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TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
Nicola Mining moving head office from Vancouver to Merritt Keith Lacey ABERDEEN PUBLISHING
Peter Espig is so confident about the future of the mill facility at the Craigmont Mine site that he’s packing up his Vancouver office and hopes to be moved in to his new office in Merritt before the mill begins operations in early May. “Especially in smaller communities like Merritt, in order to be accepted into the community, it’s my belief you have to become part of the community,” said Espig, the president and chief executive officer with Nicola Mining Inc. “We’re in the process of clearing out our head office in Vancouver and in the process of moving everything
and opening up shop in Merritt.” Espig, who has worked in mining and heavy industry in numerous countries around the world, said his company is thrilled about ramping up production at the Craigmont Mine site milling operation starting the first week in May. The plan was originally to begin production in the middle of April, but those plans were put on hold after a “huge snow dump” covered the Merritt area a few weeks ago. Things have changed significantly at the Craigmont Mine site, which decades ago was the largest open pit copper mine on the planet, said Espig. The huge mill complex, which he estimates to be a “$50 mil-
lion asset” has only been used at full production for seven months since it was built, from the fall of 2012 until 2013, and the ability to purchase this state-of-the-art facility at a reasonable price is certainly good news for his burgeoning mining company, said Espig. Nicola Mining’s 200 tonne per day mill will undergo modifications that will allow it to gravity separate fine free gold, prior to floating the remaining material in floatation tanks. It will begin in early May, and he expects it to take roughly four months before full production can be achieved, said Espig. Nicola Mining’s mill is situated on 900 acres and was constructed to allow floatation
expansion, and is fed by a primary crushing circuit that has a 500-tonne daily capacity, he said. On the Nicola Mining website, it states the company has invested $8 million in the cost of the land, $21.6 million for the cost of the mill and related infrastructure, and $1.8 million for the cost of the construction of a fully-lined tailings facility. Nicola Mining has signed deals with four high-grade gold producers in British Columbia and the goal is to mill quality product every day, he said. “There are a lot of low-grade, high-volume production facilities in this province,” he said. “We want to produce low-volume, high-grade gold that provides outstanding value to the market.”
There will be roughly 10 full-time production staff at the site when milling begins and he expects that number to double once full production targets are met within four or five months, said Espig. “I tend to be a perfectionist … and very meticulous,” he said. “I don’t want to ramp things up too quickly until we know exactly how things work and we can eliminate mistakes. There are always going to be things that go wrong when you ramp up a large facility like this, but our company will focus on getting everything right and running smoothly before we ramp up towards full production.”
See ‘Company’ Page 2
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NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
Company president looking forward to ramping up production From Page 1 Nicola Mining will concentrate solely on gold being found and mined in British Columbia, he said. “We’re a B.C. mining company and we will be focusing only on the B.C. mining industry,â€? he said. “There’s already enough mill operations handling gold in other provinces and the United States ‌ we are very confident we will be able to concentrate solely on the B.C. market.â€? Concentrating solely on the B.C. market also makes sense from a regulatory perspective as he’s been doing business in this province for many years and knows most of the rules and regulations dealing with government and First Nation concerns, said Espig. Moving the company’s headquarters to Merritt will allow him to get a quick read on the business climate in this community and make connections much easier than working out of Vancouver, said Espig. “The best way to address concerns and answer questions is to be right there in town or at the worksite,â€? he said. Espig said he’s looking forward to having a successful and profitable operation at the Craigmont Mine site for many years to come. “People ask me if I get excited, but that’s not how I operate,â€? he said. “I get excited when I watch my kids play sports and spend time with my family. “When it comes to getting this business up and running,
I know a lot needs to be done and I’m focused on that. A big part of my career has been jumping in to fix failing businesses and I’m ready and willing to take on this challenge. I wouldn’t call it exciting, but I am looking forward to it. This is what I do and I’m ready to make this happen.�
City’s police costs to rise commodation costs and a contribution from the federal government. As a city with a population between 5,000 and 14,999, Merritt pays 70 per cent of its total policing costs. RCMP staff Sgt. Sheila White said that Merritt officers haven’t received a raise in pay since 2014.
