Merritt Herald May 30, 2024

A go-karts contest was held over the weekend at rodeo grounds. Page 13. Photo/ Kenneth Wong

Theatre expasion talk proposal at city hall

Kenneth Wong reporter@merrittherald.com

City council discusses the possibility of converting the civic centre into a theatre.

During the May 21 Committee of the Whole meeting, Nicola Valley Theatre Society delegate proposes theatre expansion for the civic centre.

Presented by former city councillor and Nicola Valley Theatre Society representative Kurt Christopherson, the proposed expansion would attach to the auditorium east wall into the present parking lot, providing 250 to 300 seats.

The upgrade would also consist of additional moveable walls. “It also adds another dimension as to how the civic centre can be used, it would actually give you three divided portions in the existing auditorium,” said Christopherson.

be greatly impacted, staff already does the janitorial, the office, the bookings, all of that,” said Christopherson. “It’s not like a completely new separate building somewhere else in town that has to hire from scratch.”

Christopherson believes that a “proper theatre setting” encourages bringing in movies, arts, entertainment, events, and the development of local talent. “Development of local talent, that’s probably my interest most, Merritt has always had a strong tradition of encouraging its youth to participate in the cultural events.”

Merritt RCMP honours two officers who were murdered in 1934 with plaques.

RCMP PLAQUES /PAGE 8

TOWN HALL

Conservative Party of B.C. hosts town hall with MLA candidate and party leader.

/PAGE 11

Christopherson explains that the upgrade to the auditorium would allow for more capacity whilst saving money opposed to building a separate theatre.

“The existing operational demands would not

The cost of the upgrades would be approximately up to $3 million. According to Christopherson, the Theatre Society already has potential sponsors willing to fund the construction, the City just needs to present plans to the public.

“If you’ve got a plan that you can present to the public, then you go after corporate sponsors, we certainly had talks

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

City of Merritt holding mascot design contest

Barletta Kenneth Wong reporter@merrittherald.com

City of Merritt launches mascot design contest.

Residents, students, and community organizations have until July 1 to submit entrees.

“Do you have what it takes to design a mascot that represents the spirit, diversity, and unity of our vibrant community?” reads the City’s announcement. “We’re calling on all the talented individuals, including students from local schools and members of local organizations, to participate in our Mascot Design Contest!”

The Mascot Design Contest aims to engage community members in celebrating Merritt’s unique community and values. “The mascot should embody the essence of our community, reflecting our values, culture, and aspirations,” reads the City’s announcement.

All submissions must be original and submitted in digital format. The mascot must be clothed in the City of Merritt’s colours: yellow and green.

The City of Merritt used the CMYK colour model in its announcement post on the City website, the shade of yellow should be C0; M12; Y90; K0 and green should be C75; M0; Y100; K20

Using hex the colour model, yellow should be #ffe019 and green should be #33cc00. Under the RGB colour model, yellow should be 255, 224, 25 and green should be 51, 204, 0.

Entrees are encouraged to include a brief description explaining the concept behind the design.

In order to participate, contestants must submit their entrees to recreation@merritt.ca before July 1, 2024.

The announcement post promises “exciting prizes” to the top three designs.

“This is your chance to leave a lasting legacy on our community,” reads the announcement post. “Whether you’re an artist, student, or member of a local organization, we encourage you to unleash your creativity and participate in our Mascot Design Contest!”

Project to be discussed in upcoming meeting

From Page 1

with the mine prior to this, we had talks with First Nations, we had several sponsors that were ready to come on on board, but you need to say we’re going to start before that can happen,” said Christopherson.

Despite potential funds from the Theatre Society and its associates, the upgrades to the civic centre remain the responsibility of the City of Merritt.

“We would basically have to have another project manager full time on hand to be able to manage any more work over the next five to ten years,” said City of Merritt’s Chief Administrative Officer Cynthia White.

As this was discussed at a Committee of the Whole meeting where only information is provided, no decision was made; a decision regarding the theatre will be further discussed at the first regular council meeting in June.

Photo/Unsplash/Thiago

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

Schoenborn will not have new name redacted

The BC Review Board has decided its future hearing decisions will not redact the new name of psychiatric hospital patient Allan Dwayne Schoenborn, who sought a publication ban so the public could not identify him as a child killer.

Schoenborn’s new name is understood to be Ken John Johnson, according to Dave Teixeira, a representative of Schoenborn’s victims — his three young children — and their family members.

According to a board decision written by chair Brenda Edwards, Schoenborn argued disclosure of his new name is prejudicial to his privacy and fair trial rights and publishing it would open him up to, in Schoenborn’s words, “further public abuse” and jeopardize his mental well-being and physical security.

