Merritt Herald March 20, 2025 by Merritt Herald

PAGE 10-11

DISASTER CAUSE

Read about the new study that found lands affected by the 2021 floods and landslides were logged or burned.

NICOLA VALLEY TEACHER SETS SIGHTS ON EVEREST

PAGE 15-17

SPORTS

A local track-and-field athlete brings home a gold medal, Merritt Minor Hockey team goes undefeated.

A teacher at the Lower Nicola Indian Band (LNIB) School is taking it upon herself to climb Mount Everest.

Randi Gardypie, the Grade 6 and 7 teacher for the LNIB School, is gunning to fulfill one of her lifelong dreams, and raise money for local children’s sports programs as well.

“I think (Everest) it’s always been a childhood goal (of mine),” she said.

While Gardypie grew up in the arid plains of Saskatoon, she moved to Alberta and then to B.C. early in her life where she fell in love with those provinces’ great mountains.

“I grew up in the Prairies. I’m from Saskatchewan and I grew up in a First Nations community, Beardy’s and Okemasis, that’s where my dad is from and my mom is from Yellow Quill. I was just (living) reserve life, and we’ve never really been in the mountains,” Gardypie said.

“When I saw the mountains (for the first time) I was just captivated by them in B.C.”

Gardypie has been in Merritt with her children for over 20 years now.

For years, Gardypie would talk about taking a trip to Nepal and climbing Mount Everest. It wasn’t until about five years ago when she started to seriously consider it as her children grew up and moved out. She started to research the details of the adventure.

“Your children grow up and they move out of the nest. So I’m in that empty nesting phase of my life and so I’m really wanting to tackle some of those goals that I’ve set for myself.”

Gardypie said her research into Everest revealed many things to her, from the health and science aspect - how long term sun exposure affects the skin and how to deal with the mountain’s quality of air and altitude sickness - to the customs of the regions Indigenous Peoples, the Sherpas, an ethnic group living in the Mountians of the Himalyas.

Gardypie talked about how

CLIMB: continued on page 4

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RESPECTING INDIGENOUS CUSTOM: Teacher at Lower Nicola Indian Band School aims to climb the notorious Mount Everest, but her heritage allows her to look at the mountain with an Indigenous point of view. Pages 1, 4.

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NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

MERRITT’S NEW MASCOT ARRIVES IN STYLE

TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com

The City of Merritt has officially chosen the design for its new mascot, Milo the Marmot.

The design of the mascot is based on the mamal, the marmot.

Marmots are large rodents that feeds on vegetation and insects. They create subterranean burrows for their shelter, which are also commonly found in the city as marmots are seemingly accustomed to human presence as they set up their burrows near human infrastructure according to the BC SPCA.

The marmot was chosen as Merritt’s mascot through an art competition put out to the public last fall.

There were over 500 votes for the design that would represent Canada’s ‘country music capital’, the top three of which were presented to city council to be decided on the final design.

The top three designs included, Nic the Trout, Sunny the Sun and Milo the Marmot.

Milo was chosen and the artist, Astralis Snee with the Nicola Valley Community Art Centre, was awarded a bicycle for her design work. The other contestants were awarded sports equipment and a series of gift cards for second and third place accordingly.

“I do like Milo and I do like the history that came with it,” said Mayor Mike Goetz in a council meeting on Oct. 8, 2024. “(Marmots) They’re a family unit and they move together and do everything together.”

Snee chose the marmot as they thought the animal’s social tendencies and liking for the sun represented Merritt’s qualities for a tight-knit community and summer festivals.

“The yellow-bellied marmot as the possible mascot since it is one of the few animals of British Columbia that isn’t a solitary animal. Marmots tend to live in communities and are well-known for their longevity, mostly because they store their energy during winter and live summer to the fullest,” Snee said on a City of Merritt

Instagram post.

“It reminds me of Merritt’s motto ‘Flourish Under The Sun’. These aspects remind me vividly of the people of Merritt that I’ve had the pleasure to interact with so far and that have welcomed me in such a beautiful and warm way,” Snee said on the Instagram post.

Recently, the final design for Milo the Marmot was chosen as city council picked between two options.

The initial design of Milo was taken and “refined” by contractors in order to create a mascot the city says will “Become a beloved figure, fostering community pride and engagement for years to come.”

Four options were presented to council for the design, two for the illustrated design and two for the mascot costume.

For the illustrated designs, council opted for the option that gave a more generally appealing look to Milo.

For the costume, the first option was chosen because of its friendlier look.

Both versions of the mascot will have it wearing a shirt with the city’s colours of light green and yellow.

The funding for Milo’s design and subsequent merchandising and costuming are coming from an economic development grant.

In an email to the Herald, Merritt’s Chief Administrative Officer Cynthia White said the city has a collection of Economic Development grants that they need to spend. She said they have three projects they are currently prioritizing with these grants.

- Merritt labour market study

- An Economic Development Strategic Marketing Plan

- Placemaking project (Public designs that represent the ideas of the community)

White said the city belives the mascot aligns with the Placemaking project and will use some of that funding on Milo.

“This is all a bigger part of a putting Merritt on the map as a family and business friendly community,” White said in the email.

Contact Laísa or Ty at newsroom@merrittherald.com or call 250-378-4241

RCMP RELEASE MONTHLY STATISTICS

TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com

Merritt RCMP said February was another “busy” month as they released their update for the month.

As part of a plan to increase transparency to the community, Merritt’s RCMP detachment will now be releasing monthly public reports to city council, said Chief Administrative Officer Cynthia White during a March 11 city council meeting.

“This is a new type of information item that Staff Sergeant (Roda) and I were working on,” said White. “I think is goes in the vein of what Councillor Olguin said at our budget meeting about making sure people know the work that gets done instead of just the mayor meeting and getting an update.”

“I think it’s important, and I’ve seen this done elsewhere, where they (RCMP) can provide a monthly report, and maybe quarterly we can have (RCMP) staff come in and answer questions.”

Previously, council voted to maintain the status quo when it came to RMCP member capacity. The detachment currently has 14 active members on the city’s payroll.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Josh Roda also reaffirmed its Provincial membership and First Nations Policing units are both fully staffed with six and four members respectively.

The update stated in February, RCMP members responded to 443 service calls. This is an increase of 59 calls compared to February, 2024.

Last year saw a total of 6426 service calls to the detachment.

On Feb. 20, a search warrant was carried out on the 2600 block of Granite St. in which multiple firearms, illicit drugs and cash were seized.

Throughout the rest of the month, RCMP seized another 21

firearms. In total, they have taken 42 guns this year.

In the document, Roda provided statistics for January as well.

- 15 mental health calls, where citizens were apprehended and taken to the hospital;

- Two Impaired drivers were taken off the road;

- 34 motor vehicle collisions;

- Eight business break and enters;

- Four residential break and enters;

- 14 theft Under $5000;

- Eight frauds;

- 21 assaults;

- Coffee with a Cop;

- Situation Table;

- 12 school visits;

- 25 targeted downtown patrols;

- Six elder events, including some lunches and a bead making class.

In terms of progress on stopping crime, the RCMP held 39 prisoners over the course of February, bringing the yearly total to 68 held.

They also submitted 27 criminal charge recommendations to BC Prosecution Services last month. Of those, 19 were approved.

“Many of those charges were from previous months recommendations as it often takes the BC Prosecution Service weeks to review charge recommendations,” the document stated.

Last year Merritt RCMP recommended over 600 charges to Crown Counsel.

Also in February, BC Law Courts issued 17 more warrants for offenders, bringing the total number of active offender warrants in Merritt to 19 persons.

Aside from the statistics, the detachment lost a member of their victim service team, leaving them with only one staff member to cover that department. They were able to close nine cases in February and now have a total of 99 active cases.

PHOTO/CITY OF MERRITT

Online illustration of Merritt’s new mascot, Milo the Marmot.

CLIMB TO FUNDRAISE LOCAL SPORTS

CLIMB: continued from page 4

important it was to her to look at things from an Indigenous point-of-view, meaning respecting the customs of the Sherpas.

“From an Indigenous perspective, that’s where we go to fast, mountains. We do our vision quests in the mountains, and our people have always done that since time immemorial.”

Gardypie said she looked into the Indigenous name of Mount Everest and its meaning to the local people.

“You have the Tibetan side and then you have the Nepalese. Both of them have such a beautiful meaning behind the name of the mountain,” she said.

“I think of the cost of it going up, and how we (will) survive. A climber doesn’t get to the top by themselves. It’s the Sherpas. It’s the community there that gets everybody there. So I really wanted to do this with integrity and with respect for the people there and their teachings, their customs and understanding that I’m not getting myself there.”

The Sherpa name for Mount Everest is Chomolungma, which closely means Mother Goddess of the Universe.

The Nepalese on the other hand refer to the mountain as Sagarmatha meaning Forehead in the Sky.

Gardypie said she wants to respect a belief among some of the Sherpa that it is disrespectful to stay on the summit of the mountain.

Tibetan Buddhism holds the belief that the goddess Miyolangsangma resides at the top of Chomolungma (Everest). It is believed that all climbers - including the Sherpa themselves - are considered “partially invited guests” on the mountain, according to a blog post by Tsem Rinpoche, a Buddhist of TibetanMongolian ancestry.

This belief is not followed by all Sherpas. In 1953, mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first Sherpa confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

In May, 2024, Nepali Sherpa Kami Rita Sherpa set a record of the most summits on Everest after reaching its peak for the 30th time.

“When I’m going in, I do my offering, I send my prayer and I go. Everytime I go, I have a lesson, I get a teaching, and I just kind of gather it and keep it with me,” Gardypie said.

Gardypie said she wants to use the attention she’s getting from the climb to highlight some issues, some local to Everest and some here in Merritt.

“Any kind of awareness that I can bring about what’s going on in their community and makes people pay attention, I’m willing to do it,” she said.

She said one of the issues she’s found while researching is that there’s a lot of garbage and used equipment that gets left on the mountain by truckers and climbers.

In 2024, Business Insider reported that there could be over 110,000 pounds of waste on Mount Everest.

At home, she wanted to gather money to be put towards funding youth sports for kids whose families may not be able to afford to put them in organized programs.

“I know there’s kids that want to play, there’s kids that need to experience (sports),” she said, saying how her own experience with playing sports as a youth has helped shape her as a person.

“Merritt has always been more than giving for each other, and that’s one of the reasons why I love the town. When we have hardships, we’re coming together. If families are going through a hard time, we come together.”

Gardypie said she doesn’t have that much experience climbing mountains, but that she loves being in them.

“You feel the energy of the earth there. It’s just so healing. And I went there this summer, and it was like, ‘oh, I got a boost of energy and a boost of healing,” she said about the Middle Sister Mountain in Alberta.

Gardypie has already left for Nepal. This first trip will be a test run which could take around 12 days, reaching altitudes of over 5,000 metres.

Gardypie said this trip is necessary for climbers to condition their lungs and bodies to the altitudes.

Before leaving, she set up a fundraiser for herself to help cover a few pieces of gear but mostly to provide a platform to fund Merritt youth sports.

If everything goes well on this trip, Gardypie will return to Nepal and Everest possibly as soon as this summer.

Gardypie said this is the message she wants to send to people following her journey.

“The biggest thing for me is that we have to believe in ourselves and to have that unwavering faith in ourselves. Because in the end, it’s your lived experience. It’s your time on Earth,” she said.

“You gotta believe in yourself, because it’s no one else’s job. In the end, you’re gonna walk the path, and I think most importantly is forgiving yourself. We’re not perfect. Something I learned in ceremony is that we’re all pitiful beings. Our time here is so short, and it’s so precious. And that forgiveness of yourself, and being able to move forward in a good way is important.”

B.C.

BILL RESPONDS TO TARIFFS WITH NEW BILL

GRAEME WOOD

Glacier Media

The B.C. government introduced new legislation Thursday in response to the ongoing threat of sweeping U.S. tariffs on Canadian products.

The BC NDP provincial government under Premier David Eby is targeting interprovincial trade barriers, government service contracts and road tolls as possible responses to the ongoing tariff threats.

At a press conference in Victoria, Eby said the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act is needed to combat the “unpredictable and chaotic” threats of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The bill “provides for the removal of barriers to the sale and use of goods and the supply of services in British Columbia in relation to goods and services from another province or territory of Canada.”

Eby said this means B.C. farmers, for instance, will face no restrictions selling their products in other provinces.

The legislation lifts those “arcane and bizarre barriers,” said Eby.

The bill also “provides for directives in relation to the procurement of goods or services by the government and government procurement entities.”

Eby said $600 million in core government service contracts will be directed to non-American contractors; the likes of Crown corporations and agencies such as health authorities are being directed to do the same, when possible.

And should the government choose one contractor over another, for tariff-related reasons, the legislation indemnifies government from legal proceedings.

The procurement aspect of the legislation will also apply to the Hydro and Power Authority Act.

Eby alluded to the need for government to

respond quickly to any actions the Americans take with respect to the Columbia River Treaty, as it pertains to power generation.

A third element in the legislation is sweeping powers to “establish a system of tolls, fees or charges to be paid to the government in respect of the use of a provincial undertaking.”

This could mean the government may charge a fee on American trucks passing through B.C. from Washington state to Alaska, as previously outlined by Eby.

But transit by rail and sea will not be impacted by the bill, as those modes are federal jurisdiction, Eby explained.

Furthermore, the bill states government may make a regulation under the act to “address challenges, or anticipated challenges, to British Columbia arising from the actions of a foreign jurisdiction” and to “support inter-provincial cooperation in reducing trade barriers within Canada.”

But the bill allows for all these decisions to be made outside of the legislature.

“We see this as emergency legislation” for a “real-time response,” said Eby, who was then asked by media if the bill is an abuse of power.

“Not at all,” said Eby, claiming orders in council must be ratified by the legislature without stating when that happens; and there is no indication these decisions will be debated.

“Given the unique nature of these powers it’s important that there are checks and balances,” said Eby.

Attorney General of B.C. Nikki Sharma confirmed it is a “broad piece of enabling legislation” but one with a sunset clause of “mid-2027.”

Government cannot use the legislation to sidestep environmental permits and First Nations consultation, added Sharma.

B.C. Premier David Eby.

NICOLA VALLEY VIEWPOINT

ELECTION TIME: WHEN WILL CANADA HEAD TO THE POLLS?

Anumber of constituents have told me they’re confused about what’s happening right now in Ottawa.

This past weekend, Mark Carney became the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. He will take over from Justin Trudeau, who is stepping down as Prime Minister.

Many are asking: Will Mr. Carney automatically become Prime Minister just because he’s the new Liberal Party leader?

Let me explain how this works. Right now, Carney is set to become Prime Minister, but Justin Trudeau is still officially Prime Minister until the handover occurs. First PM Trudeau must tender his resignation to the Governor General, who would then be in the position to ask his successor, Mark Carney, to form a Government as Prime Minister. In Canada, a Prime Minister doesn’t need to be a Member of Parliament (MP) to serve as leader of the country. While it doesn’t happen often, this is allowed under our system of government.

Mark Carney is expected to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th Prime Minister this week. At that time, Justin Trudeau will return to serving solely as the Member of Parliament for Papineau. Mr. Trudeau has stated that he will not seek re-election.

Another frequent question I hear is about the timing of the next federal election. Canada’s fixed election date is set for October 20th, 2025, with the election campaign period (writ period) likely to begin in September. Because PM Carney will not be allowed to sit on the floor of the House of Commons without also being elected as a

Member of Parliament, it is unlikely that Mr. Carney would wait until the fixed election date. An unelected Prime Minister who has not won a seat as an MP cannot participate in votes or debates on the floor of the House of Commons.

It’s important to note that Mr. Carney will inherit the same minority Liberal government—one that all three major opposition parties have already stated they will vote against when next given the opportunity. Currently, the House of Commons remains prorogued until March 24.

In my assessment, PM Carney will likely ask Governor General Mary Simon to dissolve the House of Commons and call an election before March 24th. According to Elections Canada rules, the campaign period (also known as the writ period) must be between 37 and 51 days.

If an election is called late next week, Canadians could have a new government by late April or early May—the exact timing would depend on the campaign length chosen by Prime Minister Carney.

If Mark Carney and the Liberals are re-elected, he will remain as Canada’s 24th Prime Minister. However, if Canadians elect a new government led by a different Prime Minister, that person would become Canada’s 25th PM—and Mark Carney would have one of the shortest terms as Prime Minister in Canadian history.

My question for you this week: When would you like to see a federal election called?

EATING WITH THE SEASONS: REFRESH YOUR BODY FOR SPRING

BONNIE DIXON Healthy Conversations

AS we emerge from winter’s chill, it’s the perfect time to refresh our bodies with vibrant, seasonal foods. During the colder months, we often gravitate toward heavier, carbohydrate-rich meals for warmth and comfort. But with spring’s arrival, our bodies naturally crave lighter, fresher options.

Spring brings an abundance of nutrient-rich, above-ground vegetables and fruits that help replenish essential minerals and boost energy. Some of the best seasonal choices include strawberries, blueberries, oranges, radishes, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, red peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, and various crisp lettuces. These foods are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber to support digestion, immunity, and overall well-being.

A great way to embrace seasonal eating is to try a new vegetable or fruit each week. Explore different flavors and textures—perhaps add shredded red cabbage to your salad or roast some bell peppers for a colorful side dish. For a fun crunch, sliced raw turnips and jicama (just peel the brown skin and slice) make delicious, refreshing snacks.