Michael Potestio THE MERRITT HERALD
A wage increase for RCMP officers is expected to contribute to an estimated three-per-cent increase in police costs to the City of Merritt this year. Shiela Thiessen, director of finance for the city, told the Herald that the city’s contract costs for RCMP in 2015 were $1.69 million. The three-per-cent increase means the city can expect to pay about $1.74 million this year. She said the city budgeted $1.89 million for RCMP contract costs last year. The city budgets for the 15 municipal officers it has, and costs can vary if the detachment is operating shorthanded. According to a recently-released report from the Auditor General for Local Government, the City of Merritt’s net contract costs for its
reporter@merrittherald.com RCMP were approximately $1.45 million in 2010-11, $1.50 million in 2011-12, $1.79 million in 2012-13 and $1.69 million in 201314. The AGLG report shows that net contract costs vary year-to-year based on the regular-strength pay for the city’s members, the amount of overtime paid out, ac-
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NICOLA VALLEY NEWS Find the Herald online
Lifelong Merritt resident inducted into B.C. Country Music Hall of Fame Keith Lacey ABERDEEN PUBLISHING
Ron Sanders can’t play a lick of guitar and admittedly doesn’t sing well, but his influence on making the City of Merritt the country music capital of Canada is immense and he received a very special honour for his many contributions this past weekend in Vancouver. Sanders was officially inducted into the Builders Category at the British Columbia Country Music Hall of Fame this past Sunday at a special presentation in Langley. “I just found out about a month ago and it came as a complete surprise, but a very pleasant one,” said a humble Sanders in an interview at the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame late last week. “When the lady who called me told me the news, I told her I wasn’t sure if I should qualify, but she said the entire board approved the nomination unanimously, so I graciously accepted.” Sanders has been at the forefront of the country music scene in Merritt for most of his adult life. When he hasn’t been running his successful construction company, Sanders and Company, he’s dedicated literally tens of thousands of hours to various programs, committees, festivals and organizations. “I grew up around
Ron Sanders (right) was inducted into the BCCMA Hall of Fame this past Sunday in Langley under the builders category. Pictured here with him as he receives his commemorative plaque is BCCMA representative Terry Gray. Photo courtesy of Dee Lppingwell
country music, and I certainly knew all the songs and old artists, but I couldn’t play and most people wouldn’t want to hear me sing,” said Sanders. “I guess my first serious involvement was helping set up the original Merritt Mountain Music Festival … I was involved in that from day one. “The entrance to the original site was located right near to some property I own and I got really involved with the Merritt Mountain Festival during its entire run of more than 20 years.” In the early days of that festival, organizers came up with the idea of having the headline artists donate hand prints to commemorate their participation in the festival, said
Sanders. After about a decade of collecting the handprints of artists, there was really no place or plan of what to do with them, he said. “One day, the local chamber of commerce contacted me and said they wanted to do something with them and maybe come up with a plan to bring them downtown,” said Sanders. It took him roughly 18 months to collect the dozens of handprints and a plan was hatched to encase them in sidewalks throughout the downtown core, he said. A community board of directors was formed and they agreed to install about 30 of these handprints in sidewalks downtown, however, that didn’t
work out well as several local residents fell and slipped after stepping on them that first winter, he recalled. The board then decided to bring in local log home builder John Boyes, who helped come up with a plan to build stands that could be erected on local buildings, and more than 75 of those handprints are now on display across the city, he said. Sanders played a central role in the country music mural program that has seen murals of famous country artists who have performed in Merritt erected across the city. Sanders also became heavily involved over the years in working with artists, agents and industry insiders, and he
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became a key player when the idea of having Merritt become home to the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame was first discussed. Sanders recalled it took a three-year legal battle to have the Hall of Fame moved from Calgary to Merritt. The opening of the Hall of Fame more than five years ago was one of his proudest moments as a longtime resident and country music fan, said Sanders. Sanders is confident the Hall of Fame will only grow and attract more people to Merritt in future years. “The potential of this place hasn’t come close to being realized yet,” he said. “We’re still working on the facility and we’ve got a lot of work to do to get
New
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it to where it needs to be.” Having a full-time staff member to market and promote the Hall of Fame across the province and across Canada would be a giant step forward and he and the local Canadian Country Music Heritage Society are trying to secure funding to make this happen, he said. Sanders said he’s already working in tandem with Kenny Hess, the organizer of the Rockin’ River Fest, set to return for a second year to Merritt in late July, and he hopes this new festival can become a mainstay for years to come. Sanders brought his wife Shelley, son Adam, daughter Rachael and one grandchild, as well as several good friends from Merritt, to Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. When asked what his finest memories are from more than four decades of working in the country music industry, Sanders said his close association with artists and industry members stands out. “I’m proud of the fact that I can call up virtually any artist I’ve ever worked with and they have no problem picking up the phone and talking to me,” he said. “I also have great connections with industry people and have never made enemies in the business. “I guess that’s what I’m most proud of.”
INSIDE Opinion --------------------- 6-7 Sports ------------------------- 9 Classifieds ----------------- 11
REMEMBER WHEN? From the Herald archives: October, 1997
HIGHWAY CRASH CLAIMS FIVE LIVES British Columbians are still asking themselves why the highway tragedy that claimed the lives of five adults even happened. Police are still shaking their heads as to the cause behind the worst accident in the history of the Coquihalla Highway. A few kilometres south of Merritt shortly before 5 p.m. last Wednesday, a twovehicle collision caused a tragic, almost instantaneous fire, that proved fatal for two seniors from the Bridge Lake area near 100 Mile House and three residents from Burnaby. Early investigation indicated that a burgundy colored Dodge Caravan, carrying Burnaby residents failed to negotiate a right hand curve in the southbound lane and drifted through the median ditch into the oncoming northbound traffic.