Furthermore, disclosing his new name would negatively impact his community rehabilitation efforts, Schoenborn argued.

The B.C. director of Forensic Psychiatric Services supported Schoenborn’s application, Edwards noted.

“Anonymizing or redacting Mr. Schoenborn’s new name is justified on the public interest grounds of protection of physical safety and furtherance of treatment goals, including the accused’s need to reintegrate into the community,” the director argued, according to Edwards’ ruling. However, Crown counsel and Global News acted as intervenors in opposing the application.

The Crown, noted Edwards,

argued openness serves broad public interests and individual interests such as “the ability to make a decision about how and who to interact with and to deter further misconduct by the perpetrator.”

Furthermore, the board’s powers to restrict the name would be limited. This point was exemplified when Teixeira was granted Schoenborn’s name change certificate and published a screenshot on X, formerly Twitter.

Global News, Edwards wrote, said it is significant that neither [Schoenborn] nor the director have pointed to any precedent for the order sought. Global News argued the board would be charting “a bold and dangerous new course” that is antithetical to the open court principle.

The outlet further argued redaction would “obscure the ability of journalists, academics, historians, and law enforcement officials to locate and review the board’s disposition reasons and related documentation.”

Schoenborn said he has faced abuse from other patients and this justifies redaction of his name, as he’ll face similar abuse from the public. But Edwards said she “does not accept that because Mr. Schoenborn has been mistreated by co-patients while in custody, he faces a serious risk if he were to reintegrate into the community with public knowledge of his new name.”

“Balancing the important public interests against Mr. Schoenborn’s privacy, safety and community reintegration needs, I conclude that the scale tips in favour of pro -

See NEW Page 9

CHILDRENS MIRACLE NETWORK

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CIBC and RE/MAX Legacy are thrilledtohostaGarage andHot DogSaleinsupport of the Children's MiracleNetwork. All proceeds from thiseventwill go directlytothe Foundation,helping to make adifference in the lives of children. Come find greatdeals andenjoy delicious hotdogs while supporting aworthy cause.We look forward to seeing youonMay 31st!

Allan Schoenborn murdered his three children in Merritt in 2008. Photo/Herald file

Graeme Wood

GLACIER MEDIA

By Matthew Loeppky

Grade 8

ALBAS: Hospitals should be safe from illicit drugs and weapons

While it is the role and responsibility of the official opposition to hold the government accountable, it is often said that their role is not solely to oppose, but also to propose. The leader of the official

Conservative Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, introduced the Conservative “Safe Hospitals Act”. If a Conservative government is elected in the next federal election, set for October 2025, they plan to implement this Safe Hospitals Act

Before delving into the details of the Safe Hospitals Act, let’s discuss why such an act is necessary.

Many are aware that the B.C. NDP provincial government, with the consent and support of Prime Minister Trudeau’s federal Liberal government, approved a project to allow for the possession and use of certain illicit

drugs. These include previously illegal and dangerous substances like cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and opioids in British Columbia. In this report, I will not delve into the debate surrounding this project.

Unfortunately, this experiment led to an increase in illegal drug use in many hospitals, compromising the safety of staff and patients. Even more concerning, illegal drug dealers and weapons such as knives were allowed into hospitals. This information was uncovered through health authority documents leaked to several BC news organizations. It’s worth noting that this information was

leaked, as the health authorities in question did not publicly disclose it to the people of BC.

Imagine the shock that many patients and staff experienced when they discovered open drug use, drug dealers, and weapons being tolerated due to a health authority policy. Credit goes to the BC Nurses Union, who raised concerns about this issue. They highlighted that patients and staff have been exposed to harmful, illegal drugs. It’s safe to say that many would agree this is an entirely unacceptable situation in our hospitals.

B.C. NDP Premier David Eby recently asked Prime Minister

DAN ALBAS VIEW FROM THE HILL

Trudeau to change the parameters of this project and make illicit drug use illegal again in all public spaces including parks, hospitals and on transit. This request came after the realization that the project was not successful and had also led to an increase in overdose-related fatalities. The Prime Minister has since agreed to BC’s request.

So, what does the Conservative “Safe Hospitals Act” entail? The act proposes several measures aimed at ensuring that our hospitals, particularly the staff and patients within, are never exposed to dangerous illegal drugs and weapons again.

Measures include:

Establishing an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes if a criminal possesses a weapon in

OPINION

a hospital.

Eliminate the Health Minister’s ability to grant exemptions under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act if the exemption would permit the use of dangerous illicit drugs, such as fentanyl and meth, in hospitals.

