved his family, friends, woodworking, and horses. He will be remembered for his sense of humour, love of the Blue Jays, and a good debate regardless of the topic.

A private family service will be held at a later date. Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated.

Always in our hearts

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

Sukhdeep Singh Sangha

It is with heavy hearts we announce the sudden passing of Sukhdeep Singh Sangha on July 9, 2023.

Sukh “SS” was born in the city of Shimla, India on August 3rd, 1958, and moved to Kamloops, BC in 1964. He was very close to his family and friends. He had a big heart and would do anything for anyone. He will be greatly missed by his mother Harbans Kaur Sangha, sister Sarb Rehal (Kulbir), brother Inder Sangha (Sue) and his beloved daughter Katlyn Sangha, his sons Shane Sangha and Austin Sangha as well as his nephews, nieces, their children and extended family He is predeceased by his father Harbhajan Singh Sangha.

Sukh will be remembered for his charisma, energy, smile and quick wit. He loved cooking up a big breakfast, Sunday football, baseball and took pride in his workmanship on big projects. He could light up a room and had a great way with words.

Funeral services was held on Monday, July 17, 2023.

Eugene William Drobot

It is with great sadness that the family of Eugene (Gene) Drobot announce his passing on July 13, 2023 at Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice home.

Lovingly remembered by his children, Risa (Cory), Travis (Nanette), his brothers Peter (Betty), Ernie, his sister Marie, and his five grandchildren and one great-grandchild as well as numerous other family and friends. Gene was predeceased by his beloved wife, Amber and daughter Gina.

Gene lived a full life, filled with family, music and hard work. He was especially proud of the many homes he built in his 60 years as a homebuilder We shared a lot of laughs together as a family

A celebration of Gene’s life will take place this summer For more information please email r_drobot@hotmail.com

Wayne Henry Thompson

1938 - 2023

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Wayne Henry Thompson of Kamloops, BC, on July 11th, 2023, at 84 years of age. Wayne is survived by his loving wife Bonny, his sister Bernice Harris, special cousin Sharon, sisters-in-law Bernice & Nola, brother-in-law Bernard, several nieces and nephews, and special buddy Bruce Wright. Wayne was predeceased by his parents Marguerite Halliday and Elendur Thompson.

Wayne grew up in Flin Flon, Manitoba, where as a young man he worked in the mines. Later he moved to Kamloops, where he worked in Jack Bell’s Menswear When Jack retired, Wayne took over his business and kept it until he retired in 2000. Wayne was an avid golfer, and it was at the golf course that he met the love of his life, Bonny They were happily united in true love until his passing on July 11th, 2023.

A memorial service for Wayne will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Kamloops Hospice Association.

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

Renate Rosine Mausolf

1929 - 2023

Rennie passed away peacefully Thursday, June 29, 2023 in her beloved home at Paul Lake.

She was predeceased by her husband, Leo in 2013, and she is survived by her sister Erika Bernhart in Germany, many nephews, nieces, and special great niece Merle Bernhart of Germany

Also left to cherish her memory are Al & Donna Schrader & family, Ron & Carol Dacuik, Barry & Lynn Epp, Lawrence Schrader and many, many other friends.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Rennie’s name may be made to a charity of your choice.

A Celebration of Rennie’s life will be held at 12:00 pm on Sunday, July 23, 2023 in the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive.

“Auf

Wiedersehen!” Sweet Fraulein

Condolences may be sent to the family from www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

250-554-2577

In Loving Memory of Sally Marguerite Ferguson

Sally was born in Ottawa, Ontario on June 17, 1952.

She was residing in Kamloops when she peacefully departed, surrounded by her loved ones at the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice. She had been fighting cancer and in the face of her illness Sally’s unwavering love of her garden and her 17 year old cat KD remained steadfast.

Sally is survived by her mother Edna Caroline Ferguson of Kamloops, her sister Susan Carr of Port Moody (niece Meghan/ Shaun and nephew Ted), brother Tim Ferguson of Surrey (spouse Vicki, nephews Max and Tristan).

Predeceased by lifelong partner Joe Valin of Logan Lake, father John Ferguson “Fergy” of Kamloops, brothers Charlie “Chuck” of Revelstoke and Dave “Jack” of Vancouver

Sally was a graduate “Abby High“ (Abbottsford). She also attended BCIT She was a travel agent, a realtor and a restaurateur

She loved working at thrift shops and did volunteer work at Flutter Buys Thrift Store where proceeds go to Kamloops Hospice Association.

She had a passion for horses and her favourite was Allie, whom she adored.

Sally will be remembered as a sweet, caring, kind-hearted woman. She had a quick wit with a hint of dark humour that created hilarity

She was a vibrant, beautiful, creative spirit and she brought us so much joy Sally was a “Jacquie” of all trades and mastered all she touched. From power tools, mowers and saws to delicate paint brush strokes and a delicious olive oil cake. She breathed creativity and had patience and observance of a saint for her animals. They loved her back.

Her passion was also for design, staging, decorating and landscaping, Where she transformed the mundane into fabulous, and magical spaces through her ability to layer

Halloween and Christmas, were extra special, Sally would create anticipation and delight. She was a consummate visual artist.

Her themed parties were a thrill! She had curated decor, playlist and cocktails planned to perfection and we danced in Joe and Sally’s basement in Logan Lake. She designed and built the bar herself. Tons of cherished memories were had here.

Sally was a treasure and a pleasure and her memories will live on in all her scrapbooks and in our hearts.

A private gathering of friends and neighbours will be held later

She will be laid to rest in the Whispering Pines Cemetery in Logan Lake.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Marjorie Willoughby Hospice and/or a horse rescue organization of your choice.

Condolences maybe sent to DrakeCremation.com

Edna Alice Decker

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Edna Alice Decker on July 7th, 2023 in Kamloops, BC.

She was predeceased by her husband and is survived by four children, ten grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. After she said her goodbyes, she died peacefully in her sleep. The memories of her life will forever live on in our hearts.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 26th, 2023 at her daughter's home in Kamloops. Contact swestervelt@gmail.com for details.

Fly Me

He understands every mode of force

He knows what’s true of the elements

He is subtle but genuine at lift off and landing

He is an airplane ride blowing through the clouds

He is an airplane window that reveals a whole dimension

He is a propeller to delve farther deep into the universe like fractals

He is an airplane grounded in the sky mighty with fuel

He is an airplane engine efficient, sustaining and swift

He is a wing of a plane that stabilizes my lift

He has an open storage to keep the baggage balanced on flight He has a trap door that releases the body of pain

He has a water tank to keep the peace

Here is a safe place to crash

A ride in the sky at night reveals a bright shiny movement

You, my plane, are visible to the naked eye in each spectrum

by Kathy Ruth Manongdo

Written on Father’s Day 2010

Am I your passenger?

Am I your wingman?

Am I your baggage?

Am I your well oiled engine?

Am I your wing?

Am I your lift in the air?

Am I your propeller that thrusts you to a new dimension?

I am all that you shape me to be

You have a windshield view exposing the picture beyond

Only you fit the pilot’s seat

As your hands and feet heart and eyes are trained to work the plane

You know every part and how to fix it

You are navigating by the spirit

You belong to a solid tender heart and so accepted as firm to soar

You’re worth the shiniest mint coins and bills in circulation and so loved

Your competence as an airplane secures my place

For more experiences with you

Will you invite me onboard?

Psalms 91:4 says, “He shall cover you with His feathers, And under his wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler”