Local mom isolated from family
Christine hinZMAnn Citizen staff
In the pre-coronavirus world, when a woman was expecting twins, their birth would be a joyous celebration for family and friends. Those special moments for one local couple would include two big sisters being introduced to their new baby sisters, dad would be able to witness the birth and then the family would visit mom and the babies at the hospital as often as possible.
everyone would get to know one another and anticipate the day everyone could go home to start the newest phase of their lives together. in the post-coronavirus world, things are very different.
Jai-lene Gear was admitted into the University Hospital of northern B.c. on April 1 because she had several serious health issues that developed as she carried her twins to 35 weeks.
Gear’s partner, ed Goodfellow, was able to attend the caesarean birth of their twin girls on April 3 but that’s the last time he’s seen the twins and only saw Gear with plate glass walls between them as he and his older daughters were on the outside of the hospital looking in and Gear was on the inside looking out. right now visitation is restricted at UHnBc and those under 16 years old can’t visit at all.
To watch her partner walk away after the twins were delivered was so hard for Gear.
“i was so stressed,” she said. “You know this should be a happy time but knowing that you can’t have your family come visit is not exactly the best but i mean it’s for a good reason. We have to keep them safe, too.”
Gear turned to social media to share her feelings about the situation on April 6 about her April 1st hospital admission. “if i knew that was the last day i was going to hug and kiss cassiopeia and raeduan in person for a while i probably wouldn’t have left my house,” Gear said. “i know that it was the right thing to do and i know that anytime from 1 more week to May 4th-ish we will all be together again. But it doesn’t make it easier. i’m a mess. i’m not going to lie. i’m pretty strong but when it comes to dividing my family, i don’t do well.”
raeduan is 11 years old and cassiopeia is 18-months. Gear said she’s never been away from her 18-month-old and only for
the university Hospital of northern B.c
a night or two when raeduan goes for sleepovers.
Gear talked about her visit with the family as they stood outside.
“it was amazing that they came to visit at a socially acceptable distance tonight,” Gear said. “i even got to hear the parade honking through the phone! Way to go PG showing support for all the amazing staff at UHnBc! They are amazing putting their lives at risk and on hold to help save all of us and keep us safe in this trying time.”
residents of Prince George have often showed their support for healthcare workers at the hospital by convoying around the parking lot honking their vehicle horns.
As Gear’s personal health issues improved, she was released from hospital April 8 only to go into lockdown in the neonatal intensive care Unit where her newborn twins, Ainslee and Brinleigh, are being cared for.
The choice was to be in nicU with the twins or go home and stay away until the twins were ready to go home.
“That’s not an option,” Gear said during a phone interview early Thursday morning.
The little twin-cesses, as Gear affectionately calls her new daughters, are not able to eat on their own right now
and Ainslee stops breathing a bit. Both girls have monitors on them, she said. once the twins are incident free for five days, everyone will be allowed to go home.
“We’re just working on feeding right now for the most part,” Gear said.
Ainslee is the smaller of the twins and has the most issues, Gear added.
For that reason it looks like they could be in hospital for a while.
“But that’s oK, she’ll catch up with her sister,” Gear said.
Being separated from family is heartbreaking for her.
“When we video chat cassiopeia says “up”,” Gear said with great emotion.
She can’t wait for the day she can hug all her family members again.
During this separation, mom and dad check in with each other often.
“ed says he’s putting out fires at home but not getting a lot done otherwise,” Gear said.
“it will be so nice when the girls all get to meet each other.”
After all this is over and they get to settle into their new routine at home, Gear knows they’ll be fine.
“i have a great support system at home,” she said. “My family is kind of wonderful that way.”
Snowpack SetS Stage for Spring flooding
MArk nieLsen
Citizen staff
The Fraser River is set to burst its banks this spring.
runoff in the range of 132 per cent of normal at Shelley is in the cards during April-July, according to the B.c.’s river Forecast centre’s April 1 snow survey and water supply bulletin. That’s due in large part, to extremely high snow packs recorded in the Upper Fraser.
Thanks to significant snowfall during the first and last week of March, snow pack in Upper Fraser east grew to 147 per cent from 135 per cent over the month, while the level in Upper Fraser West declined to a still-significant 129 per cent from 135 per cent.
A handful of records were also recorded in the region, led by the measuring station at Longworth in Upper Fraser east, where 1,378 mm was reached, 179 per cent of normal. records were also noted at Horsefly Mountain (735 mm, 158 per cent) and Yanks Peak (1215 mm, 153 per cent) in the Middle Fraser-Quesnel region and at cook creek (789 mm, 136 per cent) in the north Thompson.
The snowpack in those regions added up to 131 per cent and during the freshet roughly two-thirds of the river’s flow originates from those areas.
it could translate into trouble downstream as well.
“Historically, there are only a few years where the snowpack in the major tributaries of the Fraser river have all been high at the same time (these years include 1972, 1974 and 1999),” the agency says in the bulletin.
“Given the importance of the Upper Fraser and Thompson river for the overall freshet flow on the lower Fraser river, this means the seasonal flood risk for the entire Fraser river is elevated.”
Weather going forward remains the wild card.
“cooler weather over the next few weeks may delay the onset of melt, which can increase flood risks as more snow melts into May and June,” the agency says.
Handout PHoto
Jai-Lene Gear, who just gave birth to twins, visits with family, partner ed Goodfellow, raeduan, 11, and cassiopeia, 18 months, through the glass at
Stranded Canadians reach out to MP
ted clarke
Citizen staff
The COVID-19 crisis has left thousands of Canadians stranded in other countries.
Subject to travel bans and even martial law restrictions in those foreign lands, with most international flights grounded, people attempting to return to Canada are becoming concerned for their own safety and have been reaching out to politicians for help.
Todd Doherty is doing what he can to bring them home. The Conservative MP for Cariboo-Prince George is leaning on his network of international contacts developed over two decades as an airport executive and his work abroad on trade missions under the former Conservative government to help make that happen.
Doherty has spent much of the past month on his phone using his consular contacts to coordinate with the government’s Global Affairs staff and federal officials of all political stripes to work together to clear the way for repatriation. The calls come in at all hours of the day, usually from family members trying to clear the hurdles of the global pandemic to
get their loved ones back.
“We’ve had constituents that have been in Peru or Guatemala or Cambodia or Thailand or India and stuck on the cruise ships that are not allowed or restricted for docking and are literally floating without a home for a long period of time,” said Doherty. “We’ve had constituents that are in countries that are in 100 per cent lockdown, essentially martial law, and if you’re a foreigner it’s become very dangerous for them to be there because they’re seen as the carriers of the virus.”
Within his own riding, Doherty says there are hundreds of constituents trying to make it back home. On Friday, Doherty received a text message from a woman in Prince George whose 80-year-old mother just made it back from India.
He was relieved last week to learn a woman and her husband traveling in Peru were able to make it back to their home in Williams Lake. In her text to Doherty, the woman said the situation in Peru was becoming more volatile with people struggling with a nationwide lockdown, which limited their ability to find the necessities of life.
“It was a very frightening potential that we were facing to be thousands of miles away from family and loved ones during such uncertain times was one of my worst fears,” said the woman. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. My family, friends and also my mother are grateful to you for your personal response and the help you provided.”
Some of the people Doherty is in contact with have run low on medications and are finding it hard to get their prescriptions filled.
People from Toronto with family members stuck in Guyana reached out to Doherty when they heard he has diplomatic connections there.
Doherty was appointed as shadow transportation minister in November and has tapped his international connections to answer questions about air travel and what Canadians can expect if they do manage to get on flights back to the country.
“The flight situation is pretty difficult in terms of airspace, which is essentially closed,” he said. “When you have people who have to travel a considerable distance from whatever village they’re in to where
the airports are, especially if they’re a foreigner, it’s pretty stressful.”
Doherty says he also worries for the safety of consular staff and diplomats who are also encountering difficulties with their own families dealing with the stresses brought on by the pandemic.
At home, the COVID-19 crisis has necessitated a spirit of cooperation among all levels of government across party lines to find solutions that are in the best interests of Canadians. On Saturday, a small sitting of the House of Commons approved a $73-billion wage subsidy program.
“Minister (of Foreign Affairs FrançoisPhilippe) Champagne has been very responsive, as has his parliamentary secretary,” said Doherty. “They have the confidence that when I bring something to them the situation is not exaggerated in any event. That is one thing that’s been pretty heartening this whole case is we can just reach across the aisle and say, ‘I need you to look into this.’ Every MP, all 338, are doing what we can, working collaboratively to bring Canadians home and to make sure we’re building a robust system to get the financial relief needed.”
Legion needs support Crisis leads court to limit sentences
Citizen staff
The Prince George Legion Branch 43 was forced to close their doors by order of the provincial health officer in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
During this difficult time, operating costs are still ongoing so a gofundme page was started to help.
The goal is $20,000 to cover about three months of costs so the local Legion can continue to serve the community.
Margaret Goings, Legion president, said they are seeking all options for supplemental funding and will continue to support any veterans who need assistance.
“We hope all those could were scheduled to provide entertainment at the Legion will come back once we’re open again so we can keep going,” Goings said. All donations are welcome on the gofundme page.
For veterans who need immediate assistance they are asked to call 250-562-1292.
Mark NielseN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Prolific offenders are getting breaks on sentencing as part of an effort to reduce the number of inmates at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A review of sentences since March 25, when the provincial court in Prince George became a “hub court” for northern B.C., shows 12 people with records for crimes committed in Prince George significant enough to be denied bail were sentenced to probation and no further jail time.
Cali Ronald Herald Peal-Barton, 25, was among them.
Last Wednesday, he was sentenced to time served and 18 months probation after pleading guilty to charges related to a March 14 report of two men checking door handles on cars and trucks in the upper parking lot at Parkwood Shopping Centre.
When he was apprehended, police found a screwdriver and a stolen birth certificate in Peal-Barton’s possession.
He was remanded into custody at PGRCC where he had remained for 26 days.
In agreeing to a joint submission from Crown and defence counsels, judge Cas-
sandra Malfair told Peal-Barton, who took in the hearing via video from PGRCC, that given his lengthy record of property offences and breaches, he would have been looking at a jail sentence in the range of 120 days.
“But in the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak... and taking into account the health concerns of inmates at correctional institutions, I cannot say that the proposed (sentence) is contrary to the public interest or would bring the administration of justice into disrepute and it is in these very unique circumstances that I will accede to it,” Malfair said.
Defence counsel Brian Gilson acknowledged Peal-Barton’s “terrible” record and “probably realizes” a sentence so light “is not going to come again.”
Co-accused Jayden Raphael Robert John, 19, was issued the same sentence on March 17 - the same day B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry declared a public health emergency.
By then, he had been in custody for two days and had not had a bail hearing.
In the time since Prince George became a “hub court,” six inmates at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre from elsewhere in northern B.C. were also sentenced to time served and probation after
they were previously denied bail.