Pass the Private Members Bill C-321, proposed by Cariboo—Prince George Conservative MP Todd Doherty, without delay. This bill will create an aggravating factor for assaults committed against healthcare workers or first responders.

It’s worth noting that this safe hospital act would only be applicable to illegal drugs, and would not extend to any drugs prescribed by medical practitioners.

Although healthcare is a provincially pro-

vided service, these federally imposed measures can offer additional tools to help maintain the safety of our hospitals for both patients and staff. Personally, I view our hospitals as some of the most valuable resources in our society, including the highly valued professionals working within them. They should be free to practice their work without having to shoulder this burden.

Allowing such ideological experiments from the NDP-Liberal governments has resulted in hospitals across the province to be filled with illegal drugs, drug dealers and weapons.

My question for you this week: Would you support the implementation of this “safe hospitals act” by the federal government? Why or why not?

REAL ESTATE: Purchasing ood-damaged properties

Opportunities often present themselves in the most unexpected places, and for those willing to roll up their sleeves and put in the work, flood-damaged homes might just be the golden ticket to affordable homeownership.

While some properties may be too damaged to repair, others hold the potential to be restored to their former glory - or better. For the determined, investing some sweat equity can yield big rewards, making homeownership possible at below-market prices. However, this path is not without its challenges, and understanding how to navigate these obstacles is crucial.

The first step in evaluating a flood-damaged property is obtaining a professional assessment. This comprehensive inspection should cover several critical areas: the foundation, contamination and mold issues, structural integrity, and utilities such as heating and water systems. Armed with this assessment, you can make an informed decision about the property’s potential and the scope of work required.

Once you have a clear picture of the property’s condition, it’s time to dive into the financial viability of the purchase. To do this, you’ll want to calculate the cost of renovations, the purchase price and, if financing is necessary, the borrowing costs ie. interest.

Traditional financial institutions, like big banks, often won’t lend money for homes with flood damage. But don’t despair there are ways around this, and alternative financing options may be available.

Consider consulting a mortgage broker who specialize in non-traditional lending. Private lenders are often willing to provide financing, generally with higher interest rates. While these rates may seem daunting, there are ways to determine if they are worth the investment.

One way is to calculate the difference in the total amount of interest paid over the term of the loan compared to the interest paid over the same term

with a traditional mortgage. Add this difference to the cost of the home, including renovation and repair expenses. Then, evaluate whether this total still makes the property a good buy.

Along with this strategy, opt for the shortest viable term with the lender. Instead of the common three or five-year mortgage, consider a one or twoyear term, or a period that allows enough time to complete repairs and renovations. Once the property is restored, you can re-apply for a more traditional mortgage at a lower interest rate. For example, on a property with a mortgage loan of $200,000 at 6.39 per cent (the going rate) vs. the same amount at 10.75 per cent there would be approximately $17,000 difference in borrowing cost on a 2-year term – and even less of a difference on a 1-year term. You may want a professional real estate expert to assist you along the way – especially at this point – they will be able to help you with market trends both current and future which will help to determine if the total purchase cost is worth it.

Part of the process will also be confirming that the property can be insured while you are renovating and after the work is complete. Lenders will require that you are able to get insurance for the property to qualify for financing.

The Subtle Art of Real Estate when it comes to purchasing flood-damaged homes is having the ability to approach the purchase strategically. As the old saying goes ‘you need to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em – know when to walk away and when to run’. If you find a diamond in the rough and the cost is right, then not only will this open the door to the possibility of homeownership in a very tight market, but it will also contribute to community revitalization, making it a win-win scenario for everyone.

From the Herald archives: May, 1974

BE PREPARED FOR FLOODING

Although the local Forest Service doesn’t keep official snow-pack records, the Forest Ranger Keith Berard told the Herald this morning that his advice would be to do everything that can be done to prepare for flooding.

“There is still a fair bit of snow at the higher leves - over 4500 foot level - and it is hard-packed and contains a lot of moisture.”

LETTERS POLICY

The Merritt Herald welcomes your letters, on any subject, addressed to the editor. Letters may be edited for length, taste and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or less. Email letters to: newsroom@ merrittherald. com.

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

RCMP honours fallen of cers with plaques

Kenneth Wong reporter@merrittherald.com

Merritt RCMP receives plaques honouring two officers murdered on the Canford Reserve.

On May 23, 1934, Constables Percy Carr and Frank Gisbourne were murdered on the Canford Reserve.

When Sgt. Brock Hedrick found out about the story of the two officers, he undertook the initiative to ensure they were properly memorialized.