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City Calendar April 12, 7pm Regular Council Meeting City Hall April 17, 8 - 4 pm Free Disposal Day Lower Nicola Eco-Depot April 21, 7pm Nicola Naturalist Society Monthly Meeting, NVIT
City of Merritt
CITY
page
City will conduct second annual Business Walk on May 3
April 22 - April 24 Ladies Volley Fest CMS & MSS April 26, 7pm Regular Council Meeting City Hall April 27 Mayor Drop-In Session City Hall May 6 Dive-in Movie N.V. Aquatic Centre May 7 Mother’s Day High Tea Baillie House May 7 - 8 Spring Into Action Baseball Tournament Central Park May 12 Susan Aglukark Concert Civic Centre May 13 & 14 City Movie Nights Civic Centre Council meetings can also be streamed live online at: http://www. merritt.ca/live-streaming-councilmeetings Recordings of the City of Merritt’s council meetings can also be seen on Shaw Cable (Channel 10) on Thursdays and Sundays at 11:00 a.m See past council decisions at: http:// www.merritt.ca/city-council/councilmeeting-decisions
City staff, chamber members, members of council and volunteers will visit dozens of local businesses Keith Lacey ABERDEEN PUBLISHING
The inaugural Business Walk held in the City of Merritt 15 months ago was a relative success, but the organizer of the second walk in early May is confident there will be much greater response this time around. The first Business Walk, held in January of 2015, was organized by Community Futures Nicola Valley, and included the City of Merritt and the Merritt Chamber of Commerce as partners. On Tuesday, May 3, the City of Merritt is “leading the charge” as city staff will be joined by members of city council and community members who will visit dozens of local businesses to talk about “what the City is doing effectively, how the City can improve and to share available recourses,” said Will George, the town’s new Business and Economic Development manager. “The goal of the Business Walk is to increase the communication between the City of Merritt and the business community,” said George. “Over the next few weeks leading up the Business Walk on May 3, we will be reporting back to the community with a status on items that were brought up from the 2015 Business Walk,” he said. “This year, we have set the appropriate time to implement the walk and we will follow
this up by reporting our results to the public.” Originally started in Sacramento, California, the Business Walk program has been adopted by numerous municipalities throughout British Columbia, said George. The program was initially started in this province by the Central Okanagan Regional District (CORD) and is now part of many community’s economic development outreach program across the province in such places as Vernon, Kelowna, Hope and Osoyoos. The town of Oliver recently held its inaugural Business Walk program. George is confident the local business community will respond well to the second Business Walk in early May. “We would like to see the Business Walk be an annual event here in Merritt to not only dedicate time for meeting with our local business owners, but also to gather important information regarding the current state of businesses in Merritt and provide required resources,” he said. All local businesses will have the opportunity to participate in the survey being conducted as part of the Business Walk program. George noted he was involved assisting in the 2015 Business Walk program in Fort St. James and other Northern Municipalities during his previous position with Northern Development Initiative Trust and will be bringing
knowledge from what has worked in past Business Walks across BC. “The whole idea is to improve communication between the city and the local business community,” said George. “We want the business leaders to know that we’re interested in helping them and we’re interested in what they have to say.” While it would be nice to be able to visit every single business in the city, that’s not realistic in one day, but the goal of visiting businesses in each business sector certainly is and will be a priority on May 3, said George. Once the Business Walk is completed, Economic Development department will gather information and prepare a detailed report that will be available to business owners and members of the public. The city will also release an official press release about the most important findings from the event, said George. If they don’t receive a personal visit on May 3, they can still download the survey by downloading the questionnaire online (it will be posted online until April 26). Businesses across a variety of sectors of industry sectors will be contacted during the walk to insure the sample reflects the diversity of business in Merritt, said George. To ensure your business is contacted during the 2016 Business Walk or to volunteer, contact George at city hall at 250-378-4224.
2185 Voght Street, Box 189, Merritt, BC, V1K1B8 | Phone 250-378-4224 | Fax: 250-378-2600 | email: info@merritt.ca | www.merritt.ca
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VIEWPOINT EDITORIAL
What would a Syrian peace deal look like ? After the Syrian army recaptured the city of Palmyra from Islamic State weeks ago, US State Department spokesman John Kirby admitted that the liberation GWYNNE DYER The international of the ancient STAGE city was a “good thing.” But he could not resist adding: “We’re also mindful, of course, that the best hope for Syria and the Syrian people is not an expansion of [President] Bashar alAssad’s ability to tyrannise the Syrian people.” This was entirely in line with the longstanding US policy of seeking to destroy both Islamic State and the Syrian government (i.e. the Assad regime) at the same time. But that was never more than wishful thinking, especially as the United States was quite sensibly determined not to commit its own ground troops to the conflict. If the Syrian army actually had collapsed (as was looking quite likely before the Russians intervened to save it last September), nothing could have prevented Islamic State and the rival Islamist forces of the Nusra Front from taking the whole country. They might then have fought each other for control, but all of Syria would have ended up under extreme Islamist rule. But the opposite is not true. The revival of the Syrian army, and even its reconquest of Palmyra, does not mean that the Assad regime can destroy Islamic State, let alone regain control of the whole country. Nor does Russia have any intention of helping President Assad to pursue such an ambitious goal, as Moscow made clear by withdrawing most of the Russian combat aircraft from Syria two weeks ago. Russia’s strategy has been more modest and realistic from the start. It was to restore the military stalemate that had persisted until the spring of 2015, and to convince the remaining nonIslamist rebel groups that they had no chance of somehow riding to power on the coattails of an Islamist victory over the Assad regime.