Whenever possible, choose organic produce. I’ve found that the flavors pop, and the taste is noticeably better. Fresh, local foods not only support our health but also contribute to sustainable farming practices.

Eating with the seasons nourishes our bodies and connects us with nature’s rhythm. So let’s lighten up, embrace fresh flavors, and welcome spring with open arms—and healthy plates!

DAN ALBAS

View from the Hill

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

LETTERS to the Editor

BREAKING THE STIGMA

Editor,

There are many ‘sober’ people who still believe that addiction often originates from a bout of boredom or simple recklessness, where a person consumed recreationally but became heavily hooked on a substance that eventually destroyed their life and by extension even the lives of loved-ones.

In the book (WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing) he co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Bruce D. Perry (M.D., Ph.D.) writes in regards to self-medicating trauma, substance abuse and addiction:

“But here’s what’s interesting about drug use: For people who are pretty well-regulated, whose basic needs have been met, who have other healthy forms of reward, taking a drug will have some impact, but the pull to come back and use again and again is not as powerful. It may be a pleasurable feeling, but you’re not necessarily going to become addicted.

“Addiction is complex. But I believe that many people who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse are actually trying to self-medicate due to their developmental histories of adversity and trauma. …”

Decades ago, I, while always sympathetic, looked down on those who had ‘allowed’ themselves to become addicted to hard drugs or alcohol. Yet, I myself have suffered enough unrelenting PTSD symptoms to have known, enjoyed and appreciated the great release upon consuming alcohol or THC.

Addictions and addicts are still largely perceived by sober society as being products of weak willpower and/or moral crime. At the same time, pharmaceutical corporations have intentionally pushed their own very addictive and profitable opiate resulting in immense suffering and overdose death numbers — indeed the actual moral crime! — and got off relatively lightly and only

through civil litigation.

The unfortunate fact about self-medicating is: the greater the induced euphoria or escape one attains from it, the more one wants to repeat the experience; and the more intolerable one finds their non-self-medicating reality, the more pleasurable that escape will likely be perceived. In other words: the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while not self-medicating, the greater the need for escape from one’s reality — all the more addictive the euphoric escape-form will likely be.

When substance abuse is due to past formidable mental trauma, the lasting solitarily-suffered turmoil can readily make each day an ordeal unless the traumatized mind is medicated. Not surprising, many chronically addicted people won’t miss this world if they never wake up.

Still, societally neglecting, rejecting and therefore failing people struggling with crippling addiction should never be an acceptable or preferable political, economic or religious/morality option. They definitely should not be consciously or subconsciously perceived by sober society as somehow being disposable.

Too often the worth(lessness) of the substance abuser is measured basically by their ‘productivity’ or lack thereof. They may then begin perceiving themselves as worthless and accordingly live and self-medicate their daily lives more haphazardly.

– Frank Sterle Jr. White Rock, B.C.

Should B.C. go ahead with dropping the change to and from daylight time in the spring and fall and not wait for the U.S. states to do the same?

A LOOK BACK

From the Herald archives

MARCH 4, 2011

MERRITT COWBOYS INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

Two Merritt cowboys will be inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame during this year’s Kamloops Cowboy festival.

Robert “Butch” Sahara and Jesus Garcia will be inducted into the hall of fame in March, receiving their awards in the categories of Ranching Pioneer for Garcia, and Competitive/Working Cowboy.

MARCH 6, 1985

DIESEL FUEL SCARCE

People looking to fill up their diesel cars in Merritt may have to wait in line, as only one of Merritt’s service stations sells diesel. A brief survey of Merritt’s six stations has shown that Gulf is the only station in Merritt to provide diesel fuel at a prince of 51.5 cents per litre.

As perthe Fees andCharges Bylaw2386, residents will seeanincreaseintheir utility billsthisA pril.Somehouseholdswithhigher us age, such as thosewithsecondary suites, will experience agreater increase

Utility fees areset strictly forcos trecover yon oper ational andc apit al expenses.Theyare not asourceofrevenue forthe City.Utilit yr ates hadremainedunchanged over thelas tdec ade.

Thosewishing to budgetin advancefor these changesmay wish to look at the Fees and Charge sBylaw 2386

Free WaterMeter

Thanks to fundingfromthe Province of BC , theCit yofMerrittisnowinitiatingauniversal watermeteringprogr am.As tandardwater meter will be inst alledin ever yhousehold FREE OF CHARGE to homeowners.Watch for your letterfromthe contractor.

SWIM CLUB STUCK WITH INCREASED PRICES

updated version of the bylaw because the swim club were the only ones using the rate.

The Merritt Otters Swim Club will have to face increased rates for the foreseeable future as city council voted on a price-hike.

With inflation increasing and budget season fast approaching, the City of Merritt implemented a series of price increases to many of its recreational facilities including the aquatic centre.

The increases to swim club’s pricing was the hike in rate for lane rentals. It was initially proposed that the lane rental prices would jump from $7 to $17.50 for every hour to help cover some of the ever-growing operating costs.

After discussion within the city’s recreation committee, it was decided that they would propose that an increase to $13.50 per hour would be a fair compromise.

Council voted for this option earlier this year.

In a later council meeting, Treasurer of the Merritt Otters Gurpreet Chahal, arrived at a council meeting along with a group of about 25 members of the swim club.

The group provided council with a series of documents stating how the increase to $13.50 an hour was still an unfair price considering the increases in percentages other services and youth groups were facing.

Using floor time at city council on Feb. 25, Chahal argued that a lane rental rate for youth groups - which was $7 - was removed from the updated Bylaw no. 2115.

“Other arenas and fields still maintain youth rates, but the swim club is unfairly excluded,” she said.

An example of this is the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena, which has a youth group rental rate of $60 per hour.

“This creates inequity between youth programs,” Chahal said.

She also argued that, even with renegotiated fee of $13.50, the swim club were being hit with a near 100 per cent increase in lane rentals.

Chief Administrative Officer Cynthia White said the city removed the youth rates in the

She said if council wanted, they could direct the city to put the discounted rate back in the bylaw at an adjusted rate than the previous $7 per hour lane rental price.

Despite the showing from the group, council later chose to respect the recommendation made by the recreation committee.

Still, council recognized the situation the increase put the swim club in.

“I just think that doubling it in one year is too much for people to budget,” said Coun. Adam Etchart.

There still remained a need for the city to recoup a higher percentage of the operating costs of the swimming pool.

Coun. Wendy Charney advocated for the original increase of $17.50.

“We (the city) never make money on recreation. We’re always in the red on it, and I don’t know how long we can keep bleeding more and more money,” she said.

Etchart agreed with Charney’s statement that the city could not afford to keep losing money on the pool.

He proposed that the rate be increased to $11 an hour this year and then look at the rate every year for another possible increase.

In the end, council decided to keep the original increase at $13.50. This will add $6,500 to the swim club’s expenses each season compared to pre-rate-hike.

In a document provided to council, the swim club wrote, “this increase is a significant burden for a non-profit serving local youth.”

Despite the failed attempt at lowering the increase, Chahal was still given opportunity to represent the Otters in future meetings.

During the same meeting, it was announced she would be appointed to the recreation advisory committee, seen as an asset to provide insight for a population of youth in sports that was previously unaccounted for on the committee. Her term will end on Nov. 31, 2026.

PHOTO/ MERRITT OTTERS SWIM CLUB

Merritt Otters outside city hall after presenting their position at a council meeting Feb. 25

PHOTO/ BEATRICE COLLIER-PANDYA

WILDFIRES AND LOGGING CONTRIBUTED TO 2021 FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES, RESEARCHERS SAY

Glacier Media

Nearly half the landslides that rocked southwest British Columbia during devastating 2021 floods started in areas that were logged or burned by wildfire, researchers have found.

The study, published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, analyzed more than 1,300 debris flows and landslides across 70,000 square kilometres of mountainous area flooded when a powerful atmospheric river slammed into B.C. in November 2021.

Roughly 18,000 people had to be evacuated as flooding and collapsing hillsides knocked out rail lines and highways.

Hundreds of people were stranded and six people killed — five in a landslide on Duffey Lake Road, and one when a bank collapsed, destroying a house.

Carie-Ann Hancock, who co-authored the study as a senior geoscientist at BGC Engineering Inc., said she began collecting data for the study four years ago when she flew in some initial helicopter surveys.

“I was standing on the river bank and there were boulders bigger than me that moved down that channel to the river,” said Hancock. “I remember thinking, ‘How is that even possible?’”