“When I transferred to the Merritt detachment almost 14 years ago, I came upon this story and was kind of shocked to find out the officers had not been properly memorialized in the City of Merritt,” said Sgt. Hedrick.

Sgt. Hedrick had made contact with both families and received photos of the officers. “I just thought it was the least we could do for these two officers that gave their lives to keep our community safe,” said Sgt. Hedrick.

The plaques will be unveiled at the regiment ball and then permanently installed in the Merritt RCMP detachment lobby.

On May 23, 1934, Const. Percy Carr received a call from the Canford Reserve that a man named Eneas George had stabbed his wife and was in need of medical attention. Carr picked up Dr. J.J. Gillis and they drove straight to Canford.

Upon their arrival, Const. Carr searched

Tuesday,June 18 at 5:30 pm

Anominationfor 4members to theBoard of Directors will take placeprior to themeeting. Eligible memberswill be sent apackage by mail which will includenominationand voting details.

Only individualswithcurrent membership can vote or be nominatedfor office.

Membership applicationdeadlineisJune17, 2024 at 3:00 pm Anyapplications received afterthisdate/time will not be eligible to vote forthe BoardofDirectors or at the June 18th, 2024 Annual GeneralMeeting.

for George whilst Dr. Gillis provided medical attention to George’s wife.

Later in the day, Const. Frank Gisbourne would assist Carr in the search and arrest of George. The two left immediately, however, Carr had left his gun behind.

This was the last time anyone in Merritt saw the constables alive.

A car would later be discovered by Indian Agent Barber. The car soaked with blood, in the front seat layed a pair of handcuffs and a police baton. Agent Barber had then reported his findings to police headquarters in Kamloops.

On the suspicion of murder, two detectives from Victoria were sent to Merritt.

Eneas George along with his brothers, Joseph and Richardson George, were interviewed by the detectives with the help of Nooaitch Chief Billy.

After some investigation, it became clear that the four George brothers — Eneas, Richardson, Joseph and Alex — had killed the two constables.

Gisbourne had asked Eneas to come with him. Eneas had refused and an altercation broke out in which Gisbourne fired his gun which jammed after a shot that missed Joseph, resulting in the officers being beaten unconscious.

Believing the constables were dead, their bodies were loaded into the police car and drove off reserve. As they were driving, Carr regained

Ben van der Gracht

250-374-3344 ext 244 bvandergracht@morellichertkow.com

Jacob M Brown 250-374-3344 ext 264 jbrown@morellichertkow com

Photo/Kenneth Wong

New requirement when applying for a name change

From Page 5

tecting and preserving the openness principle,” concluded Edwards.

In 2010, Schoenborn was found to have committed first-degree murder his three children in Merritt in 2008 but a judge found him not criminally responsible for killing them. He has been housed in a psychiatric hospital since.

Last month, the board held Schoenborn’s annual hearing to review his privilege to remain in the community for up to 28-day visit leaves, subject to an assessment of his mental condition and the risk that he poses to the public at the time the leave is sought.

The hearing was postponed following a verbal outburst from Schoenborn against members of the board.

His application to redact his name prompted the provincial government to alter laws in order to prevent people convicted of serious Criminal Code offences from changing their names.

Premier David Eby initially pointed his finger at the previous BC Liberal (now named BC United) government for altering name change legislation in 2002.

Those 2002 changes had nothing to do with criminals, who have always been able to change their name. What they did do was remove public notification of name changes all together — a matter Eby did not address with new legislation concerning criminals.

What will not change under new legislation is the requirement to submit a criminal record check when applying for a name change; this ensures police records are aligned with both names.

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

FRONTLINEFILES Arson suspect still in jail

Photo/RCMP

Laísa Condé editor@merrittherald.com

A woman charged in connection with an alleged arson attack last week in Merritt is still behind bars.

Lynn Bernice Johnny, 41, is charged with one count of arson causing bodily harm.

Police said the 41-year-old was arrested after two people suffered significant injuries in an intentionally set house fire on May 20.

According to Mounties, emergency crews were called to an address in the 1900-block of Houston Street at about

5 a.m. that day for a report of a fire.

Merritt RCMP Staff Sgt. Josh Roda said two people suffered “significant injuries” in the blaze.

“Both were stabilized and remain in hospital,” he said in a news release. “A suspect was arrested at the scene.”

Johnny is expected to appear in Kamloops provincial court for a bail hearing on June 13.

Roda said the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information can call police at 250-378-4262

Bodies thrown into river

From Page 8

consciousness and let out a loud groan which unnerved the driver who had lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree.

The brothers threw the bodies into the Nicola River where they floated away, then returned to Canford.