See ‘No decisive victory’ Page 7
Publisher Theresa Arnold publisher@ merrittherald.com
Eliminate barriers to inter-provincial trade By: MP Dan Albas Chances are by now you have heard federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau use the well-worn talking point “grow the economy” often in reference to more debt being added in the Liberal 2016 budget then was promised during the October election. I mean no disrespect towards our Liberal Finance Minister but what if we could grow our economy without adding billions more in new debt? The reality is there is a way and that way is to further eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers to the Canadian economy. As much as the 2016 federal
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budget references international trade deals such as the CanadaEuropean Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement and further mentions the opportunities of the Trans Pacific Partnership, it is largely silent on the importance of expanding internal trade. This is a disappointing oversight considering that internal trade is valued at $366 billion — roughly 20 per cent of Canada’s GDP. More concerning is that in 2014 Canadian Premiers at the Council of the Federation conference announced a new Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) would be concluded by March of 2016. Unfortunately
during the month of March when Canadian Premiers should have been finalizing the details on a new internal trade agreement the Prime Minister derailed the discussion in attempting to force his national carbon pricing agenda in Vancouver. Canadians now know these discussions ultimately revealed the extent that provinces will agree to disagree as Premiers have different views on how best to defend respective provincial interests. Currently no Liberal minister has internal trade referenced in a mandate letter and the Prime Minister has been silent on the March deadline passing by with no
Reporter Michael Potestio reporter@ merrittherald.com
RANITE AVE., PO BOX 9, MERRITT, B.C. PHONE (250) 378-4241
Sports writer Ian Webster sports@ merrittherald.com
announced new Agreement on Internal Trade on the horizon. With some estimates suggesting internal trade barriers cost the Canadian economy as much as $50 billion annually it’s important for the government to work with provincial leaders to reach a new agreement. A new Agreement on Internal Trade will help grow our economy without adding billions of new debt. This is a priority that many Canadians can agree on.
Dan Albas is the Conservative Member of Parliament for the CentralOkanagan-Similkameen-Nicola riding.
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FAX (250) 378-6818
Copyright subsists in all display advertising in this edition of the Merritt Herald. Permission to reproduce in any form, must be obtained in writing from the publisher. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.
This Merritt Herald 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 contact newsroom@merrittherald.com or call (250) 378-4241. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at www.mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.
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OPINION No decisive victory for any side They haven’t a prayer of getting such a sweet deal, but the Russians are putting pressure on Assad to come up with a formula of words, however vague, that will persuade them to accept amnesty and come in from the cold without losing too much face. The Islamists, although largely surrounded and blockaded, will not be defeated any time soon by military force, but they are growing weaker and may fall to fighting among themselves. And the Syrian Kurds, the only American allies on the ground in Syria, will probably manage to hold on to the long strip of territory they control along the border with Turkey. However, they may have to settle for being an “autonomous province� within Syria if they wish to avoid a Turkish invasion. President Vladimir Putin’s goal was to isolate the Islamists and reconcile the rest of the rebels with the Assad regime, and it is well on the way to accomplishment. It will not be a happy ending for any of the groups involved in the Syrian civil war, but it is the least bad outcome that can now be realistically imagined. It will not put an end to all the fighting on Syrian territory. Not all the refugees will want to come home to such a country, and the terrorism abroad will continue. (But then, it would continue even if Islamic State disappeared – you don’t need a state to plan terrorist attacks.) When no decisive victory is possible for any side, it makes sense to stop as much of the shooting as possible.
From Page 6 This hope was as delusional as the American policy in Syria. By mid 2015 between 80 percent and 90 percent of the Syrian rebels actively fighting the Assad regime belonged to Islamic State or to alQaeda’s Syrian franchise, the Nusra Front, and its Islamist allies in Ahrar alSham. Moreover, the remainder of the rebels, the nonfanatics or socalled “moderates�, were mostly allied to the Nusra Front. This curious alliance came to pass mostly because the Nusra Front wanted to avoid the American and “coalition� bombs that were falling on Islamic State. So it created a broader alliance called the “Army of Islam� that wrapped these small “moderate� groups around the Islamist core, and the United States fell for it. Or at least American propaganda fell for it. The Russians cheerfully bombed all these forces indiscriminately, making no distinction between Islamists and the allies of Islamists. The United States ritually condemned the attacks on the latter groups (always described as “moderates�), and the Russians cheerfully ignored that too. And after five months, when most of the “moderates� had been persuaded that they were never going to gain power through an alliance with the Islamists, Moscow proposed a ceasefire that would include the “moderates� but exclude the Islamists. That ceasefire has now been in effect for almost a month. The negotiators for these moderate groups are still demanding the departure of Assad from power as the price of a permanent ceasefire. ORIES D-DAY MEM3 PAGE
ORGA
Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.