At the time, First Nations that Hancock was working with in the Fraser Canyon began asking her why their communities were so devastated. Some questioned whether wildfires and logging had played a role. As her database grew, the researcher would add more ground observations, social-media posts and on-site photography across

southern Vancouver Island and coastal southwest B.C. as far inland as Pemberton, Lillooet, Merritt and Princeton.

To understand what happened in 2021, Hancock started digging into historical fire and logging records.

She found about 3,200 wildfires had hit the region since 1918. But in the 20 years leading up to the 2021 atmospheric river, those fires had grown in frequency and size.

That year, a heat dome set an all-time Canadian temperature record of more than 50 C in Lytton. A day later, a wildfire burned much of the town. Elsewhere in the province, persistent drought made more likely by climate change contributed to the burning of 8,700 square kilometres of forest.

Hancock calculated that since 1990, forest harvesting within the study area had removed approximately 4,000 square kilometres of forest cover. Another 3,600 square kilometres of forest had been cut in the 90 years prior to that, according to government figures.

In some cases, only 20 per cent of trees were left standing in sensitive areas, past studies had found. Harvesting all those trees required road access. In the region Hancock and her colleague looked at, they tallied 35,000 kilometres of mapped resources roads.

“I started to notice these patterns,” said Hancock.

When they finally published their study, the results showed landslides occurred more frequently downstream of logging roads and areas burned by wildfire. Freed from the roots of trees, hillsides collapsed, allowing sediment to

STEFAN LABBÉ

Geoscientist Carrie-Ann Hancock surveys a debris flow in the Fraser Canyon triggered by an atmospheric river in November 2021

2021 TRAGEDY COULD REPEAT ITSELF

TRAGEDY: continued from page 10

pour into rivers.

Of the 1,300 landslides and debris flows that hit the region during the 2021 floods, more than 600 — 46 per cent of the total — were found to originate in disturbed forests.

Almost a third of those started in areas disturbed by logging cutblocks (15 per cent) or resource roads (14 per cent). Another 17 per cent started in areas hit by wildfire.

Light detection and ranging mapping (LiDAR), which uses lasers to map terrain, started to paint a more detailed picture in the Coquihalla and Coldwater rivers — both of which were responsible for significant flood damage to major highways, bridges and the City of Merritt.

At some places along the rivers, landslides originating in burned or logged areas were dumping a “conveyor belt” of sediment into the water at a rate of 50,000 cubic metres per kilometre — equivalent to 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools, said Hancock.

“That’s an extreme amount, and it has to go somewhere,” she said.

The more sand and silt poured into the rivers, the more the river ate into its banks. The result, found the researchers, were much wider and shallower channels in places like the Nicola River.

Shallow water heats up faster, and combined with drought, that’s resulting in “knock-on effects” such as decreased salmon returns years later, Hancock says.

Alila Younes, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Forest Resources Management, said the study appears to confirm that fallout from the November 2021 flooding cannot solely be blamed on climate change.

Data from the event, he said, shows human actions on forests — including clearcut logging and wildfires — increase the risk of flooding and landslides.

“This study corroborates the findings of my research over the last two decades that the watersheds across all of B.C. are already [at] a very heightened risk to geohazards as a result of clearcut and excessive clearcutting all over the province,” added Younes.

The researcher, who wasn’t involved in the latest study, said it’s time for the B.C. government to create a “paradigm shift” in the way it manages forests to protect downstream communities, infrastructure, fish and water quality.

The study did not take a close look at the Duffey Lake Road landslide that killed five people, as BGC Engineering has been involved as expert witnesses in ongoing litigation.

A proposed class-action lawsuit — filed on behalf of the surviving young daughter of a couple killed in the slide — claims the province failed to permanently deactivate the old road above the slide. A certification hearing is set to be heard in Vancouver next month.

As victims of the 2021 floods still seek justice, Hancock says the public should be putting pressure on policymakers to do more to prevent future tragedies.

Climate change is forecast to make extreme weather events more frequent and more powerful.

Past studies estimate powerful heat waves could return every five to 10 years over the coming decades. That is likely to set tinder-dry conditions for bigger, more frequent wildfires.

Atmospheric rivers, meanwhile, are expected to hit B.C. five times a year by the 2080s, up from less than once a year in the 1990s. By the end of the century, some have forecasted flood flows will be 40 per cent bigger than what’s currently expected, said Hancock.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is there were also resource road failures on the Coquihalla Highway,” she said.

“We have these resource road failures happening all over the province, but also in populated corridors where we have thousands of cars going through every day.”

PHOTO/PEMBERTON SEARCH AND RESCUE/TWITTER/X.COM

Search and rescue personnel wade through mud at the site of a deadly landslide on Duffey Lake Road, B.C., on Nov. 15, 2021.

LOCAL CHURCH HOSTS SPRING BREAK CAMP

LAISA CONDE editor@merrittherald.com

Merritt Crossroads Community Church is offering a Spring Break camp for local children, providing a safe and engaging space while school is out.

Organized by Pastor Savannah Dickson and a team of dedicated volunteers, the camp is designed to give kids an opportunity to have fun while parents have peace of mind.

The camp will run from March 24 to 28 and is open to children from kindergarten to Grade 6.

“We know that there’s a need for children’s activities, especially when school is not in session,” said Dickson. “We want to reach our community and create a space where parents can bring their kids to have a good time.”

The camp will feature a variety of activities, including crafts, games, science experiments, and Bible lessons. Participants will also spend time outdoors at the park.

Crossroads Church hopes to use this opportunity to introduce local families to their

community-focused approach.

“Of course, we would love for them to meet Jesus, but just knowing that Crossroads is a good place where they can come, it’s safe, and they can have fun is important to us,” Dickson explained.

The camp costs $50 per child, and the church welcomes donations to help sponsor children who may need financial assistance. Those interested in contributing can scan a QR code provided by the church or visit the church office Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a paper copy of the registration form.

So far, 11 children have signed up, but organizers are hoping to reach at least 20 participants.

“We want to see that the camp is worth doing, that parents are interested in it, and that they know there is something safe and enjoyable for their kids,” Dickson said.

“This is a great opportunity for kids to spend time with safe and screened adults while knowing that the church is here for them.”

PHOTO/ METRO CREATIVE

Kindergarten and Grade 6 kids are invited to participate in the Merritt Crossroads Community Church’s Spring Break camp later this month.

COYOTE DECOYS INSTALLED AT MERRITT

CEMETERY TO STOP MARMOTS

Castanet

Lifelike coyote statues are being installed in a Merritt cemetery in an effort to keep marmots from digging potentially damaging underground burrows.

The City of Merritt operates Pine Ridge Cemetery, 1675 Juniper Dr. Marmots, which are protected under the BC Wildlife Act, pose a potential hazard at the site.

Just drop in! TIM

“While we all love our community mascot, these burrowing animals can pose challenges in sensitive areas like the cemetery,” the city said in a post on social media.

The city described the decoys as a “humane” way of dealing with the potential problem.

“We kindly ask that you do not tamper with the decoys, as we are monitoring their effectiveness,” the post read.

MERRITT LIBRARY SPEAKER SERIES

HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH

Back by popular demand, Al Horne will deliver a series of five illustrated talks on the history of life on Earth from the Big Bang to now.

Every Wednesday in April starting April 2 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM at the Merritt Library

The City of Merritt is installing coyote decoys in a cemetery in an effort to deter marmots from burrowing.

B.C. FAILING TO SHOW HOW IT CALCULATES FOREST CARBON, GOVERNMENT AUDIT FINDS

STEFAN LABBÉ Business In Vancouver

British Columbia’s government has failed to transparently show how it calculates carbon in the province’s forests — numbers critical when officials decide to boost or lower logging and reforestation levels.

In a statement Tuesday, the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia released the results of its investigation into the Ministry of Forest’s forest carbon projections.

Those projections are used to understand how the ministry’s management decisions might impact how much carbon remains stored in the forest and how much is released into the atmosphere.

The analysis uses modelling to estimate how activities like tree planting and harvesting trees could affect the overall balance of carbon in the forest.

But according to the auditor general’s findings, the ministry did not use a “defined methodology” when it calculated the carbon impact of forest investments — including reforestation and fertilization projects.

Carbon projections are also used

to decide how much annual allowable cut is approved.

However, the audit found the ministry used a methodology that “wasn’t specific enough to allow review or replication.”

Acting Auditor General

Sheila Dodds said that replication was “essential to the quality of the measurements and builds confidence in the projections.”

“A defined methodology for carbon modelling that outlines what’s measured — and how those measurements are done — is critical to ensuring forest carbon projections can be reviewed and replicated,” she said in a written statement.

Ministry calculations looking at the benefit forest investment projects had on carbon stores “weren’t sufficiently documented,” found the report.