The step appears to have helped reduce the population at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre.
As of April 2, the jail held 144 inmates, a decline of 22 over the course of the month, according to numbers from B.C. Corrections.
Over that time, there were 93 new admissions while 111 were released either because they had completed their sentences or were granted bail, for a difference of 18.
Another four were given temporary absences from intermittent sentences, which are usually served on weekends.
In a statement, Daniel McLaughlin of the B.C. Prosecution Service said the service must do “everything in our power” to avoid increasing jails’ population unnecessarily.
“That is particularly true in the face of the current public health emergency,” McLauglin said.
Provincial courts have also largely limited themselves to hearings for accused who are in custody and having them take in the hearing via video conferencing. Most matters involving those out of custody are being postponed to limit the number of people attending courthouses.
Salvation Army low on food
Arthur WilliAms Citizen staff
The Prince George Salvation Army is bracing for a surge of people needing to use its food bank services in the coming weeks, and its stockpile of food is running low.
Maj. Neil Wilkinson said the Salvation Army hasn’t seen a big increase in the number of people accessing their services yet, but they know it is coming with the number of people laid off and facing reduced hours.
“What is happening is people are just now running out of money. We’re anticipating in the next couple weeks it’s going to increase,” Wilkinson said. “The biggest challenge we’re facing is we can’t get food. At our current demand level, I have about four days of food left. Then we’ll run out.”
The Salvation Army received a partial food shipment last Thursday, which should help restock the shelves, he said. But the four-day reserve compares to the three to four weeks of food the charity group had on hand in mid-March.
The problem is twofold, Wilkinson said.
The Salvation Army’s food bank typically relies heavily on donations of food items from the public and businesses, but they’ve had to stop taking food donations for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don’t want to encourage that kind of donation. It’s not safe for the donor, and it’s not safe for the volunteers receiving it,” Wilkinson said. “Cash is the best way to support the food bank. We’re purchasing
food in bulk for the food bank, but our supply chains are challenged.”
The same non-perishable goods that are sold out in grocery stores are what the Salvation Army needs to order for the food bank, he said.
“Eventually we hope that the suppliers and supply chain will resolve the back log,” he said. “The only way we’re going to sustain the need is to bulk order.”
The food bank remains open during its regular hours, but new measures have been put in place to increase public safety. Everyone entering the food bank is required to wash their hands with soap and water, and volunteers and staff have stepped up cleaning routines of all frequently-touched surfaces.
People are being asked to engage in social distancing measures at the food bank, and limit their visits to once a week.
The Salvation Army is no longer offering its seasonal programming or vouchers, except for essential clothing.
“We are in a continuous education process,” Wilkinson said, but people have been “phenomenally cooperative” with the safety measures they’ve put in place.
Anyone who wants to make a donation to support the Salvation Army can donate online by going to https://salvationarmy. ca/donations/.
Donations can also be made using a credit card over the phone by calling 250564-4000, ext. 228, or by mailing a cheque to 2500 18th Ave., Prince George, B.C., V2N 1A9.
Local doctors testing device to combat COVID-19 spread
Citizen staff
Doctors at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. are testing a device built in Prince George that could help keep medical staff safe when intubating a patient with COVID-19.
A team made up of anesthesiologist Dr. Jamil Akhtar, intensivist Dr. M.J. Slabbert and emergency room doctor Dr. Laura Brough looked at ways to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic and identified endotracheal intubation boxes as a training tool and potential back-up to normal personal protective equipment like N95 masks.
An intubation box is a transparent plastic box that sits over the patient’s head and shoulders as they are intubated, acting as a barrier between the patient and the medical personnel.
“Due to the dedicated and prompt help from our Northern Health partners and Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation,
I managed to get the first prototype box built on the same day,” Akhtar said in a press release issued by the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.
Intubation boxes were first developed by Dr. Hsien Yung Lan in Taiwan and have been evaluated around the world and in North America.
The devices are cheap to make and easy to clean and reuse.
Northern Health’s biomed team and the director of physician quality helped Akhtar’s team connect with PG Plastics, which produced five prototypes within a week.
“We are doing our best to be fit to fight back with tools that will protect our staff and health care workers,” said Akhtar, who is the head of anesthesia at UHNBC.
The Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation stepped up to fund the construction of the devices.
StudentS fall through crackS in federal aid
Arthur WilliAms Citizen staff
As hundreds of thousands of Canadians out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic began applying for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), people like UNBC student Chris King are falling between the cracks.
King will be graduating from UNBC with a bachelor of commerce degree in marketing. He said he had several promising leads on jobs before social distancing orders were put in place in response to the pandemic. But those opportunities have evaporated in light of the economic uncertainty, he has no job and isn’t eligible for the CERB.
“My job prospects are dismal,” King said. “(The) CERB doesn’t apply to students, it says that clearly on the website. The (B.C.) NDP released a press release with what they are doing for students. They’re giving extra money direct to schools to give out through the emergency grant program, which is good obviously, but since I’m not a student as of the end of the month, it doesn’t apply to me.”
King said he knows of several other students graduating this year who are in a similar situation.
“Personally, I think a more universal approach to the federal grant system would help,” he said. “I think the Trudeau Liberals, instead of putting all these criteria to qualify, should just mail $2,000 (per month) to every Canadian.”
The current CERB program offers $500 per week to those eligible to receive the benefit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government is already looking to tweak the $24-billion benefit program to help
more people, including students, people who have had their work hours reduced but not been laid off and people who were already looking for work when the pandemic hit and opportunities dried up.
“If they’d just taken that and mailed it to everybody, it would streamline the system and would help a lot of people who fall through the cracks,” King said. “Maybe there are people who are making $70,000 a year who could use $2,000 (a month). They could claw that back through next year’s taxes.”
In B.C. the provincial government announced $3.5 million on April 2 to supplement existing student emergency financial assistance programs at 25 public post-secondary institutions including UNBC and the College of New Caledonia. And on April 3, the province announced $1.5 million to supplement the Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund, which assists Indigenous students who are experiencing an unexpected financial emergency.
“During these extraordinary times our students are facing many challenges, financial and otherwise, as they adapt to the current reality,” UNBC interim president Geoff Payne said. “This additional funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training will help students when they need it most.”
Northern Undergraduate Student Society president Jingyu Chen said the provincial grant might help students, if the process works smoothly.
“The one-time investment of $3.5 million in emergency financial assistance would definitely ease the financial burden for struggling students, but it remains to be seen as to how effective the financial aid
process will be and how difficult it is for students to navigate the process,” Chen said in an email.
“We would like to see support from the province and university with respect to additional online mental health and counselling services for students. Furthermore, support for students in navigating the emergency financial assistance process is also essential. Additionally, food insecurity is a heightened risk, since students don’t have enough money to support their nutritional needs.”
The lack of employment opportunities is a major financial challenge for students currently, Chen said, as many have seen their part-time incomes disappear and summer job prospects remain uncertain.
International students are facing all the same challenges Canadian students are facing, plus dealing with issues around applications and renewals for student visas and study permits, Chen said.
CNC Students Union chairperson Navi Brar knows first-hand the challenges facing international students. Brar grew up in India and has been studying kinesiology at the college since 2017 – one of nearly 1,600 international students who attend CNC.
“It’s my last semester, I’ll be done next month,” Brar said in an interview in late March. “Before this, I was looking for jobs in Canada. When this thing happened, it shut down everybody.”
Moving to find work is also difficult or impossible right now, he added. He’d hoped to look for work up in the Yukon or down in Vancouver, but “everything is just paused.”
With an international student visa, international students can work up to 20 hours
a week in Canada while studying, he said, but many – including himself – have seen their hours cut or have lost their student jobs entirely.
While Canadian students might have the option of moving in with their parents to weather the storm, for many international students going home isn’t an option, he said.
“It’s very difficult, I cannot go back home right now,” Brar said.
With the travel restrictions put in place in India, there is simply no way for him and many others like him to get home.
Through his work with the student’s union and on the board of governors of the college, Brar said they are working to try to provide assistance for students - both financial and the support they need to get through the semester and finish their classes and exams online.
“We can provide laptops if students need them (to complete school work),” he said. “We’re trying to do stuff (to help), but it’s so unpredictable.”
A spokesperson for CNC said the college is offering its student support services remotely and additional information has been developed and posted on the college website to help students with questions and concerns. The college’s student housing remains open and students will be able to stay into the spring and summer if they need to, the spokesperson added.
UNBC manager of international operations Bjorn Petersen said his department is working to support the approximately 400 international undergraduate and graduate students who were attending the university when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
Local couple back from Peru
christine hinzmann Citizen staff
A local couple who were stuck in Peru finally made it home after two and a half weeks of waiting for a flight.
Joseph Cunningham said once he and his partner Melissa Bermudez landed in Toronto they were assessed and since they were not displaying symptoms of the coronavirus they were allowed to continue on to Prince George to self isolate for 14 days. “The whole experience was super relaxed and there were a lot of Canadians excited to get back home,” Cunningham said. “Leaving Cusco (Peru) was the most anxiety-ridden part of the trip. After that we knew we were good to go and we knew we were going to make it home. We knew we were going to be on soil where at least
they would take care of us, where we’d be closer to family. We knew that in Canada if we needed assistance they would be able to assist us.”
To prevent the potential spread of the virus while traveling, Cunningham said they practiced social distancing and made sure to clean their belongings often.
“And we washed our hands a lot,” he added.
Cunningham and Bermudez were greeted at the airport - at a safe social distance - by many family members who all brought them food.
“Everybody was concerned that we weren’t eating - but we were eating,” Cunningham said.
There was a lot of emotion, he added.
“It was a little awkward because typically
you expect when you arrive and you see family you’re going to engage with them and hug them and show them affectionjust to see everybody there was nice but not to show the affection towards them was a little strange but it’s something we can get through,” he said.
During this experience Cunningham said the seriousness of the situation was more intensely felt on foreign soil.
Forced to stay in Cusco, Peru, until they could confirm a flight back to Canada, they were often questioned by police if they ventured out for supplies.
Once the pair landed in Canada that intensity seemed to ease, he added. He said that might be because Canada is prepared and has the means to handle an influx of people who have COVID-19 while
other countries do not.
“Everyone deals with it in a different way,” he said. “Right now we’re staying in self isolation in my dad’s gymnasium. We’ve got a mini fridge where we store our food and a hot plate to cook our food and a bathroom right beside us. We’re just really excited to be home.”
Cunningham and Bermudez want to remind everyone there are still Canadians who are abroad and want to come home.
“The one crazy part was our flights cost more than $3,000 one way,” Cunningham said.
The couple had traveled extensively for about five months and the total for their flights during that entire time only came to $2,100 so they consider the cost for the flight home to be a bit extreme, he added.
Housing complex to break ground this year
arthur williams
Citizen staff
The Elizabeth Fry Society hopes to begin construction on a new housing complex for women and children escaping domestic abuse later this year.