The George brothers stood trial for murder in Vernon. As it proceeded, it became evident that three of the brothers had stood by the fourth to prevent him from being arrested for stabbing his wife.

Joseph George’s case presented some difficulties. He was stone deaf, possibly from the closeness and the loudness of the gunshot. He could neither read nor write English and as long as he remained mute he was “beyond the law of the criminal court.”

The legal battle dragged on for 17 months. Despite fierce opposition, the Crown sentenced Eneas, Richardson, and Alex George to death.

On the morning of November 6, 1936, the three brothers walked silently to the gallows and were hung for their crimes.

On May 22, Love to Dance Academy received a $3,000 cheque from Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

The dance academy was granted the money after applying for the Community Building Fund.

Kia Henriksen, artistic director at Love to Dance, highlighted what the cheque means to the dance academy.

“This means so much. These guys have been so supportive throughout the years. This is not their first time helping us, they helped us with getting this new floor as well. Their support is truly instrumental,” she said.

Henriksen said the money will be put towards new equipments for their acrobat program.

NICOLA VALLEY NEWS

Conservative Party of B.C. hosts town hall

On Sunday, May 27, Merritt residents and neighbouring communities gathered at the civic centre in Merritt for a highly anticipated town hall meeting, which featured Conservative Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) candidate Tony Luck alongside Conservative Party of British Columbia leader John Rustad.

The event provided a platform for community members to voice their concerns, ask questions and engage in dialogue with the Conservative Party of B.C. for the upcoming election.

Some of the focal points included the affordability and speeding up permits to get work done.

“It makes no sense to me whatsoever that we got wildfires in this area and then we’re waiting two years to get permits to go and cut these damaged trees, to salvage them, get reforested, get rehabilitated, get back to healthy forest,” said Rustad. “Why is it taking two years or longer to get permits? In Alberta, when they have a wildfire, three weeks later, they’re in there, they got the permits, they’re already doing the work. They’re already cutting down the trees, they’re already doing the rehabilitation.”

“Our permitting process has gotten to the place where you need to get permits to collect information so that you can apply for permits,” Rustad continued. “And we wonder why we’re the highest cost producers in North America? Because we have these layers and layers and layers of requirements and bureaucracy and cost that has been added in.”

To increase affordability, the Conservative Party of B.C. hopes to get rid of the carbon tax and double in-province food produc-

tion. “As a province, we only procure 34 per cent of the food we consume from British Columbia, that means two thirds of the food we consume comes from outside our borders,” said Rustad.

“If climate is changing to the point where it’s going to reduce production somewhere else, or governments come forward with these crazy policies if, they want to reduce nitrogen based fertilizer or eliminate it… We need to be thinking about how we actually double B.C.’s food production, why wouldn’t we want to do that? Why wouldn’t we want to make sure that our people aren’t vulnerable in this province?” continued Rustad.

If elected, the Conservative Party of B.C. will first prioritize getting a budget in place, get the pipeline in place, hiring back healthcare workers, and bringing forward legislation that prevents biological men from competing against biological women in sports.

“Come the spring session, which is when the first legislative opportunity, so budget of course will be priority, we’ll have the pipeline stuff in place,” said Rustad. “The next big ones we’re going to do is get rid of the mandates, hire back our healthcare workers, going to do that as quickly as we possibly can.

“We’re gonna pass legislation that protects women and girls in sports, we will make it so that biological men cannot compete with women in women’s sports,” Rustad continued. “We’re going to protect the rights of women, make sure that they have safe places to be able to go. And this isn’t about taking rights away from anybody else, we’ll make sure that there’s safe places and rights for everyone, but I’m not interested in taking away the rights of one particular group to give to a different group.”

Kenneth Wong reporter@merrittherald.com

Photo/Kenneth Wong

B.C.’s snowpacks ‘extremely low’ as drought persists

Colin Dacre CASTANET

Snowpacks in B.C. remain well below normal as drought persists despite the recent rainy and cool weather.

Data released Thursday by the BC River Forecast Centre says, as of May 15, the average provincial snowpack was 57 per cent of normal for this time of year. That is a decline from 66 per cent on May 1.

“Low snowpack, early snowmelt and lingering impacts from on-going drought are creating significantly elevated drought hazards for this upcoming spring and summer,” said the BC River Forecast Centre.

The Okanagan basin is 49 per cent of normal, while the Similkameen sits at 46 per cent, Boundary 74 per cent, South Thompson 74 per cent, North Thompson 67 per cent and West Kootenay 66 per cent.

The survey is a snapshot in time for May 15 and would not have counted any of the recent precipitation. The report notes that some snow stations in the mountains saw additional cumulation with the recent storms.