“Despite the uncertainty regarding the quality of its projections, the ministry publicly and annually reported the carbon benefit from the Forest Investment Program,” concluded the

BC HYDRO RATES TO INCREASE IN 2025, 2026

THE CANADIAN PRESS

British Columbia’s energy minister says the province is setting annual rate increases for electricity for the next two years in response to rising demand for power and economic uncertainty.

Adrian Dix says the government will be submitting a “rate stability direction” to the B.C. Utilities Commission for approval of a BC Hydro rate increase of 3.75 per cent on April 1 and for the same bump next year.

He says power costs in B.C. remain among the lowest in North America and each of the increases comes to about $3.75 per month for the average residential household that

current pays about $100.

Dix says BC Hydro needs the increases to help cover costs of the rising demand for electricity and to complete the Site C dam project on the Peace River.

He says the move is also aimed at bolstering the provincial Crown utility during the “unprecedented” threat to the economy posed by the threatened steep tariffs on Canadian goods from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The minister says BC Hydro’s cumulative rate increases between 2017-18 and 2026-27 will be 12.4 per cent below cumulative inflation.

Adjusting for inflation, he says B.C. electricity costs the same as it did 40 years ago.

audit.

Dodds said the ministry had accepted the audit’s two recommendations to define and approve methodologies to calculate forest carbon projections.

“We were encouraged to see that near the end of 2024, the ministry finalized guidance for calculating consistent and transparent carbon projections to inform its new forest landscape plans,” she said.

PLUMBING &HEATING

PHOTO/TJ

Logging operations in Tree Farm Licence 44’s Klanawa Valley on Vancouver Island.

MERRITT RUNNER BRINGS GOLD TO COMMUNITY:

‘IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT RESULTS, BUT ABOUT BEING A BETTER ATHLETE AND A BETTER PERSON THAN I WAS YESTERDAY’

LAISA CONDE editor@merrittherald.com

Merritt’s own Buzz Manuel continues to make his mark in the track and field world, bringing home four medals from the BC Indoor Championships held this past weekend in Kamloops.

Competing in the 45-49 age category, Manuel earned a silver medal in shot put, another silver in the 60-meter sprint, a bronze in the 200-meter race, and topped it off with a gold in the 4x200meter relay.

Reflecting on his performance, Manuel said he was dealing with a knee injury leading up to the Kamloops event and was focused on simply doing his best.

“Going in, I was just hoping to be present and to do the best I could. So when I won those medals, I was pretty excited and happy with those performances,” he said.

This achievement comes just a week after Manuel’s success at the Canadian Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Winnipeg, where he secured three more medals—a gold in long jump, a bronze in high jump, and a bronze in the 800-meter event. Despite the challenge of competing in multiple events over consecutive weekends, Manuel takes it one step at a time.

“You don’t want to overwhelm yourself. I knew I had to do long jump, followed by shot put and high jump, all back to back. So I just had to focus on each event in the moment,” he explained.

Manuel has also surprised himself along the way. He only started training in shot put last year and wasn’t expecting to medal in the event.

“When I threw in Winnipeg, I hit 7.2 meters, and a week later in Kamloops, I improved to 8.2 meters—a full meter increase. Just to be on the podium for shot put was a big surprise,” he shared.

Training for these competitions has been both physical and mental. Since late October, Manuel has been building endurance through running, speed intervals, and strength training. He also prepares mentally with self-talk and relaxation techniques.

“I reassure myself that I am prepared, and I’m here to do my best,” he said.

Manuel remains committed to his goal of winning a medal in every province across Canada. So far, he has medalled in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

“I did raise the bar for myself last year when I set that goal, but I’m on the road to achieving it,” he said. Next month, he will travel to Saskatoon to compete in the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Track and Field Championships.

Looking ahead, he hopes to improve his performances in multiple events, including the 60m, 200m, shot put, and high jump. However, beyond the medals, he values the experience of meeting new competitors and learning from others.

“My competitors become friends down the line, and I always take something from these events to bring back home to share with my own friends and family.”

Competing as a Masters athlete has been a rewarding journey for Manuel, who was forced to retire from track and field in 2002 due to injuries.

“I wasn’t expecting to compete this long, but I realized there was an opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “For me, it’s not just about results but about being a better athlete and a better person than I was yesterday.”

Manuel hopes to inspire others to stay active and pursue their goals, no matter the challenge.

“Don’t be afraid to try something new. There’s always a welcoming community on the other side, ready to cheer you on and help you grow,” he said.

PHOTO/LYNDON PATRICK SMITH Buzz Manuel at a track and field meet in Winnipeg

SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEAM WRAPS UP BOWLING, TO TRY NEW SPORTS LATER

out there,” said Val Whomes, program coordinator of Merritt Special Olympics.

“They feel really good about themselves and social for friends, and sometimes we’re going to be doing tournaments and we’ll be able to get together with other communities.”

The beginning of March was the end of Merritt Special Olympic team’s bowling season. The team of 10 athletes recently wrapped up their final bowling practice of the year last Friday, March. 14.

The team will head into a short break before starting to train for more sports like bocce ball in the spring and are looking into the potential for curling to be added to their curriculum in the fall.

This is the first season the Special Olympics team has had since they temporarily shut down operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“(Tim), he’s their mentors. They learn everything from him, but he learns from me, so I just pass it on. But it’s nicer coming from him to them, because he’s one of their peers,” Whomes said.

She said Hutton has been key in creating structure and a healthy team environment that allows the athletes to flourish as people. He’s helped make sure the others arrive to practices on time as well as helping them with their dieting.

Within the team, the athletes have also created some comradery, coming up with their own chants.

Merritt Special Olympics aims to provide its services free of charge to the users.

Fundraising is key in them being able to keep their services free.

Last Monday, March 10, the team participated in a fundraising event at Valley Graze. The athletes decorated a few batches of cookies baked by students at Merritt Secondary and the Valley Graze crew. The cookies were sold, with the proceeds going towards the program.

Merritt’s Special Olympics team is fundraising for their program to continue on providing more sporting opportunities for its athletes.

The Special Olympic program offers opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities to participate in team sport activities.

“What (sports) can do (for people with intellectual disabilities), it gives them confidence. Some don’t think that they belong to something, but this is a way of getting them

Whomes said the group has had a great bowling season with some of their athletes making major strides in their in games.

“I gotta say that they all have bettered themselves so much since we’ve started,” Whomes said.

Not only has their team practiced their bowling fundamentals, but they’ve also been working on becoming better people on and off the bowling lanes.

One member of the team, Tim Hutton, has taken a leadership role within the team.

The team has had other fundraisers as well. Earlier in the year they did their polar plunge, a cold shower challenge in which the team generated nearly $700.

“Fundraising like this helps them not have to pay. We’re trying not to come up with payments for them. We’re trying to do sports for free,” Whomes said.

Whomes added that next year they want the team to participate in competitions with other teams.

The program is currently shifting focus to the bocce ball season. Registration starts on April 4 at 2040 Granite Ave for participants 19-years and older. The program is also looking for volunteers.

PHOTO/ TY LIM

Athlete on the Merritt Special Olympics team bowling for the final time this season. The team has 10 members and is looking to expand.

SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR U15 MINOR HOCKEY

TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com

A thrilling season of success and grit has come to an end for Merritt Minor Hockey’s U15 team.

From the beginning of hockey season, it was clear that success was on the minds of every player and coach on the Merritt U15 team.

“Our expectations were high, given how much this group won before,” said John Parkes, one of the coaches of the Merritt Minor Hockey U15 team.

Previously, the team had a near undefeated season in 2022-23 in the Omaha U15 Thompson Cariboo recreation league.

The year after the team had another successful season.

However, their 2024-25 season may be one of their best, with the team breaking even the highest of expectations, going undefeated through the regular season.

They finished the regular season of the Thompson Cariboo Super League with a record of 12-0-2.

“This year at the U15 level, they won their regular season, which is really nice,” Parkes said.

The team had multiple standout players this season who not only made their name within the team, but garnered attention around the league as well.

Mitchell Denton - #18 - led the way in scoring as he found the back of the net a total of 34 times over the course of the 14 game season, getting a hat trick in seven of those games.

Parkes also highlighted the efforts of his goalies, David Martens and Justin Farmer, who were integral pieces to the team’s style of play.

Parkes said a lot of their success was due to strong leadership that came from both the coaching staff and within the players.

“We should highlight the leadership group, the captain Max Bassett,” Parkes said, mentioning in the same breath the assistant captain Alex Lambe. “(They) gave us some really strong leadership.”

“(They got the others) to be ready for every game and give a consistent effort. They were always positive and had a great work ethic.”

The Merritt U15 team carried their strong form into tournament play.

In the playoffs, the team continued their dominance before being stopped by the Clearwater Icehawks as they beat Merritt in a thrilling double overtime game 2-1.

“Hockey season is long, and peaking at the right time is really important, but the growth of the team overall was very good. We always found a way to improve from month to month, right until the end. At the district tournament we face some really good teams, and they played well right to the very final period,” Parkes said.