City council approved three zoning variances to pave the way for construction to begin on the complex, located at 2855 14th Avenue – an L-shaped vacant lot behind Studio 2880.
“There are 38 units all together: one transition house, 16 second-stage housing units and 21 townhomes with womenled tenancy,” Prince George and District Elizabeth Fry Society executive director
Kathi Heim said. “We’re still hopeful for a groundbreaking late spring, early summer. That would put us for a late fall completion next year – 2021.”
However, Heim said those plans may have to change in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In a report to city council, Anthony Boni of Boni Maddison Architects said the goal of the project is to provide supportive housing to women and children needing different levels of support.
“The women’s transition house will provide 18 beds and be staffed 24/7 to provide safe, short-term shelter and supports – typically for 30 days for women
and children fleeing violence,” Boni wrote. “The living environment is cooperative and communal.”
The 16 units of second-stage housing will provide safe, short-term housing for individual women and mothers with children leaving abusive situations for up to 18 months, he wrote.
“This project also includes new affordable, women led tenancy, rental housing in the development of 21 units of townhouses,” Boni wrote.
“This housing is for individual women, and women with children ready to move on to more permanent homes for a long term stay in a safe, affordable and support-
ive environment while remaining connected to their community.”
The second-stage housing will offer a mix of studio, two- and three-bedroom apartments, while the townhouses will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
The three variances approved by city council allow the transition house and second-stage housing building to be 13.2 metres high, instead of the 12 metres permitted under the zoning; allow the building setback from the property line to be reduced to one metre from three metres on the eastern side of the property that faces an alley; and reduce the required number of parking stalls from 61 to 45.
LETTERS To The ediTor
keep the name
The name change for Kelly Road Secondary is complicated and controversial. I followed the rules the school district set out. I provided an email submission. The email requested a place at the April 7 meeting. There is 30 minutes at the beginning of the board meeting to have these submissions read, with five minutes for each presentation. It wasn’t read because the name change wasn’t on the agenda. So I will present it here.
Truth and reconciliation requires truth. As a layman historian, I have spent years studying the history of our region. There is much Lheili ‘Tenneh history in our region that the public does not know, and I hope that in the coming days more of their history is known.
Moving forward, it is important that the truth is told. We should not substitute or act on questionable history when we have accounts that can be verified. We should not discard oral history, but there is a protocol to follow to help ensure accuracy and veracity.
I have found it very difficult to find evidence for the claims that the Hart area was regularly used by the Lheidli ‘Tenneh for berry picking and grizzly bear hunting before white settlers came into the area. What I have found is that from 1350 to 1850, there was an ice age in the northern hemisphere. It was the coldest time in recorded human history. It would have been extremely difficult for people to live in the Upper Fraser watershed. The same is true of the Nechako watershed below the Isle Pierre rapids. The fact that there is no village site remains in this area supports this theory.
Berry picking is not an activity unique to the Lheidli “Tenneh, and would not have occurred in a significant way in the Hart until around the year 1850 because of the ice age. The Giscome portage and the Salmon River short cut weren’t discovered until 1860. If people were in the area before that they would have known about these trails. The Salmon River comes within eight miles of Summit lake. Before guns were used for hunting, people did not hunt grizzly bears the way it is portrayed in the movies. When people hunted bear,s they would wait until fall. They would watch to see where the bear made its den; bears don’t go directly into a den. They go in and sleep then come back out several times. This is how the hunters could know where the den was. They would wait until the bear was hibernating and kill it while it was sleeping. When the fur traders arrived, they brought firearms. Muzzle loading guns were not suitable for hunting grizzly bears. You needed to be close because they were not accurate and they lost power quickly. It wasn’t until cartridgeloading rifles were available that grizzlies could be hunted. From 1870 to 1910, bears were slaughtered at such a rate that they nearly became extinct. During the salmon run, bears would come to the rivers. They
were an easy kill with a heavy rifle from a boat. They were slaughtered like the buffalo herds of the plains.
In 1912, the B.C. Government stopped all bear hunting in this area. This was one of the causes of poverty at Fort George.
The two stories about berry picking and grizzly bear hunting that were presented were not “oral traditions.” They were just “good old days stories.” In view of the fact of the little ice age happening, the possibility of people surviving a winter in Fort George without steel axes or fabric clothing is remote. There is historical evidence that the Lheidli “Tenneh extensively used the Fort George Canyon area in pre-European times, but none for the Hart area.
I encourage the board to study the historical facts that are known and properly research the oral traditions to gain a better understanding of the true history of the area. We all need better evidence before we can support this name change.
During the COVID-19 crisis, governments are asking citizens to trust and respect them. The City of Prince George changed the name of Fort George Park in one meeting without public input. You are not making it easy to present other points of view.
Trust and respect is necessary for our democracy to work.
Allan Lund, Prince George
Stand up for krSS
I have watched with interest the debacle of the renaming of Kelly Road Secondary. School District 57 has admitted that they did not do their due diligence in canvasing the public about their feelings in the renaming.
Superintendent Anita Richardson was going to meet with students at the school to obtain their views. The public meeting was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic so a glossy online engagement questionnaire has been published. A time line on this questionnaire of “how did we get here” states events that happened Sept. 2020 and Nov. 29, 2020. Does the district have a crystal ball to foresee future events? I hope this is not an indication of a “done deal” and the district is only going through the motions to appease the public.
If the district, with all their high paid administrators whose salaries have continued through these difficult times, cannot get their dates straight, I question the veracity of the balance of the “information” provided in this brochure. Me thinks too much gloss to impress and not enough substance.
For decades, administrators have used school names as a means to foster pride in student populations yet a minority group can request a name change and the current board can unanimously approve that request without public consultation. Am I wrong in thinking some elected trustees are pushing their own personal agendas to the detriment of other stakeholders? To me, the school district is guilty
of racism by not providing the public dialogue necessary to foster understanding in something that should be as simple as naming a school.
Prince George, the public questionnaire is accessed online through the SD57 website until Friday, Apr 17. If you have not done so already, I urge you to logon and have your voice and opinion heard. Hopefully this is what democracy is about.
L. Fernett, Vanderhoof
Go, roadrunnerS!
I was a PE teacher and coach at KRSS for 31 years, from 1972 to 2003. Through those years, I became a large part of the community and school. I watched two major expansions. I am not in favour of any name change or addition to the name. KRSS is an established institution within the Hart community. I taught children of former students. KRSS has a fantastic history in academics and sports. I coached close to 50 different teams through the years. The colours and the roadrunner are well known through out the province. In The Citizen Extra of Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, is an excellent article about the history and activities of KRSS.
I don’t understand how an outside small group can impose a name change on a much larger group of cohesive Hart Highway residents that have supported KRSS through so many years.
The naming of the school was very appropriate. John Kelly was an important pioneer of early Prince George. He owned the area and logged it, was an important supporter of the early Horticultural Society and spearheaded the organization of the PGX. The famous Kelly Cup (curling trophy) was donated by him. It is also rumoured that he donated the land for the original elementary school. Any name change would indeed be an insult to his and his family’s legacy.
As trustees, you have been elected to make many huge choices and decisions. But, these should be educational decisions. This proposal is not in that category. This proposal has nothing to do with reconciliation. In fact, the way it was introduced was wrong and has caused a huge backlash within the Hart community.
I hope you have been following the site on Facebook entitled “Don’t Rename Kelly Road Secondary School.” That should indicate to you that the backlash is indeed real and widespread. Introducing this proposal during the blockades across Canada was not wise. You have pitted one group against another. Racism has become part of the equation and shouldn’t be. Can you imagine if it was suggested that Duchess Park Secondary’s name be changed?
This should not be an issue. In these troubled times (pandemic), I find that I should not be concerning myself with this at all and neither should the board. The
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trustees all have a lot more important problems to be solved in the education field. Please rescind this issue and make it go away. Remember that reconciliation should come from within not from without. The new school is an extension of the old and will add to the old building’s legacy in the future!
I put a lot of “blood, sweat, tears and cheers” into teaching and coaching (as did many others) at KRSS. We are all proud of the accomplishments of the institution called KRSS and would like to see those triumphs continue under the umbrella of the Royal Blue/White/ Kelly Green colours and the uncatchable roadrunner.
Walter Brown, Prince George it’S about the
hart
There is a little cliché that reminds us that if we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything.
I’d like to express my thanks to the people form the Hart community for standing strong amid attempts to rename their school, thereby opening the conversation to feedback from the public. I was even more disheartened upon setting foot into the school board office to see that the School District 57 sign was encased in First Nations arts, giving an impression of something other than neutrality. It left me wondering why the Pride rainbow did not adorn the walkway and just what our tax dollars are doing.
Being a person who sees no paint in making a big deal of the problem, I would rather express my concerns through helping to create a solution. The rapidly changing social fabric of our time is creating a vital need for task committees to be focused on just what equity, diversity and inclusion really mean. It is much too important to be doing it off the side of someone’s desk, especially someone who is not familiar with how re-branding takes place.
There are many interest groups trying to infer subtle brights (and branding) to our public property. We need neutral, informed citizen groups (and experts) to evaluate what our public brand really is. We need to consider everything from environmental, race, politics, war heroes, gender, age, immigrants, marginalized groups, etc., while keeping in mind our rural and urban nature. We need to think about just what our northern spirit represents to us, the citizens.
Rita Wiebe, Prince George
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Myths overshadow brain injuries
Since being brain injured, I’ve been shocked at the lack of awareness and knowledge the general public have on this topic. However, to be fair, I didn’t know much about brain injury before it happened to me.
The biggest cause of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is trauma to the skull and brain. This can occur in motor vehicle accidents, assaults and in various sports and recreational activities. According to what I’ve learned at the Prince George Brain Injured Group (BIG), the trauma can include objects penetrating the skull and brain, crushing of the head and open or closed wounds. Upon impact, the brain moves back and forth in the skull, which can cause tearing and bruising of the neurons and bleeding. Secondary effects are swelling and chemical changes in the neurons.
One of the myths is that if you didn’t hit your head, you won’t develop a concussion or brain injury. This belief is far from the truth. Some of the causes of brain injury are strokes, aneurysms, surgery, exposure to toxic substances and explosions. Other causes are lack of oxygen
BOGGLED DIANE NAKAMURA
(heart attack, drowning, drug overdose), infections of brain coverings and tissue such as meningitis and encephalitis and tumours.
I had mentioned in a previous article that routine scans such as MRIs and CAT scans only pick up on fractures and bleeding, not swelling and damaged neurons. Swelling and damaged neurons are hugely problematic because when neurons aren’t firing properly, faulty signals can cause disruption in the entire system. The brain governs every function of the body - physical, cognitive, thinking and emotional balance.
Another misunderstanding is that brain injury lowers a person’s IQ (Intelligence Quotient). Assumptions are often made that because a person has difficulties speaking or can’t function at their previous cognitive level that their intellect has decreased. Not true.