PAGE 4
HERALD MERRITT Runners convene for Merritt race
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Median heat The Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations in conjunction with VSA Highway Maintenance conduct a prescribed burn of grasses in the median of the Coquihalla Highway north and south of Merritt on Friday (April 8). Michelle Siddall/Herald
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8 • TUESDAY, April 12, 2016
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NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
Merritt
Fire at Tolko could have been worse
April 19
Michael Potestio THE MERRITT HERALD
A fire that broke out in a pile of wood waste at the Tolko mill on Friday could have been worse than it was when neighbouring piles of logs caught fire. Flames were visible from the top of the wood-waste pile, which grew when gusts of wind picked up. Smoke could be seen billowing towards the neighbouring Claybanks RV Park. Fire Chief Dave Tomkinson told the Herald that the fire was fuelled by the wind and spread to adjacent log decks and grasses along the Coldwater River. “Some embers had flown into the log decks and caught them on fire but they were extinguished,” Tomkinson said. Mill staff began
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The flames broke out in a pile of wood waste just before 4 p.m. on Friday (April 8) Michael Potestio/Herald
trying to extinguish the flames before the fire department’s arrival. Co-ordinated efforts by the mill’s staff and the fire department mitigated the potential for major destruction when the log decks caught fire.
The Merritt Fire Rescue Department arrived on scene at about 4 p.m. A total of 22 firefighters and most of the department’s vehicles responded to the blaze. Firefighters were on scene until about 7:30 p.m.
The cause of the blaze was spontaneous combustion. The temperature in Merritt on Friday was in the mid 20’s. Tomkinson said there was no other damage reported nor any injuries.
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NCAA’s March Madness had Merritt connection Ian Webster THE MERRITT HERALD
As millions of hoops enthusiasts tuned in last month for the NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball championships — appropriately named March Madness — few viewers would have known that one of the prominent participants has very close ties to the Nicola Valley. Suiting up for the Oregon State Beavers in their run to the women’s Final Four in Indianapolis was six-foot six-inch senior Ruth Hamblin from Houston, B.C. Hamblin is the grand-daughter of longtime Merritt resident Mike Capp and his former wife, Gloria. Hamblin’s mother, Shirley, is one of five Capp children (along with Cindy, Mike Jr., Pat and Justin) that were born and raised on the family ranch at Spius Creek, 20 km west of of the city off Hwy. 8. After graduating from Merritt Secondary School and earning a degree in Forestry, Shirley moved up north to work in the Bulkley Valley region. It’s there that she met and married Lance Hamblin, and where their daughter, Ruth, was born. Growing up in relative isolation on a cattle ranch outside Houston, B.C., the young Hamblin’s days were kept busy with chores and the minding of animals. She didn’t even pick up a basketball until she was in the ninth grade at tiny Houston Christian Secondary. Once she found her way onto a court, however, she was hooked. Despite the remoteness of her location and the diminutive size of her school, Hamblin led tiny Houston Christian to two B.C. single A girls’ titles during her four seasons of prep basketball. Her Grade 12 graduating class in 2012 had all of 10 students. Hamblin’s physical attributes, basketball proficiency, intellect and leadership caught the attention of more than a few college recruiters on both sides of the border. Ultimately, she chose Oregon State, a public institution of some 30,000 students located in Corvallis, Ore. The Beavers play in the highly-competitive Pac-12 athletic conference against powerhouse teams such as UCLA, USC, Stanford and Arizona. Hamblin quickly proved herself to be a gifted student — both on and off the basketball court. She earned the nickname The Canadian Hammer because of her defensive prowess and shot-blocking skills on the hardwood, while maintaining a 3.84 GPA in the classroom studying mechanical engineering. In her school bio, Hamblin credited her rural childhood and early morning chores for her willpower, dedication and perseverance. “She has all of the grit and determination,” Hamblin’s dad is quoted as saying. “Once she makes up her mind, get out of her way.” In her freshman year at OSU, Hamblin played in 28 games, averaging 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds. She converted an impressive 50 per cent of her shots from the floor (tops on the team), and recorded 32 blocks on the season (third-best in Oregon State freshman history). In Hamblin’s sophomore season, the acco-
ages rose to 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.03 blocks per game. The honours kept coming in 2014-15, as Hamblin was named a third-team AllAmerican, and Pac-12 Media Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Her scoring proficiency climbed to 12.9 points per game, and her career total of 295 blocked shots became the most in her school’s history. Along with guard Jamie Weisner, Hamblin led the Beavers to their first-ever Pac-12 title. In the conference championship game against UCLA, the Houston, B.C. native netted 23 points and pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds. While all the numbers have yet to be crunched, and the final awards handed out, Hamblin has saved her best for the fourth and final season of her distinguished NCAA basketball career. She helped lead the Beavers to a 32-4 record and a run all the way to the Final Four. En route, Oregon State upset Baylor 60-57 in a thrilling buzzer-beater at the West Regionals on March 28. At the Final Four showdown in Indianapolis, Hamblin and her OSU team faced number-one-ranked University of Connecticut (36-0) in one of two semi-finals. Going in, the Huskies had won 10 national titles in their history, and made the Final Four the last nine seasons in a row. Despite a valiant effort by Hamblin and her teammates, the Beavers were humbled by the vaunted Huskies 80-51. It was UConn’s 74th consecutive victory spanning three seasons. Two days later, the Huskies disposed of Syracuse in similar fashion, 82-51, to win their fourth NCAA title in as many years. While Hamblin’s college basketball career may be over, she has much to look forward to. She is expected to be drafted by the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and she is very much on the radar for the Canadian women’s national team, if not for the Rio Olympics, then most certainly in four year’s time. “She is right in there, part of the mix in terms of our top 15 or 16,” national team coach Lisa Thomaidis told sports writer Howard Tsumura for his feature story on Hamblin in the April 3 edition of the Province newspaper. “Her time is coming.” Others might say that Ruth Hamblin’s time has already arrived. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(Photos, clockwise from top right) Ruth Hamblin celebrates a Pac-12 title. Putting up a shot for the Beavers. With her parents — mom, Shirley Capp, and dad, Lance Hamblin. Conferring with OSU head coach Scott Rueck. Playing prep ball for Houston Chrisitan Secondary at the B.C. high school championships. Chosen as a scholar-athlete by the Province newspaper in her 2012 graduation year. Photos courtesy of Ruth Hamblin Blog, Oregon State University Athletics and Vancouver Province newspaper.