“On average, by May 15 approximately 17 per cent of the seasonal snowpack has melted. So far, 31 per cent of peak snowpack has melted this year, driven by low elevation melt in April and the significant heat event on May 9-12,” said the report.

Last year a heat wave in May saw 43 per cent of the snowpack melted by this time.

“Overall, the provincial snowpack remains extremely low for May 15,” the report continued, noting that this report typically captures the peak of the snow accumulation season.

“This season continues to have increased hazards of drought due to long-term precipitation deficits, low snowpack, early snowmelt, and an increased likelihood of warmer than normal spring and summer weather. Weather will continue to play an important role in summer drought conditions,” the report concluded.

The BC Wildfire Service has been gearing up for a busy fire season in the event that the drought persists. Wildfire season in the Southern Interior typically hinges on if it rains in June—the Okanagan’s wettest month historically— or not.

Many cities in the region are also already at elevated stages of water restrictions.

SPORTS

MSS to host 2025 volleyball provincials

Laísa Condé editor@merrittherald.com

Merritt Secondary School wins bid to host the 2025 BC School Sports AA Girls Volleyball Championship.

Gian Cavaliere, athletic director at Merritt Secondary School, said that earlier this year the school put in a bid to host the AA Girls High School Volleyball Championships.

“Merritt was chosen by the legislative assembly to host the 2025 championships,” Cavaliere said. “I think it really helped that we also hosted them in 2022 and the tournament went really well. The community was super supportive, very welcoming of the out-of-town teams.”

“Teams at the end and parents of kids from out of town schools came up to us and let us know just how well run it was, how welcoming the community was and what a good experience it was. That was our first time that Merritt has ever hosted provincial championships for volleyball.”

According to Cavaliere, 15 other teams around the province will join Merritt Secondary School’s girls’ volleyball team and compete.

“We want to make sure the community is aware of it. We want to promote volleyball even more so than already is in Merritt,” he added.

The 2025 AA Girls Volleyball Championship will run from November 27 to 29, 2025, and the games will most likely be hosted at Merritt Secondary School, Community Learning Centre and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.

Cavaliere shares his excitement to host the provincial championship at MSS for the second time.

“I’m really excited. It’s only going to help our position as a sports city in this province, it’s only going to help us, you know, maintain that high standard of running tournaments in a very organized way,” he said. “And to just keep building that brand that Merritt is a great spot to come for sports, we’re in a great location and you have a good experience while being here.”

Engines roaring at rodeo grounds over the weekend

Laísa Condé editor@merrittherald.com

Engines were roaring at the rodeo grounds over the weekend.

The Nicola Valley rodeo grounds hosted the first-ever electric go-kart competition, a collaboration between Merritt-based company Edison Motors and Merritt Secondary School.

A total of 20 teams across the province came to the local rodeo grounds to test their go-karts in three different challenges.

Chace Barber, Edison Motors co-founder and CEO, shared his excitement on the event.

“I think it was amazing to see what those students could build. It was a great day, everyone was so happy and excited,” Barber said. “We’re definitely going to do it again next year.”

Here are the results of the competition:

First place: Sardis

Second place: Seaquam

Third place: Merritt

Twenty teams showcased their go-karts at contest

Photos/Kenneth Wong

Do

Nurturing the soul, mind and body with natural products

Laísa Condé editor@merrittherald.com

Local business promotes natural products that nurture the spirit, mind and body.

Brooke Rankin got into the world of herbalism seven years ago, when she started studying plants.

“I’ve always been a person that’s kind of submersed in nature. But I found a really big interest in herbalism when I moved to Vancouver Island in 2016. That’s when I started studying herbalism there,” she said. “My partner, Scott, who I had met out there as well, he was really interested in plants. So I was kind of brought down this path in a very organic way.”

While Rankin was still studying herbalism, her interest in making natural products for her family members was the opportunity to kick off their project.

“We started making skincare remedies, natural household cleaners and then we were making different aim creams and stuff that my family needed,” she said. “It’s been a journey that has always been snowballing from one thing to the next and that journey brought us right here to Merritt as well.”

The couple decided to officially create their own natural products shop Earth and Soul Collection, which sells body care to shaving and hair care products as well as candles and botanicals.

“It’s all products that are inspired by Earth and come from the soul. So it’s all the things that nurture your spirit, nurture the mind and nurture the body, and that’s the beauty of it,” Rankin added.

“We make tinctures for people to take medicine internally, we do topical skincare products for people with sensitive skin. We use mostly all natural ingredients like essential oils, herbal oil and everything derived from nature.”