Brain injured survivors often beat themselves up for no longer being able to “make the grade.” I have fallen into this hole many times. In the early days, I had struggles getting words out and I was easily confused. I had someone say to me “I guess I can’t have an intellectual conversation with you anymore.” The comments and judgments that us survivors experience can be very hurtful and emotionally damaging. Having an invisible disability can often feel like a curse. Medical professionals have often dismissed brain injury and have diagnosed patients with a psychiatric disorder such as depression and anxiety. Many survivors including myself have been pushed back to work by insurance companies who have little knowledge about brain injury. My return to work plan was cancelled after three months when it became clearly evident I could not manage 10 hours of work per week. I used to put in a 60-hour work week.
I’m very fortunate to have an excellent employer and I know I’m one of the lucky few. Many survivors are not only bullied by insurance companies but also by employers and co-workers to return to work.
Pushing a brain-injured survivor back to work can be dangerous. Without proper rest, the brain will not be able to heal. I’ve had many folks ask me how I can write a column for the Citizen when I have a brain injury. The truth is what would have taken me half an hour to write an article prior to injury now takes me a week to complete. I definitely can’t bang out a story like I used to. I can only write for short periods of time because I develop a headache and/or become fatigued. With my horrible short-term memory, I can’t remember writing some of the content. So I’m constantly second guessing myself and rewriting my copy over and over. Small price to pay for doing something I love. Another myth I’d like to debunk is that just because us brain injured survivors look and talk “normal” doesn’t mean we are faking symptoms so we don’t have to work. We are not lazy, fraudulent parasites milking the system. I have made many friends at BIG who, like me, were once high-functioning, well-respected professionals. And now we can only accomplish a small fraction of what we did before. Which life would we prefer?
Gig workers hard hit by closures
As artists, we know only two kinds of money: very little money and no money at all. We now, more than ever, seem to be living in the latter. Blessed to have had a good job before the pandemic driven economic crisis. Many were laid off and because we paid into our national safety net, we can draw from it. Granted, changes to lifestyle will need to be made so that we can still make ends meet.
There is, however, a sector of artists/ creatives who are not so fortunate. They are the “gig workers.” Contract workers in the arts and entertainment field. Contract workers such as musicians, actors, stage managers, directors, stagehands, lighting designers, set designers, set builders, ad infinitum. Each is essential to the success of any show, recording, or concert. A lucky few live where they work while a vast majority hustle for gigs or contracts that lead them to different venues all over the country. Once those venues closed, the contracts were cancelled, shows postponed, shows closed in the middle of the run, galleries closed before the opening and people’s lives were thrown into chaos. I had recently reached out to some of
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MICHAEL KAST
these gig workers to get a sense of what they are feeling during this pandemic. The following excerpts are from my Arts North blog posts or podcasts. I must graciously thank those people that shared what can be a frightening and unsettling experience. Some, like set builder/stagehand/carpentry instructor, Karen Anderson are lucky enough to have a household with a second income but feel concern for those that may not be so lucky. “I don’t want to work gigs. I don’t want to be scrambling to find something for next month or even next week. I am not angry that the theatre cannot afford a full-time tech team, but I am angry that the arts are so poorly valued and funded that theatres around the world will struggle to survive this.”
In a recent Arts North podcast, actor/ director Ray Strachan from Winnipeg and Theatre NorthWest alum says that Equity
(The Canadian Actors Equity Assoc.) has continued to be helpful. They are advocating on behalf of its members and still providing what benefits they can. However, the number of cancelled contracts continue to add up.
Local musician Naomi Kavka writes: “I watched gigs get cancelled, tours get postponed, and venues close their doors. Our careers are often in a fragile balance of needing to regularly perform or interact with people in order to function. The same can be said for the futures of the venues that give us stages to perform on and the studios that we record at. As self-employed individuals, there was also uncertainty towards the government’s ability to support us, and thankfully there has been a self-employment EI program implemented starting April 6th that will provide a great deal of relief.”
Heather Thompson, who was the resident stage manager at Theatre NorthWest, has told me that this summer will be only the third time in 20 seasons she has missed working the Blyth Festival in Ontario. Heather was also my mentor for many shows, as I was seeking to acquire
the Equity stage management ticket. (That is a story for another time.)
Stewart Arnott, who appeared in Theatre NorthWest’s Hedda Noir and also the Oscar winning movie ‘The Shape of Water,” writes: “This production (The Room) may have another life, and we all want to believe that. But meanwhile, I lost half of my contract, and then teaching and corporate coaching work which was going to be my bread and butter for the summer... vanished. So, panic? Be miserable and sad and sorry for myself? How can I be when the world is collectively facing a challenge unlike any, we’ve known in the past 100 years.”
These gig workers are part of this nation’s cultural fabric and deserve the same safety net as any other employee from any other walk of life.
Regardless of how we feel about our government’s response to this crisis. Regardless of what part of the political spectrum you decide to inhabit, we are all in it together. If you are interested in reading more about these folks, connect with Arts North via Facebook or www.artsnorthbc. wixsite.com/arts-north
The incredible Morgenthau legacy
As I examined the history of human rights in America, one name kept coming up again and again, Henry Morgenthau. It turns out that I was actually learning about three men, Henry Morgenthau Sr., Henry Morgenthau Jr. and Henry Morgenthau III, father, son and grandson respectively. All of them spoke with courage and together they advanced the cause of human rights for nearly a century.
Morgenthau Senior was a born in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was a child. He became a lawyer and established himself as a real estate investor in New York. Morgenthau contributed generously to Democrat Woodrow Wilson’s presidential campaign, and Wilson in turn appointed him as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, a position he held from 1913-1916.
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The First World War began in 1914 and the Ottomans were allied with Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. British and French citizens had to leave, but the United States was technically neutral until they joined the war in 1917. Morgenthau witnessed unimaginable crimes against humanity as the Ottomans began the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians. Morgenthau was anything but a silent witness. Though his country chose not to intervene, he helped establish the Committee on Armenian Atrocities (later called the Near East Relief). He also made sure the New York Times continued to report on
the issue. Even today, Morgenthau’s testimonials provide proof of this genocide, though modern-day Turkey continues to deny the severity of Ottoman crimes.
Morgenthau’s son was also a prominent Democrat. As Secretary of the Treasury under Franklin D. Roosevelt, he was one of the architects of the New Deal, a key policy which helped many American citizens navigate through the Great Depression.
What is less well known is that in a time when anti-Semitism was socially acceptable, Morgenthau, who was Jewish, spoke out courageously as a member of Roosevelt’s cabinet. American industry, we need to remember, had no objection to funding Hitler’s reconstruction and remilitarization of Germany.
Morgenthau like his father, refused to remain quiet. Through his efforts, the War Refugee Board was finally established in early 1944.
As a result, it is estimated that up to 200, 000 Jewish refugees were saved.
Henry Morgenthau III continued the family tradition of being a voice for the voiceless. He was a television producer, working for the prominent public television channel WGBH in Boston. As early as 1963, people like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin were interviewed on his programs. He also brought one of the first American television crews to South Africa to report on life under apartheid. Not all people entrusted with a position of influence will use it to be a voice for the voiceless. Fortunately for us all there are those who do.
The courage of three generations of Henry Morgenthau give testimony to the words of Armenian American writer Vera Nazarian, “The world is shaped by two things – stories told and the memories they leave behind.”
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Hockey community mourns Oiler’s death
Ted Clarke Citizen staff
The death of Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave has left the hockey world gutted and that feeling especially hits hard for two of his hockey connections in Prince George.
Cave died of a brain bleed at age 25 on Saturday in hospital in Toronto following surgery to remove a cyst. He had been admitted to hospital on Monday in Barrie, Ont, where he lived with his wife, Emily.
Brandon Manning was a teammate of Cave’s this season with the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate. He got to know Cave well after the Christmas break when the Oilers sent Manning to Bakersfield and they became friends.
“It’s heartbreaking news, a lot of people have had heavy hearts the last few days,” said Manning. “The first thing that comes to mind about Colby is just his smile. Every time you’d meet the guy or he’d show up the rink he was always in a good mood, always happy and it’s a tough time for a lot of people.”
In his fifth AHL season, Cave held a key role with the Condors as a face-off specialist who drew regular powerplay duty.
In 44 AHL games, he scored 11 goals and had 12 assists. He signed last year with Edmonton after breaking into the NHL with the Boston Bruins.
Claimed on waivers by Edmonton on Jan. 15, 2019, he had one goal in 11 games with the Oilers and in 67 career NHL games over three seasons with Boston and Edmonton, he had four goals and nine points.
“He was always a positive guy, he was a fighter, and he obviously fought to the end here the last couple days,” said Manning. “For a guy who was undrafted and put in some solid time in the American League to get an opportunity in Boston and then come over to Edmonton and play well, you’re always happy to see those kind of people succeed.
Cave grew up on a cattle farm near Battleford, Sask., and was a first-round pick of the Kootenay Ice (13th overall) in the 2009 WHL bantam draft. Mark Lamb, then the general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos acquired Cave’s major junior rights in a five-for-one trade in January 2011 which sent forward Cody Eakin to Kootenay.
Popular with his teammates, Cave went on to play
four WHL seasons with the Broncos and led the team in virtually every category before he made the jump to pro hockey.
Lamb, now the head coach/GM of the Prince George Cougars, remembers Cave as a joy to be around as he developed into one of the WHL’s most versatile and effective forwards.
“It was just his drive, his work ethic, his personality and his buy-in to be a hockey player – he was one of the most coachable guys I’ve ever coached,” said Lamb. “He was a role player and it didn’t matter where he played or who he played with, he just got better and better and by the end of his four years he was one of the best two-way players in the league.
“When you read about him, we’re all saying the same
Spruce Kings add pair
The Prince George Spruce Kings have some holes to fill to restock their forward depth and Alex Krause and Max Borovinskiy are up for the task. They plan to be there to give the B.C. Hockey League team a competitive edge in the 2020-21 season now that they’ve signed with the Spruce Kings.
Krause, an 18-year-old Dartmouth College recruit from Calabasas, Calif., played
Loomis Chafee School last season in the U.S. High School Hockey League based in Windsor, Conn.
In 32 games with the Pelicans, Krause scored 16 goals and had 24 assists for 40 points to rank second in team scoring.
“While he has the ability to make plays offensively, Alex plays an honest and hardworking game which is why we believe he has the potential to be an impact player for us,” said Kings head coach Alex Evin, in a
stuff about this guy, he’s a superstar person. He’s everybody’s type of guy. He was so giving, a great personality, very serious, but very fun to be around off the ice too.”
Lamb lets the players chose who will be the team captain and Cave earned the “C” of approval from his teammates for his each of last two WHL seasons.