“Right to the end we were motivated. The team really wanted to bring it home for the community, but ultimately we just came up a little short.”

Parkes added that the team was disappointed by the loss, but were still able to keep spirits up and relish in their accomplishments.

“They were obviously disappointed, but proud of how they represented their community.”

When asked about plans for next season, Parkes said it is too early to tell but he is excited for it regardless.

“We would just like to thank everybody who came out to home games and all the community support we got over the course of the year,” he said.

COACHING STAFF

Dana Charters - Manager

Mike Sahota - Coach

John Parkes - Coach

Heath Basset - Assistant coach

PLAYERS

Justin Farmer - #1

Tayton Payne - #2

Cash Long - #3

Will Parkes - #4

Aleck Henry - #5

Covin Pierce - #7

Max Bassett - #8

Lynden Mountain - #9

Brain Joowon Kim - #10

Alex Lambe - #11

Carter Hughes - #13

Ronin Sahota - #16

Ava Clayton-Charters - #17

Mitchell Denton - #18

Chance Lenard Shackelly - #21

Mason Dick - #23

David Martens - #35

FINAL BONSPIEL FOR CURLERS

TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com

Merritt Curling Club has officially ended their season.

Last weekend, the curlers hosted their final event of the year, sending off the 2024-25 season.

In one of their largest events of the year, the Merritt Curling Club Windup saw around 80 participants take to the ice to prove who the best players are.

There were seven leagues players could have opted into.

The results are as follows.

Winners - Mixed League V. Latremouille, L. Latremouille, Rene Thomsen,

Leslie Thomsen

- Mixed Doubles ‘A’ winners - Al Lens, Sheila Lens -Mixed Doubles ‘B’ - Christina Miller, Fred Miller - Men’s ‘A’ winners - Doug Turvey, Gerry Gilderdale, Doug Turvey, Pat Tombe - Men’s ‘B’ winners - Mike Ohata, Jack Reynoldson, Bill Blair - missing Ken ConwayBrown, Trevor Rooke - Ladies ‘A’ winners - Deb Phillips, Monika Tenisch, Wendy Stone, Jane Wowchuk, Tami Finnigan - Ladies ‘B’ winners - Raelene Chursinoff, Melissa Mytruk, Jessie Strang, Kiya Giesbrecht

PHOTO/ MERRITT MINOR HOCKEY U15 TEAM

Merritt Minor Hockey manager, coaches and players after winning the U15 Thompson Cariboo Super League regular season.

PHOTOS/ SUSAN NEWTON AND CAMERON BRIDGE Above, winners of the Mixed League. A packed icerink as curlers play.

NICOLA VALLEY COMMUNITY

STEP INTO THE PAST WITH EARTH HISTORY TALKS

LAISA CONDE editor@merrittherald.com

Merrittonians, get ready to travel back in time during the month of April.

From the first spark of life to the explosion of creatures that once roamed the Earth, Merritt resident and former teacher Al Horne will take you on a thrilling voyage through time with his upcoming talk “The History of Life on Earth – From the Big Bang to Now, How We Got Here.”

During every Wednesday in the month of April, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Horne will be hosting a series of five illustrated talks at the Merritt Library which promises to be an enlightening experience for all ages. Whether you’re a science enthusiast or simply curious about the planet beneath your feet, this event offers a chance to learn about Earth’s evolution in a fun and accessible way. Horne, who has done multiple lectures at the local library on diverse themes such as ancient history – from ancient Greece to Alexander the Great, always thought that he could do more.

He was always passionate and curious about science. One day, Horne went to the local library and picked a book up out of the shelves about the History of the Earth and told his wife to come back an hour later.

“I read the book as hard as I could for an hour and then she came back. I was on page 68 and I realized that I knew everything in the book,” Horne said. “That really threw me because I’ve been studying for a couple of years, but I didn’t realize I’d suck that much stuff up, right? And I thought to myself, ‘I could do this. “If you’re going to do something ridiculous, do it as big as you can.”

One of the fascinating things that he has learned while studying the subject is about a species of worm that is found only in the placenta of sperm whales.

“Twenty eight feet long, that’s a pretty big worm found only in the placentas of female sperm whales. There’s just millions of bits of information like that because there’s many millions of life forms, almost none of them live in isolation. Nearly all of them live in symbiotic relationships with other things and it’s just an amazing story,” Horne added.

As someone who has been deeply engaged in the history of life on Earth, Horne believes that humans are both a small part of that history moving forward at the same time we have a big role in it.

“We’re a small part of history moving forward, because there’s so many, they don’t even we don’t even scientists. Doesn’t even know how many life forms there are on the earth. We don’t know how many bacteria there are. There are a lot more than we’ve discovered,” he added.

“The thing complicating a question like that is that we’ve never found life anywhere else. Now, I know I’m kind of going over to the life thing. How important are we? In a way, we’re not, because we’re just one of billions of species. But in the other way, yes, we’re the most important thing in the universe, because no other place is known to harbour life.”

His passion for learning new things always led him to share the knowledge with others.

“Ever since I was a kid, as soon as I learned something, which I like to do better than anything else in the world, I gotta tell somebody about it,” Horne added.

During the event, he will cover Earth’s formation—when the planet was little more than a hot, molten mass—and lead the audience through key moments in the planet’s history.

“I’m going to tell the story right from the beginning. I don’t know if I’ll get to the end or not, to tell you the truth, because I don’t know how long it will take it, I don’t know how long I’m going to live, but this is where we start,” Horne said.

Horne hopes that the audience understands the “absolute wonder that all this stuff could have happened for six billion years of life on Earth.”

“I just want them to know more than they would know. And I think if they do that, they’ll share my sense of wonder. If you come in and you pick up anything at all, from what I’m talking about, your sum total of knowledge will be better,” he said.

THE CHURCHES OF MERRITT WELCOME YOU

Crossroads Community Church 2990 Voght St. • 250-378-2911

Service Time: Sundays 10:00 a.m.

Merritt Baptist Church 2499 Coutlee Avenue (at Orme) Sunday service 10 am, Phone (250)378-2464

Merritt Lutheran Fellowship in St. Michael's Anglican Hall • 250-378-9899

Service Time: 3rd Sunday each month 1:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church Corner of Jackson & Blair • 250-378-2919 Mass Time: Sundays 9:00 a.m.

St. Michael’s Anglican Church 1990 Chapman St. • 250-378-3772

Service Times: 2nd and 4th Sundays only - 10:00 a.m.

Trinity United Church Corner of Quilchena & Chapman • 250-378-5735

Service Time every Sunday - 10 am

Somang Mission Community Church (SMC) 1755 Coldwater Ave. (The Cadet Hall) Sunday Service Time: 4:00 pm • 250-280-1268

Nicola Valley Evangelical Free Church 1950 Maxwell St. • 250-378-9502 Service Times: Sunday 10 am

Motion Church Merritt 2114 Nicola Avenue • 250-434-3333 Meets the first Sunday of the month at 10am

PHOTO/ LAISA CONDE

Merritt resident Al Horne will conduct a series of talks on Earth’s history at the Merritt library in April.

CLASSIFIEDS

HOME COMMUNITY CARE WORKER

Full-Time (35 Hrs. per week – Flexible Hours) Wage $21-$27 hr.

■ Approved mini-storage

■ On-siterentals

■ Secured

■ SaleofNew&Used storagecontainers

1750HillStreet ■ Phone:250-315-3000

MargueriteMarieStewart

HOURS: FullTime–35hrs/wk

June30,1938 –March 13,2025

DESCRPTION: ReportingtotheSocialDevelopmentCoordinator,theCommunityConnections Navigatorwillberesponsibleforhelpingcommunitymembersnavigatechallengeswhile supportingthewellbeingofindividualsandfamiliesinaholisticmanner.TheCommunity ConnectionsYouthNavigatormustuseacollaborativeapproachwitheachcommunitymember tosupporteachpersoninachievingtheirgoals.

SpecificDutiesandResponsibilities:

Itiswithgreatsadnessthatthe familyofMarguerite MarieStewart(Houde)aged86,announceherpassing inMerrittBConMarch13th,2025.

PerformsalldutiesandresponsibilitiesinaccordancewiththeColdwaterIndianBand policies,standards,andprocedures,andasdirectedbytheFinanceCoordinator.Maintains confidentialityinallmatterstotheaffairsoftheColdwaterIndianBand.

Working as a member of the Ama7 Swa7 Home & Community Care Program, Under the direction of Home and Community Care Nurse, the successful candidate will provide delegation of tasks set out by HCCN around personal care to clients living at home on reserve. In this role, you will travel to homes where clients require personal care. Daily/ Weekly Journaling Logs are to be submitted to HCCN as per client list.