Soon after they moved to Merritt, the couple got involved with the Nicola Valley Farmers’ Market.

“We thought this would be a beautiful way to connect with the community and see what’s going on,” Rankin added. “Moving to Merritt really allowed our roots to begin settling down here, which allowed other passions to truly begin budding in the direction that everything’s being pulled right

now.”

“(After) moving to Merritt I could see that there was a lot of curiosity for herbalism. It’s not just in Merritt, it’s everywhere right now, because we are at a point where we are needing to turn the eye back to herbalism,” she added. “It gives us a space to empower our own health and wellness. It’s received a lot of appreciation for the knowledge that we share in the community.”

She said her business stands out in the market of natural products due to the educational side that comes with it.

“We like to encourage people to go back in touch with Mother Earth and get their feet on the ground and find that sense of groundedness, and that comes through a lot of our products,” Rankin added. “It just allows people to tap into the energetics of our products and not just use them quickly and buy another, because our products are there to touch the mind, the body and soul.”

Rankin hopes their business continues to inspire all the generations around them.

“That’s the beauty of our business. It’s not just something that we supply products for, it’s our lifestyle. That’s the beauty of it, because we make a lot of things that we use on a regular basis and we make them in bulk now and offer them to the community,” Rankin said. “We see them appreciating (the products) and being receptive in just the same way that we are appreciative (of our), so it’s a beautiful thing.”

“We just feel very blessed to be in the community of Merritt and be surrounded by people that are very curious about this lifestyle, it really helps our business grow. It’s cool to see that our influence is actually touching people’s lives like this, it’s why we’re doing this.”

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 1:00 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

Scott Lesage and Brooke Rankin decided to operate their own herbal company which promotes sustainability and easyto-use products. Photo/Earth and Soul Collection

CLASSIFIEDS

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WITH CLASS 1 Local steady work

LICENCED SECURITY GUARDS

Excellent medical & dental plan

POSITION:

SALES PE RSON/OFFIC E ADMIN

RE SP ONSI BI LITI ES:

• En ga ge in sa le s ac ti vi ti es to prom ot e ad ve rt is in g sp ac e in Me rri tt He ra ld

• Ma na ge ci rc ul at io n proc es se s to en su re ti me ly di st ri bu ti on

• As si st wi th Ac co un ts Re ce ivab le ta sk s

Hissmilingway andpleasantf ace

Area pleasure to recall, He hadakindlywordfor each Anddiedbeloved by all. Somedaywewill meet him, Someday, we know notwhen, To clasphis hand in Heaven Nevertopar tagain.

“Love Your Back” Your Loving Family

Please submit resume in person to 1195 Houston Street, Merritt B.C. 250-378-6161

Share your event with the community KamloopsThisWeek.com /events merrittherald.com

• Ha nd le ge ne ra l of fic e ad mi ni st ra ti ve du ti es

• Co lla bo ra te wi th th e te am to ac hi eve sa le s an d op erat io na l go al s

• Prov id e exce pt io na l cust om er se rv ic e to cl ie nt s an d pa rt ne rs

QUALIF IC AT IO NS:

• Proven ex pe ri en ce in sa le s an d/or of fic e ad mi ni st ra ti on

• St ro ng mu lt it as ki ng ab il it ie s in a fa st -p ac ed envi ro nm en t

• Se lf -m ot ivat ed an d go al -o ri en te d

• Sh ou ld poss es s profi ci en cy in us in g co mp ut er s.

• Exce ll en t co mm un ic at io n an d in te rp er so na l sk il ls

• Ba si c un de rs ta nd in g of Ac co un ts Re ce ivab le proc es se s (t ra in in g wi ll be prov id ed)

• Ab il it y to wo rk in de pe nd en tl y an d as pa rt of a te am

WH AT WE OF FE R:

• Co mp et it ive co mp en sa ti on wi th co mm is si on op po rt un it ie s

• Trai ni ng an d me nt or sh ip prog ra ms

• A ch an ce to be pa rt of a hi st or ic an d co mm un it y- ce nt ri c orga ni za ti on

• Op po rt un it ie s fo r ca re er ad va nc em en t

HOW TO APPLY:

In

JOBPOSTINGS

HEADSTART/DAYCARE MANAGER

Repor ting to the Health Manager,the Administrator will be responsible primarily forthe overall Super vision of the Headstar t/Daycareprogram.This includes and understanding to staff supervision andscheduling, ensuring all licensing,and repor ting requirementsare being met,and ensuring aqualityland-based program is being offered to childrenand families