“It was a no-brainer back then that he was our captain and it went through the whole community,” said Lamb. “Everyone knew he was our captain with how he treated people off the ice. He was just a great example for anybody in the dressing room, especially without being drafted. There was no arrogance, the more adversity he had, the harder he worked. It’s unbelievable, it just breaks your heart totally, way too young. He had such a promising life ahead of him.”
team release. “We are looking forward to helping Alex on his path to developing into a college-ready player.”
Borovinskiy, 15, is the latest in a long line of Spruce Kings recruited from the Burnaby Winter Club of the Canadian Sport School Hockey Association. The West Vancouver native put up 12 goals and 14 assists in 34 games and finished fifth in team scoring for the Bruins under-18 prep team. He also produced two assists in two
playoff games.
“Max exemplifies the quality of player and person that our program values on and off the ice,” said Evin. “He has the ability to play fast and physical and his ice awareness will allow him to be an elite contributor at the junior A level one day.
“Max comes from a program that promotes a team culture that aligns with our core values which will make for an easy transition into our organization.”
CP Photo
Colby Cave returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NhL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 2, 2019.
Citizen staff
Cougars in enviable draft position
Ted Clarke Citizen staff
Prince George Cougars head scout Bob Simmonds had a strong feeling it was going to be a lucky day for his hockey team when he woke up on the day of the WHL bantam draft lottery. Three balls bearing the Cougar logo were among the 21 placed in the draft barrel and that gave Prince George a one-in seven chance of winning that lottery. A Cougar ball dropped into the slot and that moved the Cats up two spots in the order and they will get to pick second overall next Wednesday.
“Last year we had nine balls in that drum and the best odds to win and didn’t, and this year we only had three and we won, so go figure,” said Simmonds. “In what is a very deep draft, certainly at the high end, to move up to two overall is exceptionally fortunate for us.”
There’s one certainty. The Cougars will not get a crack at West Vancouver forward Connor Bedard. The Regina Pats, owners of the first-round pick of the Swift Current Broncos, who finished the COVID-19-shortened season with the league’s worst winning percentage, have stated publicly they will pick Bedard first overall.
Bedard played for West Vancouver Academy and led the Canadian Sports School Hockey League midget prep division in scoring with 43 goals and 84 points in just 36 games. He was granted exceptional
status by the CHL which will allow him to play major junior hockey as a 15-year-old next season.
The Cougars still have a good shot at selecting a potential franchise player and don’t be surprised if he comes from Dundurn, Sask. (pop. 647) - the hometown of forwards Brayden Yager and Riley Heidt. They both lit it up this past season as midget rookies for the Saskatoon Contacts.
Yager finished third in team scoring with 18 goals, 24 assists and 42 points in 44 games while Heidt (17-20-37) was the fifth most productive point-producer on the team. Each averaged a point per game or better in seven playoff games. Both applied for exceptional status, which was denied, which means they are limited to just five WHL games next season.
The Cougars hold three first-round picks, including Medicine Hat’s 17th overall.
The Saskatoon Blades included that in a January deal with the Cougars that sent defenceman Rhett Rhinehart to Saskatoon.
The Blades acquired that pick in an earlier trade from the Tigers. The Cougars also will select 22nd overall, taking Portland’s spot on the first-round order as a result of the 2018 trade that sent defenceman Dennis Cholowski to the Winterhawks.
“To move up in that lottery is huge, it was a huge day for the Prince George Cougars,” said head coach and general manager Mark Lamb. “Three first-rounders in a deep draft, we’ve got lots of picks and
it’s great.”
Lamb said there’s a “good chance” either Yager or Heidt will be welcomed into the Cougars’ fold next Wednesday. Both want to play major junior hockey, rather than pursue NCAA college opportunities in junior A, and that will help simplify the Cougars’ choice.
“That’s good for the whole league, not just us,” Lamb said. “We have that second pick and can pick whoever we want. It’s nice to know that these high-end players want to come to the league. We know the other guy is off the table so everybody is available behind Bedard now.
“(Yager and Heidt) both have really good traits of becoming real high-end WHL players and hopefully they can move on and become NHL players. They have a little bit of everything. When you get rated that high to apply for special status you’re not just good at one thing, you’re pretty much an all-around hockey player.”
Among the defencemen expected to go high in the draft are Tanner Molendyk of Kamloops, who had nine goals and 55 points in 27 games for Yale Academy bantam prep; Austin Zemlak of Fort McMurray (8-28-36 in 27 games for OHA Edmonton bantam prep); and Saige Weinstein of Edmonton (4-16-20 in 23 games for Northern Alberta bantam prep). Molendyk’s father Jamie is a former Spruce King forward and his grandfather Gord Molendyk worked in Prince George as a prominent
NHL coach still hoping for playoffs
Ted Clarke Citizen staff
As the winningest coach in the history of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper has proof of that success resting on a shelf behind his desk at home in Tampa.
There stand miniature replicas of the President’s Cup the Lightning won as regular season champions last season and the Prince of Wales Trophy the Bolts claimed in his second full season in 2015, the year they lost to Chicago in the NHL final. The one that’s missing is the Stanley Cup. This might have been the year Cooper reached hockey’s his ultimate achievement and nobody’s saying for sure that dream is dead, but for the real contenders for the crown the hour is getting late to restart to what might be a lost season.
For Cooper and the Lightning, it all came to a screeching halt on Friday, March 13, when the NHL paused its season due to the pandemic. That sudden stop and the empty feeling of unfinished business felt eerily like a year ago when the Lightning, on the heels of a record 62-win season, were dealt s stunning first-round playoff sweep by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“The feeling when we lost out and the feeling in the days after the season got paused, there were definitely some similarities,” said Cooper. “One day you’re going
to work to play the Philadelphia Flyers and the next thing you know you’re sent home, the season’s on pause and then everybody can’t be around each other. Ýou’re just knocked right out of your routine. This is different in the sense that there’s just zero answers of what’s going to happen. There’s still that hope we’ll get to play.”
With 12 games still left on the schedule, Tampa (43-21-6) is tied with Colorado for third overall in the NHL, eight points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins. Cooper knows how hard it is to remain competitive in the league and how easy it is to fall, as last year’s playoffs proved when seven of the top 10 teams were wiped out in the opening round.
“It’s pretty easy to get the guys focused when you go out like that,” Cooper said. “I think the guys came in with the right mindset, of wanting to improve on what we did last year, not necessarily saying we had to set all these records as we did in the regular season but make ourselves a better playoff-ready team.”
Part of that was a commitment to better team defence and protecting leads, which led to a team-record 11-game winning streak in January-February.
“A lot of times last year we played the game to outscore teams and had to rely on our goalie to bail us out in games where
this year there’s been a lot of games where we just outdefended teams,” said Cooper.
Cooper says the Lightning are fortunate in the fact almost all of the players live in the Tampa area, where they can continue the same outdoor conditioning regimens the follow throughout the winter and prepare for the day when hockey eventually resumes. Very few teams have that advantage and the players are now time zones apart from each other.
“They can’t use the arena facility so they have makeshift gyms and it’s probably the most strenuous on the strength coaches, because they’re the ones who have to try to keep these guys in relatively good shape,” said Cooper.
Cooper’s NHL career started the day he was called up to Tampa from Syracuse to replace Guy Boucher with a month left in the 2012-13 season, having won championships at every level he’d coached (NAHL, USHL, AHL) since making a career switch from lawyer to hockey coach.
“When you first get in the league, you’re in survival mode,” he said. “You’re hoping what you’ve learned on your way up to the NHL, you just stay with those principles, but there’s so much so going on and you’re just trying to keep your head out of the water. Fortunately for me I got to come up for those 14 or 15 games at the end of
RCMP officer.
Kalen Lind of Shaunavon, Sask., whose brother Kole is a Vancouver Canucks prospect, will likely be drafted in the top-10. Lind scored 68 goals and had 120 points in just 27 games with the Swift Current bantam double-A Broncos. Sam Oremba of Regina (75-58-133 in 31 games) also put up big numbers for the Regina Pat Canadians double-A bantam squad. Another highlytouted forward is Brayden Dube (17-17-34 in 32 games for the Parkland (Man.) Rangers.
The Cats also have the 26th overall pick (their own second-round selection) and two third-rounders.
The draft will be online for the first time ever, due to COVID-19. Unlike previous drafts where teams get to watch the top prospects play in provincial select tournaments in the spring, those tournaments were all canceled. The opportunity to mingle with other GMs and cook up trades will also be limited and those deals, if any, will have to be done over the phone.
“We’ve had the opportunity to watch all those kids multiple times and we’ll be in a good situation and at the end of the day we’ll pick the player that’s best for the Cougars,” said Simmonds, now in his sixth season heading the Cougars’ 10-person scouting staff.
“We’re in a good situation. I don’t know if there’s any other team that has six picks that early in the draft.”
the year and go through the summer and prepare, and that was a big help to me.”
Cooper and his wife Jessie have three kids – 11-year-old twin daughters Julia and Josephine and a nine-year-old son, Jonny. His daughters are competitive swimmers, just like Cooper was when he raced for the Prince George Barracudas Swim Club.
“I was right into it, I did that until I was 13 or 14, until lacrosse and hockey starting taking over,” said Cooper.
Jonny played hockey this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning squirt A team, coached by former Lightning players Vinny Lecavailer and Dan Girardi, both of whom have sons on the team. In the Florida state final in Orlando March 1they beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime. Jonny scored the winner and Cooper was there in the stands watching what he considers the most stressful game of his 52-year-old life.
“I remember being in the Stanley Cup final, coaching it, and I was more nervous in that overtime game watching my son than I’d been at any time coaching in a game myself,” he said. “You have conflicted emotions because you don’t have anything to do with it. At least as a coach you can put out different lines or use different tactics but you have none of that. He’s family and your blood and you’re just cheering for them to have success.”
Support local journalism
Dear Prince George Citizen reader,
As most of you know, Colleen Sparrow is leaving her role as publisher next week, after 29 years of dedicated and committed service to Prince George and our news operations at the Citizen. As such, once again (I did it in 2007), I will have the pleasure of stepping in as interim publisher. I do want to take this opportunity to recognize Colleen for her dedication and caring service over all these years. Thank you, Colleen and good luck on your next chapter.
Prince George, the region, the province, the country, the world has all changed so much and so quickly in the past few weeks. We can’t really talk about the new normal yet because it’s still changing and nothing feels normal about it.
We’re all making radical adjustments to our personal and professional lives. That means we’re taking hard looks at what is essential to us.
I’m confident you’ll agree that having reliable access to timely, independent local news is more important than ever. Our news team has been working tirelessly at telling the story of how Prince George
and area residents are dealing with the pandemic reality through our website and the weekly print edition.
Along with the main page of the website, we have introduced a new section dedicated to the latest news headlines about COVID-19 from The Citizen, our sister Glacier Media publications in B.C. and the Canadian Press. On that page, you’ll also find links to important resources to answer common questions, as well as connections to the various health authorities.