lades and awards began to pile up. She was named to numerous all-conference teams, and set a Pac-12 single-season record with
141 blocked shots. She also pulled down 299 rebounds over the course of 35 games, the fourth-most in OSU history. Hamblin’s aver-
In an interesting anecdote about Hamblin, she and a group of her fellow mechanical engineering students were required to build a small-scale rocket for one of their classes. When it came to constructing a parachute for the rocket’s return to Earth, Hamblin volnteered for the task and handmade one on her sewing machine. Hamblin’s academic achievements at Oregon State University have drawn the interest of NASA. Anyone wishing to learn much more about Ruth Hamblin’s incredible journey from a small-town B.C. girl to an international star on the basketball court can visit ruthhamblin.com/blog/ and read her inspiring story.
10 • TUESDAY, April 12, 2016
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SPORTS
O’Donovan receives Aboriginal Youth Excellence Award Ian Webster THE MERRITT HERALD
Fifteen-year-old Sunshine O’Donovan from Merritt was one of 12 aboriginal youth from across B.C. honoured in Victoria on March 21. Each of the dozen youngsters, who ranged in age from 13 to 23, was presented with the Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sports in recognition of their extraordinary athletic accomplishments and commitment to their community. Making the awards presentations to the six young men and women was B.C. Premier Christy Clark. The ceremony took place during the Gathering Our Voices conference in Victoria. The 12 recipients crossed the stage in front of 2,000 of their peers at the national Indigenous youth summit in the provincial capital. O’Donovan received the award because of her excellent achievement in the sport of target shooting — spe-
cifically .22 rifle, and air pistol and air rifle. She is one of the youngest medalists in these events in B.C. and competed in the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in 2014. O’Donovan is currently in training for the next NAIG championships, scheduled for July, 2017 in Toronto. She is coached by Pat Landals of the Kamloops Target Shooting Association. On April 2 and 3, O’Donovan took part in an identification camp hosted by the KTSA and the Kamloops Indian Band. She was the top shooter there. More than 75 nominations were put forward for the Premier’s Youth Excellence Awards — recognizing those who excelled in performance sport, displayed strong leadership qualities, were committed to higher education, and served as community role models both on and off the field of play. “These awards recognize the best and brightest young Aboriginal athletes in
AWARD WINNER (Left) The Nicola Valley’s Sunshine O’Donovan receives the Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sports from B.C. premier Christy Clark at a ceremony in Victoria on March 21. (Above) O’Donovan, 15, addresses the audience of almost 2,000 at the Gathering Our Voices conference. Photo courtesy of B.C. Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
our province,” Premier Clark said in her speech to the audience. “B.C. has a long and proud tradition of producing world-class athletes, and I hope these awards will inspire many more Aboriginal athletes for generations to come.”
While in Victoria, the 12 award-winners also took part in workshops on nutrition, physical conditioning and mental preparation at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence. O’Donovan said that it was a wonderful
trip — meeting new friends and learning new things. The list of other Aboriginal award winners: Justin Di Stasio (Coquitlam, freestyle wrestling), Rachelle Nielson (Summerland, golf), Samantha Horth
(Surrey, volleyball), Marquesis Haintz (Pitt Meadows, track-andfield, soccer, wrestling), Alicia George-Bailey (Chilliwack, canoekayak), Brandyn Chappell (Chilliwack, jiu-jitsu, basketball, war canoe, kayak),
Riley McLean (Vernon, swimming), Brandon McReynolds (North Van, hockey), Jesse Shade (Campbell River, swimming), Matthew Hans (Kamloops, lacrosse) and Travis Pete (Smithers, x-country skiing, swimming).