Only those short listed will be contacted and to apply submit resumes and cover letter:

Marguerite waspredeceasedbyherhusbandCharles Leslie.Sheissurvivedbyherlovingchildren:Dawn(Jerry), Charles(Tracy),Anne(Rick),Yvette(Kevin),Cora(Dave)andRose;her grandchildren:Hannah,Douglas,Victoria,James,BaileyandAlexander; hersister,nieces,nephews,relativesandfriends.

1.Provideinformationandlinkagetoappropriatecommunityservices; 2.Guideandmotivateduringimportantperiodsofdevelopmentintheirwellnessjourney; 3.AcceptreferralsfromCommunity,SocialWorkers,othercommunityservicesandetc.; 4.Outreachandengagementinthewiththecommunity;

5.Developandmaintainparticipantdrivenintegratedwellnessplans; 6.Advocateforparticipants’needs;

7.Supportparticipantstobuildcapacityinareassuchascommunication, self-advocacy andrelationships;

8.Participatewithteaminprovidingdeliverableactivitiesorinformation.

ACelebrationofLifewillbeheldat alaterdate.Thankyoutoallthe staffatGillisHouse.

9.Participateinteammeetings; 10.Maintainaccuraterecords; 11.Otherrelateddutiesasassigned.

Gary Forsyth, Administrator Fax: 250-256-7999 E-mail: administrator@xwisten.ca To pick up an Enrollment Registration Package. Position open until filled

RequirementofCommunityConnectionsNavigator

HEADSTART/DAYCARE MANAGER

Inlieuofflowers,pleaseconsideradonationtotheCanadianBreast Cancer Foundation. Foreverinourhearts, we willmissyou,Mom. Onlinecondolencesandmemoriescanbeshared atwww.MerrittFuneralChapel.com

•DiplomaorDegreeinSocialWork(otherrelatedfieldswillbeconsidered); •ExperienceworkingwithFirstNationsCommunity; •AccesstoreliablevehicleandcurrentDriver’slicense; •PassableCriminalRecordCheckandDriver’sAbstract; •Ableandwillingtoworksomeeveningsandweekends.

Deadlineforsubmissions:January26th,2024

Onlythoseapplicantsselectedforaninterviewwillbecontacted.

PleaseforwardResumeandCoverLetterto: CynthiaL.Jager,SocialDevelopmentCoordinator,cynthia@coldwaterband.org POBox4600,Merritt,BC,V1K1B8

Full Time Permanent Position

Wage $30-$35 hr.

Reporting to the Health Manager, the Administrator will be responsible primarily for the overall Supervision of the Headstart/ Daycare program. This includes and understanding to staff supervision and scheduling, ensuring all licensing, and reporting requirements are being met, and ensuring a quality land-based program is being offered to children and families.

Only those short listed will be contacted and to apply submit resumes and cover letter: Gary Forsyth, Administrator Fax: 250-256-7999 E-mail: administrator@xwisten.ca To pick up an Enrollment Registration Package. Position open until filled

BILLMIKITA

December6,1936 -March18,2023

BillMikita,onemanwhoworemanyhats, Husband/Dad/Grandpa/Great-Grandpa. It’sbeenone yearsincehelef tusbuthis spiritremainsinourhearts forever.From fishing,hunting,campingandgardening tofixinganythingandeverything,Billwas themanforthejobevenifhewas alittle stubbornheknewhowtogetthetaskdone. Hisentire family remembersthegoodtimes, hislaughter, hissmile. We alsoremember hisfightingspiritthroughthehardtimesas hebattled formoretimewithusand kept smilingthroughitall.Hewillalwaysbe missedandnever forgotten

ColdwaterIndianBand JobPosting

JOBPOSTING

AMA7SWA7NURSE

Full-time Permanent (35hrs/week)

Ama7 Swa7Nurseis responsible forprovidingqualityhomecaretoXwistenClients thatarereferred to theHomeandCommunity Care Program.

DutiesandResponsibilities

•Assistsindirectnursingcareasrequiredwithand forclients to achieveoptimum healthin varioussituations:chronicdisease, acuteillness,injur y, woundcareand palliativecare.

•Promotesandprovideshealth relatedk nowledge, treatmentservicestoclients, caregiverswhilesupportingindependence.

•Per form assessments;evaluations;plans;goals;deliveries;treatmentplanorcare plan.

•Maintain confidentialdata recordsanddocumentation

•Coordinate nursingcareserviceswiththeclient, physician,hospital,rehabilitation, long term careprogramsandother community services/programs.

•Coordinate,developand teachnursingcarestrategies to assistclientandfamily.

•Provideinformationandcreateworkshops regardinghealthrelatedissuesand preventativemeasuresasneeded.

www.merrittherald.com

•Maintainfinancial recordsandbudget

•ESDRT(ServiceDelivery Reporting Template) reportstoFNHAmonthly

Qualific

•Graduatedfromanapprovedschoolofnursingandmusthold acurrent Registered NurseLicensewiththeBritish Columbia CollegeofNursing Professionals(BCCNP) orLicenced PracticalNurseLicense(LPN)

HOURS: FullTime–35hrs/wk

•Knowledgeofculturalsafetyprinciples, work ingwithinFirstNation'sHealthand Social Developmentareas

•Criminal Record Check:Vulnerable Sector

•ValidDriver'sLicense: Reliable Vehicle

•Excellentcommunicationskills -writtenand verbal;

SpecificDutiesandResponsibilities: PerformsalldutiesandresponsibilitiesinaccordancewiththeColdwaterIndianBand policies,standards,andprocedures,andasdirectedbytheFinanceCoordinator.Maintains confidentialityinallmatterstotheaffairsoftheColdwaterIndianBand.

•Abilitytodevelopandmaintainbudgets, anddofinancialandadministrative reporting;

•Filingand record keepingskills;

•Experiencesupervisingotheremployees

7.Supportparticipantstobuildcapacityinareassuchascommunication, self-advocacy andrelationships; 8.Participatewithteaminprovidingdeliverableactivitiesorinformation. 9.Participateinteammeetings; 10.Maintainaccuraterecords; 11.Otherrelateddutiesasassigned.

PostingClosingDate:March28,2025

RequirementofCommunityConnectionsNavigator

JOBPOSTINGS

HEADSTART/DAYCAREMANAGER

Full Time PermanentPosition

Wage$30-$35hr.

Repor ting to theHealth Manager, theAdministratorwillberesponsiblepr imar ily forthe overallSuper vision oftheHeadstart/Daycareprogram. This includes andunderstanding to staffsupervisionandscheduling,ensur ing alllicensing, andrepor ting requirementsarebeingmet, andensuring aquality land-based programisbeing offered to childrenandfamilies

EARLY CHILDHOODEDUC ATOR

Full Time PermanentPosition

Wage$23-$25hr.

Br idge RiverHeadStart /DaycareProgram is seek ingan individual tocommit to providinghigh qualit ycaretochildrenaged0-6 yearswithinterest in work ing in aunique programandensur ingthatthere is useofbestprac ticeprovided dur ingtheprogramdeliver y.

HOME COMMUNITYC AREWORKER -HCCP

Full-Time(35 Hrs. perweek –FlexibleHours)

Wage$21-$27hr.

Work ing as amemberoftheAma7Swa7Home& Communit yCareProgram, Underthe direc tion ofHome and Community Care Nurse, thesuccessful candidate will providedelegationoftaskssetoutbyHCCNaroundpersonalcare to clients living at homeonreser ve.Inthisrole,you will travel to homeswhere clients requirepersonalcare. Daily/ WeeklyJournalingLogsaretobesubmitted to HCCNasper clientlist

Onlythoseshor tlistedwill be contac tedand to apply submit resumesandcoverletter:Gar yForsyth,Administrator Fax:250-256-7999E-mail:administrator@xwisten.ca

Wage:$42.00 to $48.00perhourminimumanddependingupon experience. While wewelcomeallcandidates, onlythoseselectedforaninterviewwillbe contacted

ForwardResumes to:Gar yForsyth, Administrator PO Box190LillooetBCVOK1VOFax:(250)256-7999

PleaseforwardResumeandCoverLetterto: CynthiaL.Jager,SocialDevelopmentCoordinator,cynthia@coldwaterband.org POBox4600,Merritt,BC,V1K1B8

CLASSIFIEDS

2181Quilchena Ave•Box159

Merritt,B.C.V1K1B8

•Phone250.378.3923

•www.cfdcnv.com

COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENTCOORDINATOR

AbouttheRole:

ColdwaterIndianBand

JobPosting

BANDADMINISTRATOR

VALUEADDED

LUMBERREMANUFACTURINGPLANT

PRODUCTIONWORKERS (FT/PT)

•Wages:starting$20to$28 (dependsonexperience& attendance)

ColdwaterIndianBand(CWIB)requirestheserviceofaBand Administratorwhowillprovide overallmanagement,supervision,and leadershiptotheColdwaterAdministrationOfficeStaffandprograms. Thecandidatewill overseeadministrativeandfinancialmatters withinthejobdescriptionguidelines.Theadministratorwillsupport theChiefandCouncilinimplementingthestrategicplanandother directionsgiven by theleadership.Theadministratorwill overseethe programsandservices,includingLand,Wills&Estates,Public Works, Education, Finance,andSocialDevelopment.Thispositionreports totheColdwaterBandCouncilandwillinvolvenetworkingwiththe Government,externalagencies,andother FirstNations.Coldwater BandreservestherighttogivepreferencetoqualifiedAboriginal

ProudlyrecognizedasMerritt'sBestBookkeeper/Accountantofthe2019,2020,and2021 People'sChoiceAwards.It'sbeenourpleasureandprivilegetoserveourcommunityforover20 yearsandwelookforwardtobringinganothercommunitymembertojoinouroﬃce.Attentionto detailandbeingateamplayerisparamount.Salarywillbedependantonexperience.