The Citizen team is working hard to keep you connected and informed. You can depend on us for factual, up-to-the-minute updates on COVID-19 to help you navigate this crisis.
But we need your help.
As it has always been, our stories, opinion and analysis will remain free and open to everyone. We are dedicated to continuing that coverage as long as it takes. We do not believe in a paywall for important local news, especially at this time.
That promise to you, however, comes at a significant investment.
Small, local businesses – of which we are one – are all under huge pressure to con-
tinue to provide essential services, while also trying to pay their bills and pay their valuable employees. We wouldn’t be here without the consistent support local businesses have provided The Citizen, making
it possible to deliver the local news you value so highly. In other words, the news you read from The Citizen is free because these businesses are paying for it.
Right now, many of our friends in the business community can’t support us because they’re doing trying to keep their operations alive through this challenging time and support their loyal employees. So that’s why we’re asking you for help. Will you support local news when it needs it most?
We know many people can’t afford to invest in local journalism at this time but we also can’t afford to lose it, either. We are asking everyone who reads us regularly and appreciates our coverage to help support it with a monthly contribution or one-time gift at whatever amount you can afford.
Thank you for your consideration.
Peter Kvarnstrom, Publisher, The Prince George Citizen President, Community Media, Glacier Media
To support local journalism, visit https:// support.princegeorgecitizen.com/account/ support/signup
Inspiring people shine during crisis
ILATITUDE
LINDA REMPEL
n a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching impact on humanity. Many facets of life have been impacted and transformed throughout the world. Prince George is no exception as we navigate these unchartered waters. I’ve been so encouraged by many people in our community who continue to move forward and adapt to circumstances that sometimes change daily. For the foreseeable future, I am dedicating Latitude to the inspiring stories of everyday citizens of Prince George. When I asked Chelsea Gibson, world traveller and entrepreneur extraordinaire, how COVID-19 has impacted her life and business, she generously responded to my question.
“COVID-19 has changed my life dramatically, particularly how I run my local small business, Wild Rose Wellness. In-person wellness workshops are the core of my business. My schedule in both March and April was fully booked with workshops and private sessions locally and throughout BC, including remote communities. Suddenly, every booking had to be cancelled in response to the call for physical distancing. This was devastating as I serve as some of my clients’ greatest source of social connection, especially during stressful times. I was grappling with the inability to help my clients face to face.”
Chelsea rose to the challenge by quickly developing online services that are now being offered as an alternative to in-person wellness workshops.
“Thankfully, I am still able to support clients’ mental and emotional health. At the same time, I’ve reduced pricing as a show of support.” Additionally, Chelsea has created a free daily video series on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook that calls for her creativity and positivity during a troubled time. Chelsea’s fortitude and tenacity has paid off with her videos now being shared around the world. Technology has opened a new and innovative approach not only for Chelsea’s business, but as a way to connect more closely with family and friends, for which Chelsea says she is deeply grateful.
Before the pandemic, Chelsea’s eldest brother tragically passed away in a car accident. A memorial service was planned this month in New York City. Over one hundred of her brother’s family members, friends and co-workers were planning to attend in celebration of his life. New York City has now become the epicentre of the pandemic and all plans are on hold.
Chelsea’s resilience is evident as she describes day-to-day life.
“On a positive note, I live with two other family members and have noticed we have never been closer. We are using this time to support each other’s grief, taking walks around the neighbourhood and working out, as well as joining forces in household responsibilities and cooking healthy meals together. Evening gratitude sharing and dance parties weren’t part of our lives before, but they are now.”
Chelsea also remarked that the Prince George community support for small and local businesses, particularity on social media, has never been stronger.
“We are now following each other on different platforms, sharing content, buying local when possible and connecting as small business owners. Bonds have been strengthened. I am so thankful I live in Prince George and run a small business
that serves the North. I have never felt so supported and connected to my community while being so physically disconnected.”
Thank you, Chelsea, for your inspiring
story.
If you would like to share how COVID-19 has impacted your life or business, I would love to read your comments below or email me at linda.rempel@sunlife.com.
KvArnstrom
Thanks for everything, Colleen
This Friday, publisher Colleen Sparrow is leaving The Citizen after 29 years at the newspaper.
She became the first female publisher in The Citizen’s 104-year history in February 2012. Before that, she had served as the newspaper’s circulation director for 10 years. She started her Citizen career in 1991 in the business office.
Colleen has lived in Prince George since she was six, moving when her dad was transferred here. Her first appearance in The Citizen was in June 1977, when she won the 800 metres pee wee girls race at
the elementary schools track meet.
Her name returned to the pages of The Citizen in 1988 when the Mr. G’s store she managed sold a winning lottery ticket.
She and her husband Mike, a retired CN Rail employee, raised their two daughters in the city.
“I can’t say enough about how this community has – through good, through bad –supported The Citizen, thank you so much for that,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot of changes over the years, especially since I have become publisher. I am sure there were times where the community
questioned some of the decisions I was making because in many ways it would affect them. To the readers, thank you. Our readership numbers continue to grow and during this time you can see how valuable the Citizen is to them. So thank you for always believing that I really had the best interest of the newspaper and the community at heart and that’s why we made the tough decisions we did.”
Colleen said she will miss everyone at The Prince George Citizen very much.
“I am very proud to work at the Citizen. And from the very first day I walked
through the door I was always so proud to say where I worked. I have been so fortunate to work with some absolutely amazing people who helped me get to the position I hold today.”
Looking ahead, she’s excited about what the future holds.
“The Citizen has been such a big part of my life, a part of my whole working career. Now I’m excited to be a grandma, a mom and just do those things for a while, especially during this crazy time we’re living in. I love this community. This is where my friends are and I am not going anywhere.”
Clockwise from left: Colleen in 2012 with a mural of herself when she was painted by artist Milan Basic for a Community Arts Council fundraiser calendar; Colleen last year with actor Lou Ferrigno, Judy Neiser, CEO of Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, and Cam Thun; Colleen cuts the Citizen’s 100th anniversary cake with Mayor Lyn Hall and Colleen Van Mook of Downtown Prince George at 2016 Summerfest; Colleen with Debbie Paulson on the front page in 1992; Colleen presents Dave Mah with his Ma Murray award in 2014; Colleen meets Trevor Linden (aka Mr. Colleen Sparrow) in 2015.
Clockwise from left: Colleen with Janet Marren of the Prince George Public Library handing out newspapers and collecting donations for local literacy groups on Raise A Reader Day in 2013; Colleen leads the way into Ness Lake on New Year’s Day 2016 for the Polar Bear Dip; Colleen with her friend Tickle Me Elmo in 1996; Colleen with Citizen staff at the annual Pride parade in 2015; Colleen working the drive-thru window at Tim Hortons during the 2012 Camp Day; Colleen with Peter Kvarnstrom, Glacier Media’s president of community media, and Lola-Dawn Fennell, general manager of the Prince George Council of Seniors, with the food donations collected at The Citizen that were then distributed to local seniors in need at Christmas in 2015.
“I thought this picture could be called beauty - Colleenand the beast. The only reason I did it for the second year was because of Colleen. I would not have done it with anyone else and that’s because she’s determined and she’s excitable and she just wants to do the right thing and that was a beautiful moment for both of us. I wish her everything good. I wish her the best of everything. I wish her much happiness because she provides so much happiness to other people and she should have that in return, always, always, always.”
Selen Alpay, Canadian Tire Prince George owner/operator
What I always appreciated about Colleen is that no matter how busy things were, no matter what was going on - changes that she had to implement - she was always so mindful of what was going on in the community. The Citizen over the last six or more years has undergone a lot of change and every time I touched base with her, Colleen would always ask ‘what’s going on with you or what’s going on with this or what’s happening there? How can we help? How can we support?’ She was always so driven towards the larger picture of what benefitted our community. Anyone would aspire to that level of empathy. We want to thank her for the passion she brings to connecting businesses, to being one of the founding members of our local chamber of commerce but what it all boils down to is that Colleen is probably one of my greatest friends in life.”
Todd Corrigall, Prince George Chamber of Commerce CEO
Seriously!? Already!?
It seems like yesterday we were posing on your parents couch for your sweet 16 photo.
It’s so true, time really does fly when you are having fun.
Your Citizen family will miss you so much and in so many ways.
I admire your fearless leadership, eternal optimism and your genuine smile for everyone.
I’m probably not the only one to say this but Colleen and I go back a long, long way - long before Spirit of the North. When I joined Spirit, Colleen was already on the board and she’s been a very significant influence both from a media relations point of view but obviously as a woman in business. When Colleen became president of the board she was in her element and did an excellent job,” Neiser said. “It was either ‘I’ve got this,’ or ‘you’ve got this’, and that’s where Colleen and I would always joke. But as she moves into her retirement, to the next phase of her life, I admire her completely because I know - she’s got this.”
Judy Neiser, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation CEO
Freedom 55
You have a beautiful family of your own and as we know time flies, that special little one is not going to wait to grow up.
So, cheers to new adventures and as always, live, love and laugh my friend. Dana
All the best, my loving friend
A couple years ago, Colleen hugged me and said she loved me.
I didn’t say anything back.
She did it several more times after that and each time she did, I felt my heart open a little more.
The first time I finally told her I loved her back was in January, before I knew she would be leaving The Citizen. Because I’m a coward, I told her in a text and she was in Vancouver for corporate meetings.
“I’m pretty blessed to have a boss that loves me and cherishes me as much as you do,” I wrote. “Not too many people have that so I feel incredibly fortunate and I feel bad that I haven’t told you nearly enough how much I love and appreciate you too, especially over the last year.”
Her response was a keeper.
“You just made me cry, my friend. I love you so much and am so grateful to have you in my life. Thank you so much these beautiful words. We are a great team. I am so fortunate to have you in my life.”
I’ve since told her in person and I’ll keep telling her I love her as long as I live.
In case it isn’t already clear, this isn’t romantic love. This love between us comes from seeing each other at our best and at our worst but still remaining devoted, boosting each other up, holding each other accountable, making each other better. It is a love that means we answer each other’s call, no matter the time, prepared to do whatever is needed. It is a love that means I would follow her into any battle, knowing she would always be the fiercest fighter, the leader most loyal.
We’ve known each other for 20 years but we barely spoke for several of those early years. We worked opposite shifts on oppo-
NIGHT SHIFT
NEIL GODBOUT
site sides of that wonderful old ink-soaked building at 150 Brunswick.
When I did see her, I would watch my male colleagues flirt shamelessly with her and admire how artfully she would navigate those situations with her killer smile and infectious laugh. I wasn’t one of those men because she intimidated me.
Beneath the warmth and charm but as clearly on display as her stylish clothes was the polished steel of a natural-born leader. It was no surprise to me to watch her move through the ranks and into management.
Years later, I was laid off from The Citizen in a round of budget cuts.