Local hockey star plays against Japanese national team Ian Webster THE MERRITT HERALD
For 15-year-old Gillian Moore of Merritt, it was a thrill of a lifetime. The Grade 9 student at Merritt Secondary School and bantam-aged hockey player got to put on her skates and play against the Japanese national women’s team. The exhibition game took place on March 22 in Salmon Arm during the buildup to the World Women’s Hockey Championships, which took place in Kamloops from March 25 to April 5. The Japanese team was using Salmon Arm as their training base, and needed a team to play in preparation for the world championships. They contacted the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers of the Female Major AAA league and they were happy to oblige. Moore, who played this past season for the Kamloops Mystix bantam girls team, was an affiliate with the Lakers at the time and lucked into the
Frozen Four features lots of BCHL alumni ON-ICE FRIENDS Members of the Japanese women’s national team and the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers female midget team gather for a photo following their friendly exhibition game on March 22 in Salmon Arm. Merritt’s Gillian Moore is in the front row, third from the left. Photo submitted
contest. Japan ended up winning 7-0. “Gillian was super impressed with the pace of the game, and their incredible puck movement,” reported Janet Moore, Gillian’s mom. “It was the best hockey experience she’s had so far.” Following the game, the two teams attended a banquet put on by the host community. The two captains exchanged jer-
seys, and Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association president Roy Sakaki (who is well known to Merritt hockey enthusiasts) made a speech, thanking the Japanese team for staying and training in their city. Japan went winless at the 2016 World Championships in Kamloops, losing all five of its games. It lost a two-game relegation series to Switzerland, and will drop down to the
second division for next year’s world championships. Germany will take Japan’s place at the elite level. Moore and fellow Merrittonian Makyla Cooke will both be at a U-16 hockey camp in Salmon Arm this week, along with 120 other girls from around the province. They will compete in a jamboree-style tournament formerly known as the BC Cup.
When the four remaining hockey teams got together in Tampa Bay, Fla. this weekend for the NCAA Division 1 championships, more commonly known as the Frozen Four, there was plenty of representation by former British Columbia Hockey League players. Between them, Quinnipiac, Boston College, North Dakota and Denver had a total of 17 BCHL alumni on their combined rosters. Leading the way was the Quinnipiac Bobcats with 13 players who had spent one or more seasons in the top Junior A league in North America. Denver University had three players and North Dakota one. While there were no former Merritt Centennials on the list, two current BCHL players with ties to the Cents have earned scholarships to Quinnipiac starting in 2017-18. They are present Centennial Nick Jermain and ex-Centennial Ryan Finnegan, who now plays for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. North Dakota defeated Quinnipiac 5-1 in the Frozen Four final.
TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 • 11
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MCILDOON, ROBERT (Bud) June 11, 1920 - April 3, 2016
Son of George and Margaret. Predeceased by brothers Edward, George, Jack, and wife Isobel. Survived by sons Edward/ Doreen, Daniel/Sherri, William/Terry, Bruce/Marilyn, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Bud grew up in Calder, AB. later moving to Victoria BC. Dad and his brothers enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1940. He served overseas in WWII and the Korean conÁict of 1951, retiring in 1965 achieving the rank of Petty OfÀcer 1st Class. Bud then began a career in the HMCS Dockyard as a rigger, retiring in 1982. During those years, he raised his family in Esquimalt and enjoyed the West Coast life. He was an avid Àsherman, hunter and curler as well as a lifetime member of the Chiefs and PO’s Assn., Esquimalt Anglers’ Assn. and Esquimalt Legion. In retirement, Bud spent his summers on Rey Creek Ranch, Logan Lake BC doing what he enjoyed most - utilizing his mechanical skills on the ranch. In winter, he travelled back to the island spending most of his time at Shorts Farm, Saanichton with good friends Stan and Euni.
At Dad’s request there will be no formal service.
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Heavy Duty Machinery
1973 Chev 1/2 Ton, 4x4, 350 motor, 4 speed standard. Flat deck, good shape, good tires. $3,500.00 obo.(250)378-3648
A-Steel Shipping Storage Containers. Used 20’40’45’53’ insulated containers. All sizes in stock. Prices starting under $2,000. Modifications possible doors, windows, walls etc., as office or living workshop etc., Ph Toll free 24 hours 1-866528-7108 or 1-778-298-3192 8am-5pm. Delivery BC and AB www.rtccontainer.com
Misc. for Sale POLE BARNS, shops, steel buildings, metal clad or fabric clad. Complete supply and installation. Call John at 403998-7907; jcameron@advancebuildings.com
Legal Notices
Digging can be a shocking experience if you don’t know where the wires are.
1•800•474•6886 CALL AT LEAST TWO FULL WORKING DAYS BEFORE YOU PLAN TO DIG.
Legal Notices
WAREHOUSE LIEN ACT
In 2014, Bud moved into Gillis House, Merritt BC where he lived comfortably until his passing. Bud enjoyed life and brought laughter and joy to many friends and all who knew him. The family would like to extend special thanks to Bud’s good friend and relative Gord Garthwaite and family for their care, companionship and support during his senior years; as well as staff at Gillis House for their compassionate care.
www.NorwoodSawmills.com/400OT
Participate in an event to help the 4 million Canadians living with arthritis.
