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Volume 7 Issue 31
Locals chalk rainbow crosswalk after Council rejection by EVAN MATTHEWS Although Valemount’s Village Council decided to reject the rainbow crosswalk, some members of the community are showing their support to the LGBTQ2 community. Organized by Kim Duncan, Susanna Gasser and Nicole
Dryden, a group of at least 50 strong gathered at the site of the proposed rainbow crosswalk, and coloured it in a rainbow pattern with chalk. “We want to make sure everyone knows they’re accepted,” says Duncan. “Even though Valemount’s administration didn’t want the crosswalk, everyone in
the community should be accepted.” During the peaceful protest, Valemount RCMP made an appearance, telling protestors to stop their colouring, as the demonstration constituted public mischief and the rainbow was graffiti of Village of Valemount property.
Mandy McMinn is a homosexual woman living in Valemount who initially proposed the rainbow crosswalk with her spouse and partner, Gail Burbidge. McMinn, who is just over 50 years old, says she has faced a lot of judgment in her life because of her sexual orientation, and it Cont’d on A07
Community reacts A05
Music Festival Feature! A08-9 Photo courtesy Ryan Smith
Fire threatens campers
A water bomber was called in to help with the containment of a slash pile fire near Km12 at Kinbasket Lake on Saturday as there were many campers in the vicinity. See story A10.
New McBride trail opens A02 Listings on P15!
Prince George
Pokemon Goers rattle locals by EVAN MATTHEWS
While many people have been busy playing the new video game, Pokémon Go, some others have decided to say, “Pokémon? No”. Monica Rohatynchuk, a McBride resident, says too many people have been trespassing on her family’s property, and all
because of the game. Pokémon Go is a free-to-play, location-based, virtual reality game developed by Niantic for smart devices, according to the company’s website, and the game was initially released in selected countries in July 2016. The game allows people to travel around the real world, hunting and catching Pokémon
with the camera on their smart device, but the game doesn’t differentiate between private and public property. “Where we’re located, our driveway is half a kilometer long,” says Rohatynchuk. One car pulled into their driveway, and left, according to Rohatynchuk, and then a second.
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“Then there was a third vehicle, but this one came all the way down our driveway — right to the front door of our house,” says Rohatynchuk. Rohatynchuk’s husband wasn’t having any of it, she says, while describing him as being perturbed. “He went outside and this
Cont’d on A06