Despite my anger and fear, I didn’t let that stop me from doing one more thing for The Citizen. I had worked with Colleen and her team for several years on the annual spelling bee, serving as one of the judges. The spelling bee was a month after I was let go and I showed up to do my part.
Colleen hugged me at the registration table but it wasn’t a hug of pity. When I went to let go, she just gripped me harder and then whispered in my ear: “when I’m the publisher, you’re coming back.”
I thanked her for the vote of confidence but I didn’t believe her. Two years later, I was working at the library and Colleen was named interim publisher.
Then Matt, the paper’s beloved tech manager, was killed with his entire family in a horrible highway crash. That night, I
went down to the paper to proof the pages of my former colleagues because I knew they had to work through their sorrow and part of that work was a front page story about Matt. I couldn’t sit at home in shock and sadness. I had to be there.
I came by the next day to see the rest of the devastated staff but really I went for Colleen. They were all looking up to her now for consolation and leadership. Plus her phone was ringing with interview requests from local, provincial and even national news media outlets.
I told her she was the absolute right person in the right place at the right time, to speak about what Matt meant to The Citizen and to everyone who worked there, to guide and manage the staff through their grief. She thanked me for the vote of confidence but she didn’t believe me.
Of course, Colleen promptly proved me right.
Weeks later and no longer interim publisher but the first female publisher in the 100-year history of The Citizen, she kept her word about me coming back, this time in management, as her editor and her right hand man.
I would never have gone back to The Citizen for anyone else but Colleen. I was happy at the library and although I missed being in the middle of the action of journalism, Bill Phillips had graciously taken me on as a columnist at the Free Press. I knew I was giving up an easier, more comfortable and more secure communications job for the uncertainty of an industry in transition, trying to find a new path and relevancy in a rapidly changing world. I wanted that challenge but I only wanted to take it on with someone who bled ink
as hard as I did, with someone as invested in The Citizen and Prince George as I was, with someone I would learn from and be inspired by, with someone I trusted and believed in as a leader.
With Colleen.
Our last eight years together have been so rewarding but often painfully difficult. Too many times I lost faith, in myself and in her. I have made more than a few bad decisions in my professional life but I am most ashamed of those dark times when I stopped believing in Colleen.
She deserved better.
If she ever wavered in her devotion to me – and I certainly gave her enough opportunities – she never showed it.
And now she’s leaving because it’s the right thing to do, because she deserves a new adventure and because she believes with all of her heart that I’ll be just fine without her every day.
As always, she’s right.
And as always, I know she’ll be in my corner. Because she loves me.
And I love her back.
Thank you, my friend, for everything you’ve taught me and for all the support you’ve given me.
I hope you’re mortified by all of the old pictures I dug up.
I hope you’re more than a little embarrassed by my words and the words of others in the community on these pages but I also hope they fill your heart and let you know how much you mean to so many people.
Please don’t be mad when I call or text, asking for your advice, probably multiple times a day, likely as soon as tomorrow. Still love me, right?
CL ASSIF IEDS
Grace Patricia Hopgood July 21, 1935 - Mar 24, 2020
Grace passed away at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, in her 84th year. She was born in Kamloops to parents, Harry and Mary Hopgood. Harry, a Conductor with the CPR and Mary, who had nursed at Kamloops Inland Hospital. Grace attended Stuart Wood and Kamloops High School.
In the early 1950’s, her family moved to Vancouver. Grace studied piano and singing, of which she won many awards. Her beautiful soprano voice led her to sing in The Elgar Choir of British Columbia, a Vancouver based young people’s choir, mostly girls. It was conducted by Charles Findlater. She sailed to Britain, with the choir, touring England and Scotland, and she loved it. After Grace graduated from King Edward High School, she and her chum, Shirley Phillips, applied together at BC Tel where they were hired and worked as telephone operators. A few years later Grace met a handsome young sailor, Harry Beeson, on a train. They were soon married and relocated to Nova Scotia, where Harry was stationed at the Naval Aircraft base, Shearwater. Son Tom, was born in 1956 and daughter Beth, in 1957. A few weeks after the birth of Beth, they flew back home to Vancouver in a very cold and noisy DC3 aircraft. Grace went back to work at BC Tel, and in 1961, daughter Alwyn was born. After the children had grown up, she joined the BC Tel Choir, under the conductorship of Les Monk. The Choir sang at Expo 86 in Vancouver for Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Around 1969, Grace realized it was time to “throw Harry from the train”, and soon divorced!!
She retired from BC Tel with 38 years of service. After that, Grace travelled all over the world with the love of her life, Joe Cartwright, enjoying many cruises and bus trips together.
Because she enjoyed entertainment, Grace was in charge of organizing and putting together travel groups at the Richmond Seniors Centre. When Joe was no longer able to travel, friend, Pat Coltart and Grace took many cruises and trips together. During her retirement, Grace took 30 cruises to many parts of the world.
Health issues caused Grace to sell her home in Richmond to live near her Daughter Beth in Prince George. Her home was always open to family and friends. With assistance, her garden was admired by all who visited her. Grace was a colorful character, and loved her purple and pink streaked hair. She had a good sense of humor and a kind, generous heart. During her entire life she had great empathy for homeless cats and dogs. Every time, she would fall for the line, “There’s a box of puppies over here that no one wants”. Unable to resist, she would be on her feet to go see or save them, and eventually, take a few home. Papillons, Poppy and Tilly, and crazy cat Frieda, were good company for Grace in her later years.
Grace is predeceased by her parents, Mary (Howe) and Harry Hopgood, her sister, Isabel (1995), her son Tom (2004), boyfriend Joe Cartwright (2004), exhusband Harry Beeson (2004), friend Pat Coltart (2017), and loyal companion Tilly (2018). She is survived by 2 daughters, Beth Beeson and Alwyn Blanchard, her grandson, Brian Blanchard, and her sister, Dorothy Evans of Victoria.
Many thanks to Dr. St Rose, and to the nurses, care aids, and staff at Simon Fraser Lodge. A special thanks to Chris Nelson, Jen Cook, and wonderful neighbors Bob Burgess and Gladys Burgess. They took special care of our Mom in her final years.
Interment will be at the Pleasant Street Cemetery, Kamloops, at a later date.
Trudy’s children regret to inform you that Trudy left this life on Sunday, April 5, 2020. She leaves behind grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be missed.
April 8, 1961April 8, 2020
We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father, brother and friend has left us too soon. After living with cancer for many months, Alec passed peacefully surrounded with love and support at the hospice house. When Alec passed he was met by his loving daughter, Krysia(1993-2014). He leaves behind his daughter, Julia(Kyrie),son, Kayjll, father, Fergus(Lois), mother, Elizabeth(Gordon-2014) and sisters, Margaret(David) and Elissa(David). He will be mourned by his nieces and nephews Michelle, Rachel, James, Alistair, and Rose. Alec will be sorely missed by his family and the friends he made wherever he went. Above all Alec will be missed by the many ski hills he patrolled and played on, as well as, his Toyota that took him on so many adventures. His celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
June 14, 1942 - April 5th, 2020
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved family member and friend Fred
Fred was born and raised in Prince George.
Fred worked throughout northern BC and Canada as a Master Electrician. In the latter part of his career Fred worked for Lakewood Electric as an electrical supervisor and estimator. While working for Lakewood he spent many years at Canfor Pulp & Paper Mills, belonging to IBEW Local 2203.
Fred was predeceased by his father Peter and mother Minnie, brothers John, Joe, Bill, Jim and sister Nena Hogh.
He is survived by his son Alan Belado of Vancouver, daughter Tanya Lowe (Shawn) of Prince George, the mother of his children Betty Belado, grandchildren Ariel Lowe, Hunter Lowe, Nicolas Belado, Kali Belado, sisters Zena (Derek) Francis, Mary (David) Honeyman, numerous nephews, nieces, and sisters in-law Alice Belado & Diane Belado.
There will be a grave site service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or a charity of your choice. He will be greatly missed and warmly remembered.
Fred Peter Belado
Belado.
Kathleen Truda Moffat
Alec J Anderson
Obituaries
Dale Leslie De Merchant 1933-2020
Dale passed away April 02, 2020 at the Jackman Manor in Aldergrove. He was predeceased by his parents Marguerite (Kehoe) and Charles Leslie De Merchant, his son Kenneth, sister Jean Rounds (Harold) and brother Floyd.
Dale is survived by his wife of 66 years, Verna (Fleming), his children Russell (Letty), Les (Ruth) and Lori Moog (Mike) and brother Stan (Linda), sister-in-law Louise He was also proud to have been Gramps to 10 grandchildren and 16 greatgrandchildren. Dale was also very special to his many nieces, nephews and cousins and large extended family.
Because of Covid-19 a Memorial and scattering of his ashes will be held at a later date.
If you wish to make a donation please consider Jackman Manor Nursing Home in Aldergrove B.C. Dale’s family will be forever grateful for the care and respect they gave to him in his last year of life.
MELINDA KOTSCH
2x48.0
PGC001983
Kotsch,Helmar September25,1943-March18,2020
OnMarch18,surroundedbyhislovedones,Helmarleft thisEarthtojoinhislove,Helen.Helmarwasbornin Magdeburg,GermanyandimmigratedtoCanadaasa youngboyaftertheSecondWorldWar.Heworkedasa Bricklayer/Masonforhisentirecareer.HelmarandHelen lovedtravellingtoArizonainthewinterandhadmany fondmemoriesandstoriesoftheirtimeswithfriends downsouth.Helmarlovedfamily,camping,natureand music.Hewillbedeeplymissedandwillforeverbeinour hearts.RestnowPapa,weloveyou.
-Kevin,Melinda,andDecklen
Noservicebyrequest.
2x81.3 PGC001988
East,RonaldA. August2,1933-March17,2020 ItiswithgreatsadnesswesharethepassingofRonald AustinEastonMarch17,2020,inVernon,BC,attheage of86.
BorninVernon,Ron’sfamilymovedtoPrinceGeorge duringWWII.Ronco-foundedandwaspresidentand managingdirectorofacommunicationsnetworkofradio andcablevisioncompaniesstretchingfromSmithersto PrinceGeorgeand100MileHouse.
Ronwasanactivememberofthecommunitywith Toastmasters,theRotaryClub,andapastpresidentof theBritishColumbiaAssociationofBroadcasters(BCAB). Hewasnamedbroadcasteroftheyearin1976bythe BCABandservedathreeyeartermasadirectorofthe CanadianCableSystemsAlliance.Hewasadirectorofthe PrinceGeorgeSymphonySocietyandthePrinceGeorge CommunityFoundation.Ronwasveryproudtobea foundingmemberofthegroupwhoobtainedtheCharter fortheUniversityofNorthernBC.Ronwaspresentedwith aQueen’s50thJubileemedalforhismany accomplishments.
Leisuretimewasspentpanningforthemotherlode, travellingtheworld,andcampingwithfamilyandfriends. Happymemories.