Dennis Prowal
The following will be sold to satisfy funds owing to Justin Cormack • $2200.00 Plus storage and all costs incurred by this action.
2006 GMC SIERRA Vin: 1GTHU39D96E283966 Sale date after April 23, 2016 4/16OS_WCCE12
Feb. 16, 1953 - March 26, 2016 Deborah Jane Meier passed away peacefully in the comfort of her own home on Saturday, March 26th, 2016 after a battle with cancer. She was born in New Westminster, BC, later moved to Merritt, BC, and she retired in the Cariboo to the beautiful timber home she and her husband Doug built in Lone Butte BC. Deborah was predeceased by her parents and is survived by her loving husband Doug, her three sons; Joel (Delane), Travis (Sandy) and Ryan (Karla), her stepchildren; Crystelle (John), Lelayneya, and Chad (Ashley), her sisters; Donna, Sherry (Glen) and Sandy as well as her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends. Deborah loved to dance! She taught dancing lessons and enjoyed every moment of it. Later in life she became a care aide because helping people came naturally to her. Deborah was a welcoming, kind and generous person who always put others before herself. Her other passions in life included horseback riding, fishing and gardening. Deborah was a lover of all animals and above all had a great love for her family. She cherished everyone who came into her life and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her. A Gathering of Love will be held for Deborah at 1:00pm, April 23rd in Merritt, BC at the Cadet Hall (1755 Coldwater Avenue) with a reception to follow. In Lieu of flowers please spend some time reminiscing on happy memories of Deborah. Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings, where our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy.
SAWMILLS FROM only $4,397. Make money and save money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info and DVD: 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT or
www.repobc.ca 877-795-7337
12 • TUESDAY, April 12, 2016
www.merrittherald.com
Kamloops SOMETHING G IN IS HAPPENO PS O L AT KAM . DODGE
THE COME FEEL FOR E C N DIFFERE LF! YOURSE
N I S I G N I R P S ! R I A E TH 'S TURN UP THE HEAT!
2015 DODGE CHARGER HELLCAT
LET
$
62 SALE STK ,0 #16 75 126 2
$
45 SALE STK ,6 #16 3 134 0 4
$
89 SALE STK ,9 #16 5 117 0 5
2016 DODGE CHALLENGER R/T
2012 RAM 3500 LARAMIE LONGHORN TRUCK CREW CAB
2016 DODGE CHARGER SRT
2011 DODGE AVENGER SXT
2015 JEEP WRANGLER WILLYS SUV
- HEATED SEATS - FOG LIGHTS
- MANUAL
45,000KMS
90,384KMS
27,524KMS
STK#161292!
STK#151210A
SALE PRICE
SALE PRICE
49,900
$
$
STK#151304A
SALE PRICE
13,900
34,900
$
2014 HONDA CIVIC EX SEDAN
2013 RAM 1500 SPORT
2014 DODGE DART SXT - RARE FIND - 8.4” U-CONNECT DIALOG SCREEN
23,363KMS
- CREW CAB - 4X4 - AUTO
47,211KMS
64,000KMS
SALE PRICE
SALE PRICE
ST#15727A
STK#151172A
STK#U7486
SALE PRICE
18,900
$
$
34,900
$
2013 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED SAHARA SUV
2007 DODGE RAM 3500 SLT TRUCK QUAD CAB
54,864KMS
117,415KMS
ST#161290A
17,900 LOOK F UNDEROR US THE
CANAD IAN FLAG
ON THE KAMLO OPS AU TOMAL L
ST#151415B
SALE PRICE
SALE PRICE
31,900
33,900
$
$
THE STORE YOU KNOW. THE PRICES YOU DESERVE. THE SERVICE YOU EXPECT. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Some condiধons apply. Payments based on )nancing on approved credit with the stated amount down or equivalent trade. *60 months @ 3.49%, $463+F+T, Res $14,078.00+tax, 18k per year, Total Paid $41,858+tax †48 months @ 1.49%, $318+F+T, Res $12,469.00+tax, 18k per year, Total Paid $12,469.00 ‡60 months @ 3.49%, $283+F+T, Res $8495+tax, Total Paid $25,475+tax
1968 SinceYESCREDIT
Contact dealership for any further information and some restrictions apply. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown.
YOUR BEST DEALS
The easy way to your new vehicle! NOW AT KAMLOOPS DODGE
DL#C3287
WWW.KAMLOOPSDODGE.COM
1-866-374-4477
DEREK SALES MANAGER
DALE SALES MANAGER
KARI BUSINESS MANAGER
NAOMI BUSINESS MANAGER
GRANT SALES
NIGEL SALES
BRETT SALES
DEVON SALES
JUSTIN SALES
TRAVIS SALES
2525 E. TRANS CANADA HWY, KAMLOOPS, BC
JOHN FLEET LEASE & COMMERCIAL SALES
NO CREDIT BANKRUPT DIVORCE SLOW CREDIT PAYER