XWÍSTEN AGRICULTURE TRAININGPROGRAM COORDINATOR

TheXwísten AgricultureTraining Program(ATP) Coordinatorshall be responsible for the effectiveand timely deliver yofthe Xwísten AgricultureTraining Program. The ATPCoordinatorshall coordinate thepar ticipantrecruitmentand training program, and the recruitment/engagementofteacher/instructors,arrange workshops and classroom sessions,arrange occasionalexcursions to agricultural farmsites, coordinate and encourage par ticipantlearningand keeping track of expenses and progress of each par ticipant.Thisposition is apar t-time term contract ending August 30, 2024, based on up to 24 hours of work per week.Some additional work maybeavailable thatcould extend thistermlonger,subjecttothe availability of renewed funding.Afull job description available upon request

BIOLOGIST –PROJECT SUPERVISOR

Full-time

TheBiologist is responsible to work on all programs within thedepar tmentwhich represents awide varietyofinitiatives andprojectsthatinclude planning and the operational managementofnatural resourcessuch as water, fish, and wildlife withthe goal of ensuring long-term sustainabilitythroughout Xwísten’sterritory. Biologist position will developnew projects/researchinitiatives through grant writing and the developmentofcollaborations/par tnerships with federal and provincial agencies, First Nations,and academia.

FINANCE OFFICE CLERK

Full-timePosition

Bridge RiverIndian Bandisseeking afull-timeFinance OfficerClerk. Repor ting to the Bridge RiverIndian Band Administrator. TheFinance Office Clerkwill be responsible forassistingofficeadministration andaccounting dutiesincluding invoicing.

3 EARLYCHILDHOODEDUCATORS

Full-Time PermanentPositions

Bridge RiverHead Star t/ DaycareProgram is seekingindividuals to committo providing high qualitycaretochildrenaged0-6 years withinterestinworking in aunique programand ensuringthatthere is use of best practice providedduring theprogram deliver y.

Only those shor tlistedwillbecontacted.

ForwardResumesto: Gary Forsyth, Administrator Bridge RiverIndianBand,PO Box190 Lillooet BC V0K1V0

Fax: (250) 256-7999

Application Deadline June 14, 2024

Dodds AUCTION AUC TION

Pick up your map at the fo llo wing locations from May 27 th onward:

Municipa l Office and Campground Information Centre. You may also view ma p and list at www.loga nlak e.ca

For more informat ion call 250-5236225 email: info@loganlake.ca

LAND ACT:

LAND ACT

Notice of Application for a Disposition of Crown Land

Take notice that I, 186 Energy Inc., from West Vancouver, BC, have applied to the British Columbia Ministry of Forests (FOR), Kamloops, for an Investigative Licence for a solar power study situated on Provincial Crown land located adjacent BC Hydro transmission lines approximately 25 km SE of Kamloops and south of Roche Lake Road

FOR invites comments on this application. The Lands File is 3413842. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to the Senior Land Officer, Kamloops, FOR, at 441 Columbia Street, Kamloops BC, V2C 2T3. Comments will be received by FOR up to July 26, 2024. FOR may not be able to consider comments received after this date Please visit the Applications, Comments and Reasons for Decision Database website at https://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ for more information.

LICENSED CANNABIS

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

PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

1. Fashion accessory

4. Engine additive

7. Small, faint constellation

8. Gives a job

10. Self-righteous person

12. Caucasian language

13. Surinam toad

14. Sino-Soviet block (abbr.)

1. Occur

2. Show up

3. Capital of Taiwan

4. Brother or sister

5. Secret gettogethers

6. Type of tea

8. Where the action is

9. Cast out 11. Crime group

14. Type of vessel (abbr.)

16. Former French coin

17. Levels the score

19. What stage performers do

20. Egyptian Sun god

21. Localities

25. Spherical body

26. Licensed for Wall Street

27. Perfect

15. Accept and handle

18. Sacri ce hit

19. One who buys and sells securities simultaneously

20. Month

22. Most thin

23. Naturally occurring material 24. Luke’s mentor __-Wan

29. It’s on many people’s heads

30. Boxing’s GOAT

31. Photo

32. Popular HBO show

39. Popular music awards show

41. Pouch

42. Lake in Botswana

43. Unruly group

27. Postmodernist Austrian “House”

Aquatic salamander 29. Baseball stat

Beginning military rank

Talk rapidly and unintelligbly

Paddle

Caregiver (abbr.)

Old Irish alphabet

44. One-fourth

45. Very eager

46. Edward __, author and writer

48. Flying insect

49. Dragged forcibly 50. us far

51. Not just “play” 52. Commercials

Japanese city

In a way, acted

ings to see

Nursemaid

YOUR DAILY DOSE

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MERRITT HERALD