Survivedbyhiswife,Helen;son,Ken(Lyn);daughters, KathrynandJo-Anne(Neal);sister,Mary-LouGardiner; fourgrandchildren,Jeremy(Susanna),Kati,Jana;andIan (Sarah);andthreegreat-grandchildren,Warren,Claire, andKaysen.
Nofuneralbyrequest.Donationscanbemadetoany charityinhisnameorthefoodbank. ArrangementsentrustedwithVernonFuneralHome, VernonBC:250-542-0155.
JEAN C SCOFIELD
2x58.5
PGC001989
Scofield,Betty
July12,1936-March27,2020
Itiswithgreatsadnessweannouncethesuddenpassing ofBettyonMarch27thattheageof83.Mompassed awaypeacefullyinhersleepatthehomeshesharedwith Jean. Bettywaspredeceasedbyherlovinghusband,Philip (2005);herdaughter,Joanne(2013);andhergrandson, Jody(2015).Sheissurvivedbyherlovingdaughters, JeanScofieldandJudyPopovic(Stan);sons,Justin Scofield(Tonia)andJohnScofield(Valerie);nine grandchildren,Tania,Tijana,Kyle,Tyler,Celina,Damien, Jared,Branden,andSara;and11great-grandchildren. Also,lefttomournisherbrother,Walter;sister,sDorothy and,Elizabeth,andnumerousin-laws,nephews,nieces, andfriends.
Momalwayshadanupbeatoutlookonlifeandsawher glassashalf-full,nomatterwhatchallengeslifethrewher way.Bettywillbemissedbyallwhoknewher. DuetotheongoingCovid-19outbreak,acelebrationof lifewillbeheldatalaterdate.
THOMSON,MichaelW.
June8,1949-April5,2020
Itiswithheavyheartsthatweannouncethepassingofa lovinghusband,father,brother-in-law,uncle,andfriend onApril5th,2020.MichaelwasborninNorthVancouver butspent10yearsofhisyouthlivinginPrinceGeorge andDunkley.HereturnedtoPrinceGeorgealongwith wife,Rita,in1978.MichaelworkedfortheMinistryof Transportationfor28years,retiringin2006andmoved toComox,BC,in2007.Inhisretirementyears,he enjoyedtravelling,motorcycling,andattendingtohis extensivegarden.Heissurvivedbyhiswifeof49years, Rita;daughter,Kirsten(Burke);grandchildren,Morgan andMason;andbrothers-in-law,George(Deborah), Russell(Vivian),andRobert(Linda);alongwithnieces, nephews,andmanyfriends.Acelebrationoflifewilltake placeatafuturedate.Inlieuofflowers,pleaseconsidera donationtothecharityofyourchoice.
LAVERDURE,DELBERTM. JANUARY22,1958
-APRIL9,2008
Eveninthesedifficulttimes wefeelyourpresenceinour lives.
Lovealways, Vickie,Laura(Dan),Ben (Leanne),Amy,Evan,and Mya
SERUP,SVENDA. DECEMBER15,1924 -APRIL22,2018
Inlovingmemoryofour belovedfatherand grandfather,Svend.Ithas beentwoyearssinceGod calledyoutoHisabode,but yourcontinuedpresencein ourheartsmotivatesusto liveaccordingtoyourfaith, values,andzestforlife. Rememberedbydaughter, Sheila;son-in-law,Jeff;and grandchildren,Christianand Fiona.
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Information
be found on our website: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/TPG/external/!publish/Forest_ Stewardship_Plans/BCTS%20Prince%20George%20BA%20 FSP%20Amendment%2021/
Amendment #21 consists of the following:
1. The addition of a Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds Objectives Result and Strategy Section 5.1.3.4
To schedule an appointment, or for more information, please contact:
JESSICA BAYCROFT
RITA THOMSON
12’ Flat deck snowmobile trailer, over wheel
45.5 ACRES Corner of Upper Fraser Rd & Beaver Forest Rd. with good driveway & building pad. $155,000. 250-614-6667
Lots & Acreages for Sale
1.148 AC. LOTS 35 & 36, Birchill Cres. 16 W., city limits. No GST. (250)563-7414
12 ACRES of commercial zoned land, 1400 ft of Hart Hwy frontage $150,000 per acre. 563-6985 or 981-1950. Will consider partial trades.
2.186 ACRE, 9341 Birchill Cres, close Hwy access, no gst. (250)563-7414
BUILDING Lot 8091 Flamingo Rd.
80’X135’ with city sewer & water. Allows mobiles as well. $85,000. 563-6985, 981-1950
HART Area, 400’ frontage X 100’ deep, serviced $300,000. 250565-4888
LARGE Res. lot, serviced, green belt on back, Oak Ridge Cres, Hart hwy. $89,900 obo 250-5623886 LOT for Duplex, 4-plex or apartment/condo. Fully zoned. Ready for permit. Near Multiplex & Walmart. 250-961-6786
Recreational Property
1000sq m building lot, #L72NCorintoPearleco-development Honduras.
How to choose the best energy star windows for your home
For many homeowners, heating costs make up the bulk of their annual energy expenses. If you’re hoping to buck this trend and save on your power bill, one way to do so is to equip your home with Energy Star windows.
According to Natural Resources Canada, on average these windows provide homeowners with a reduction of eight per cent on their annual energy bills. Compared to standard windows, high-performance Energy Star rated windows are up to 40 per cent more effective at preventing heat loss.
Determine your energy rating requirements
Canada is divided into three climate zones, and most of the country falls into zones 2 and 3. To know which zone your property is in, visit energystar.gc.ca and then find out which product is appropriate for that zone.
For instance, windows and doors used in zones 2 and 3 should have an energy rating (ER) score of 29 and 34 respectively. The higher the ER, the more energy efficient a window or door is.
take your nee D s into account
If your home is old or exposed to extreme weather conditions, you may be better off choosing specialized products. For instance, high-solar gain glazing may allow some people to save money on their annual power bill, while others might benefit from high-performance window seals. Make sure to speak to a professional to make the right choice.
Energy efficient windows are pricy but a good investment, if they’re installed properly. In addition, don’t forget that replacing your old windows with Energy Star ones could entitle you to a tax credit.
3 bad habits that will amp up your energy bills
Many homeowners are surprised to learn how much energy their electronic devices use. If you’re looking for ways to conserve energy and spend less on your utility bills, here are three habits that you should break immediately.
1. Watching television and movies on gaming consoles. Video game consoles use 30 to 45 per cent more power than televisions. In addition, running one high-definition gaming console requires the equivalent amount of energy as running 10 BluRay devices. You’re better off using your console for nothing but gaming.
2. Leaving your electronics plugged in all the time. This is a common habit, but did you know that
many electronic devices use up to 40 per cent of the energy required for their functioning, even when they’re turned off?
Unplugging your toaster and coffee maker after breakfast and removing chargers from outlets once devices are charged will help you conserve energy.
3. not thinking through purchases. Laser printers use nearly twice as much power as inkjet versions. Before buying one, ask yourself if the increase in energy consumption over traditional models is worth it.
Similarly, a 55-inch flat-screen TV uses twice as much energy as a 32-inch model. Consider whether the upgrade in size is worth it.
The bottom line is that you should evaluate your needs and make purchasing decisions accordingly.
In sum, to save energy at home you should evaluate what electronics you use and how you use them. Doing so will allow you to save on your utility bills and may even extend the lifespan of your devices.
s ettings
Televisions, computers, printers and various other devices may sometimes come equipped with a “sleep,” “power saving” or “standby” feature. You can reduce power usage in your home by engaging this function when the item isn’t in use. In addition, you can change some settings, such as screen brightness, to improve energy efficiency of the device.
Shiplap: a new rustic design trend
You may have heard the term mentioned, but do you know what shiplap really is? In point of fact, shiplap is a type of horizontal wood panelling that was originally used as airtight and watertight siding for buildings and ships. Currently, shiplap is making a big impact on home design.
Shiplap lends a rustic or nautical charm to any room where it’s placed, regardless of whether it’s painted white or stained to showcase the colour of the wood. To get the look in your home, you can select either shiplap made of real wood or shiplap made of medium-density fibreboard (MDF). In both cases, the boards should be cut with grooves cut into each side so that they fit perfectly together.
If you’re interested in decorating with shiplap, you can find what you need at most hardware stores.
How to create a gallery wall in your home
Awell-executed gallery wall can be a stunning focal point in almost any room. Follow this guide to create your own collection of photos and prints.
• Choose a theme. Sticking to a theme will give your gallery wall cohesion. Select a colour scheme or a specific type of image to display.
• Select the right wall. Choose a wall that has enough space to accommodate what you want to display without crowding the images.
• Pick your frames. Opt for identical frames to make an impact, or go for a more eclectic look with frames of different sizes and shapes — just be sure they go together by choosing frames that are the same colour.
• Try it out. Before you start hammering nails into the wall, lay out your frames on the floor to make sure you like the arrangement of your chosen images.
• Hang the pictures. To ensure you place your nails in the right places, make paper cut-outs of each frame, mark where the nails should go, then tape the cut-outs to the wall. When it’s perfect, hammer nails right through each piece of paper directly into the wall.
In addition to being a striking focal point in the room it’s hung, your gallery wall is a great place to display your favourite pictures and personal mementos.
smart lighting tips to help you save
Are you looking for ways to cut down on the amount of power you use at home? If so, here are some tips that will allow you to more efficiently light your home.
u se t H e po W er of ref L ection
Choose light colours for the walls. White reflects up to 80 per cent of the light in a room, while black only reflects 10 per cent. This means that lighter rooms need less lighting to illuminate them than darker ones.
Another trick is to place your table and standing lamps in corners so that the light reflects off two walls at once.
u se t H e bare minimum
Choose lightbulbs that are just powerful enough for the activities you plan to do in a given area. A needlessly powerful light will waste energy.
Avoid linking more than one light to a single switch and install dimmers to control the intensity of each fixture. It’s also a good idea to equip outside lights with motion detectors or timers.
Finally, turn off every light when going to bed, leaving a room or heading out.
u se energy efficient L ig H tbu L bs
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and light-emitting diodes (LED) use less energy than standard halogen lights (respectively 75 and 90 per cent less). They also last a lot longer.
When buying bulbs, make sure to look for the best lumento-watt ratio. A better ratio means that the bulb will provide more light while using less energy.
Outside, opt for solar-powered lamps. The LED light bulbs on them will run for up to 100,000 hours, but once they burn out, they can’t be replaced.
cH oose your fixtures W ise Ly When selecting light fixtures, remember that transparent and light-coloured lampshades let more light through than dark ones. In addition, pivoting lamps allow you to effectively target the light cast.
cL ean your L ig H t fixtures
A buildup of dust and dirt can dull the intensity of your indoor lighting. To ensure that the maximum amount of light possible gets emitted from each lamp, keep your fixtures, bulbs and shades clean.
If you follow these tips, you’ll more efficiently light your home and therefore save on your energy bill.