CommunityFuturesDevelopmentCorporationofNicola Valley (CFDCNV) isseekinga CommunityDevelopmentCoordinator(CDC.) ThisisaFull-time, ONEYEAR(12Month)Contractwiththepotential for extension.TheCDCwill focusonpromotingeconomicgrowthand sustainabilitywithinMerrittandtheNicola Valley. Theidealcandidateshouldbeteamoriented, ﬂexible,motivated,capable of managingcommunity&economicdevelopmentprojectsandstrategies. ThegoalistoenhanceMerritt’s wellbeing,createjob&entrepreneur opportunitiesandsupport smallandmediumbusinessdevelopment for interest,onlycandidatesselectedtomove forwardwillbecontacted.

Maintaingeneralledgersandfinancialstatements. Calculateandpreparechequesforpayroll. Prepareotherstatistical,financial,andaccounting reports. Keepfinancialrecordsandestablish,maintain,and balancevariousaccountsusingSage50. MustbeeﬃcientinMicrosoftExcelandWord. Please email resumeto cjrbook@telus.net, or mail to Attn.ConnieRauch(Owner) CJRBookkeeping&TaxServicesInc. POBox2402.Merritt,BC.V1K1B8

•Steadydayshiftwork

•Studentswelcometoapply

•Noexperiencenecessary •Willtrain

TRUCKDRIVERSWITHCLASS1 Localsteadywork

LICENCEDSECURITYGUARDS

Excellentmedical& dentalplan

toconsidercommentsreceivedafterthisdate.PleasevisittheApplications,CommentsandReasonsforDecisionDatabasewebsiteat http://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ formoreinformation.

Beadvisedthatanyresponsetothisadvertisementwillbeconsideredpartofthepublicrecord.Accesstotheserecordsrequiresthe submissionofaFreedomofInformation(FOI)request.Visit http:// www.gov.bc.ca/freedomoﬁnformation tolearnmoreaboutFOI submissions.

PLEASESUBMITRESUME INPERSONTO 1195HoustonStreet,MerrittB.C. 250-378-6161

Title: LoansOfﬁcer

Reportsto: GeneralManager

WorkSchedule: 21hoursper week

Salary:$22.50-$28.00

JobSummary:

2181Quilchena Ave•Box159

Merritt,B.C.V1K1B8

•Phone250.378.3923

•www.cfdcnv.com

ColdwaterIndianBandSchool JobPosting TEACHER

TheColdwaterSchoolisinvitingqualifiedapplicantstoapplyfortheposition ofTeacher.

Qualifications

•Bachelor’sdegreeorhigherqualificationineducation

•ValidBCteachingcertificaterequired(orbeinapplicationof)

•Experiencewithtechnology

TheLoansOfﬁcerisresponsible forthedevelopment,analysis,and recommendationofloanApplicationstotheLendingCommittee.

CoreCompetencies:

•Abilitytointerpretandanalyzeﬁnancialandcreditdatafromreports, statementsandbusinessplans.

•BusinessAcuity:Abletoprovidesoundbusinesscoaching/training servicesandbusiness managementtools forpeoplewantingtostart, expand,franchiseorsellaruralbusiness.

•Participateincommunityeconomicdevelopmentinitiatives.

•Attentiontodetailandaccountability,as wellas excellentorganization andtime management.

• Works wellinateam,strong verbalandwrittencommunicationskills.

•StrongAnalyticalSkills

•ProﬁcientinMicrosoftOfﬁceanddatabaseprograms.

www.merrittherald.com

Key Responsibilities:

•Experienceworkingwith FirstNationSchool’sanasset

•ExperienceindevelopingandimplementingIEP’s,orwillingtolearn

•Excellentcommunication,leadershipandinterpersonalskills

•KnowledgeoftheBCcurriculum

•Willingtocontinuetogainnewknowledge,skills,beflexible,bepositive andateamplayer

•F irstAidCertificateorwillingtoobtain

•CriminalRecordCheck

Preferencewillbegiventothoseapplicantswho:

•HaveknowledgeofNle?kepmxlanguageandNle?kepmxculture

•Haveclassroomteachingexperience

•HaveexperienceatthePrimar yandElementary levels

•Haveexperiencewithformativeassessmentpracticesisanasset

•Haveadditionalprofessionalexperienceand/orpost-secondar ycourses

THURSDAY, January 18, 2024 A21

•Haveknowledgeofearlylearningandearlyliteracy

•HaveAboriginalancestry

ColdwaterIndianBand

•EvaluatingLoanApplications:assesstheﬁnancialstabilityand creditworthinessofapplicants

Howtoapply

•InterviewingApplicants:interviewapplicantstounderstandtheir ﬁnancialsituation, needs,andgoals.

•Researching FinancialStatus:researchapplicants’credithistor y, references,andotherﬁnancialdata.

JobPosting 2POSITIONSAVAILABLE COMMUNITYCONNECTIONSNAVIGATOR& COMMUNITYCONNECTIONSYOUTHNAVIGATOR

•CompletingLoanDocuments:prepareandprocessloancontracts, ensuringall necessary documentationiscompletedandsigned.

HOURS: FullTime–35hrs/wk

•PromotingLoanServices:promoteCFDCNV’sloanproductsand servicestoattract newcustomers.

Yourapplicationportfoliomustincludethefollowingdocuments:

•CoverLetter

•Resume

•Copiesofvalidrequiredcertification

•Threereferences

ClosingDate: On-goinguntilthispositionisfilled. Start Date: August25,2025

•CustomerService:assistclientswithquestionsandrequestsrelated totheirloans,and maintainclientconﬁdencebykeepingloan informationconﬁdential.

SpecificDutiesandResponsibilities:

•UpdatingLoan Files:reviewandupdatecreditandloanﬁlestoensure accuracyandcompliance.

Shor tListedApplicantswillbecontacted.

Pleasesendyourapplicationto:

Principal,ColdwaterSchool

Box4600 ~Merritt,BC ~V1K1B8 Fax:(250)378–9212

•As necessar y, supportotherfunctionsandperformother responsibilities that maybereasonablyassignedtothepositionbythe GeneralManager.

Qualiﬁcations:

7.Supportparticipantstobuildcapacityinareassuchascommunication, self-advocacy andrelationships;

8.Participatewithteaminprovidingdeliverableactivitiesorinformation.

•Bachelor’sDegreeinrelated ﬁeld(preferred)orequivalent experience.

9.Participateinteammeetings; 10.Maintainaccuraterecords;

Email:principal@coldwaterschool.ca

SUDOKU

•Previous experienceinLending,Bankingorﬁnancerelated ﬁeld.

11.Otherrelateddutiesasassigned.

•ClearCriminalRecordCheckwillberequired.

RequirementofCommunityConnectionsNavigator

•DiplomaorDegreeinSocialWork(otherrelatedfieldswillbeconsidered);

•ExperienceworkingwithFirstNationsCommunity;

PleasesubmitCoverletterandResume, statingqualiﬁcationsand experienceviaemailtogeneralmanager@cfdcnv.com.

•AccesstoreliablevehicleandcurrentDriver’slicense; •PassableCriminalRecordCheckandDriver’sAbstract; •Ableandwillingtoworksomeeveningsandweekends.

Rolewillremainopenuntilﬁlled. We thankallcandidates fortheir interest,onlycandidatesselectedtomove forwardwillbecontacted.

Deadlineforsubmissions:January26th,2024 Onlythoseapplicantsselectedforaninterviewwillbecontacted.

PleaseforwardResumeandCoverLetterto: CynthiaL.Jager,SocialDevelopmentCoordinator,cynthia@coldwaterband.org POBox4600,Merritt,BC,V1K1B8

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.