Prince George Citizen October 15, 2020 by Prince George Citizen

Wings raise local spirits

Citizen staff

Most people would admit to wishing they had wings.

Thanks to local artist Daniel Gomes, we can all have our own set of angel’s wings, at least for a moment.

The BX Pub put out the call in August for an artist to create an eight-by-16foot installation depicting a giant pair of wings for members of the community

to stand between and have their photo taken.

The installation was completed on Oct. 6 and it’s a big hit on social media with many people posing with the beautiful wings and sharing their photos.

Gomes was born and raised in Prince George, went to Vancouver for a decade to learn about art, be part of the bigcity art scene and did outreach with at-risk youth where he taught aerosol

art techniques and how to use the skill in a positive (and legal) way, before returning to live in his hometown.

Gomes said he feels a strong connection to wings and more particularly to owls after having an up-close and personal encounter years ago with a white owl on Christmas Day in his mother’s kitchen.

TED

CLARKE Citizen staff

Teachers worried by positive COVID test

Prince George teachers are concerned an investigation by Northern Health to trace the path of contacts made by Prince George Secondary School student who tested positive for COVID-19 are not going deep enough.

Joanne Hapke, president of the Prince George District Teachers Association, spoke Saturday morning to a teacher who works in one of the elementary schools that feed students to PGSS who is worried about the siblings of the infected student and the possibility they could spread the virus to that elementary school.

“She would like to know if the student who has a confirmed COVID case at PGSS, if they have siblings in the elementary schools or is living in a household with children in elementary schools,” said Hapke. “Are they going to be working with the siblings and will we even know that connection?

“She (the teacher) needs to know if she’s going to risk being exposed.”

The PGSS exposure, which happened on Oct. 2, is the first confirmed case in a Prince George school reported by Northern Health since the onset of the COVID outbreak in March.

The PGSS notification was posted in an update on the Northern Health website on Monday.

CHRISTINE HINZMANN

CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE

Artist Daniel Gomes poses with the wings he created that are located at the BX Pub.

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“I paint owls and I paint hundreds of them,” Gomes said.

“I started painting owls about six years ago when I had a really, really interesting experience with an owl.”

As Gomes washed the dishes from Christmas dinner, a fully-grown owl swooped right into the kitchen through the open window and perched between the double sinks.

“People don’t often see owls,” Gomes said. “They tend to be very mysterious, you know? At first I was very intimidated and scared because they are very powerful beings. At first I was shocked and fearful and then it was very calming. It was almost like a message of assurity and it brought a bit of closure to me that I needed at that

time in my life. It was very humbling and calming at the same time. It was one of those things that’s hard to describe. It was very empowering.”

He got the feeling that everything was going to be OK and that he was on the right path, he added.

“That’s when all the dots connected because I do a lot of festivals in the summer time exhibiting my art and traveling around,” Gomes said.

Included on the festival circuit is Shambala in Salmo and their logo is the owl, Gomes added.

“So that festival became my number one and I painted a lot of owls,” Gomes said.

“I became a Shambala regular. It’s opened up a lot of avenues for me and owls have become the number one thing that I do that everyone knows me by.”

First confirmed case in local school

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“Of course there’s always a fear and everyone was waiting for the first case to see how it was handled and what is the information that we’re going to receive?” said Hapke.

Northern Health, in its advisory, reminds parents that just because a notification of the exposure has been issued does not mean every student in that school has been exposed to the virus.

Students who do not receive a phone call or letter from the health authority should continue to attend school.

The PGSS case is the seventh school

COVID exposure advisory Northern Health has issued since the school year began in September.

In a letter to parents posted on the School District 57 website, superintendent Anita Richardson said Northern Health has made the school district aware that somebody at PGSS tested positive and that the district is following the advice of Northern Health and the provincial health office.

“Please be reassured that our schools will continue the strict protocols and procedures we have in place so that children can continue to attend schools as safely as possible,” said Richardson.

The artwork done at the BX Pub started with a call out on Facebook in August from owner Justin Mousseau.

The piece is sponsored by BX Pub, Shire Green Cannabis and BX Liquor store.

Mousseau had seen murals of wings in cities all over the world online and thought bringing the wings to Prince George would be a good idea.

“There’s a lot of people impacted by Covid and they might not be as optimistic right now and so I just decided to add something to the city and bring some sunshine to it,” Mousseau said.

“Having interactive art in the city is one extra positive thing people can do in Prince George.”

It was nice being able to work on a positive project, he added, because during the pandemic the pub struggled with the

shutdown and all the restrictions that have been put in place.

“At the end of the day it was great to put it out there and Sonny did an awesome job and we’ve had tons of people showing up to take pictures so it’s added some love to Prince George,” Mousseau said.

“We’ve had lots of positive comments and lots of people have taken pictures so it’s exactly what we’ve been hoping for,” he added.

Mousseau and Gomes would like other business owners to do variations on the theme so people can do a wing tour of the city as a sign of hope and unity, bringing the community closer together.

Gomes’s nickname is Sonny and his art tag is Fresco D. Graffito.

His Facebook page can be found here https://www.facebook.com/fresco.graffiti/.

Three men in custody after shooting, chase

ARTHUR WILLIAMS Citizen staff

Three Prince George men are in custody after a shooting on Bellos Street led to a high-speed police chase last Thursday.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Craig Douglass said police received multiple reports at 11:37 a.m. of a shooting on the Heritage neighbourhood street. Witnesses reported to police that a vehicle pulled up in front of a house, opened fire on the home and then fled the scene.

RCMP officers on their way to the scene spotted the suspect vehicle driving away at high speed, which fled from police.

“Given the imminent public safety concerns... there was more of a need to stop the vehicle then in a normal situation,” Douglass said.

During the brief chase, the vehicle hit the curb and crashed through the fence of a home on McBride Crescent, near the intersection of 10th Avenue.

“All three (suspects) fled on foot, with two being apprehended quickly,” Douglass said.

RCMP police dogs were called in to assist with the search for the third suspect, who was found hiding a short distance away from the scene of the crash, he said.

No injuries were reported in the shooting, but the hiding suspect was taken to

hospital for treatment for a minor dog bite, he said.

A 40-year-old, man, 34-year-old man and a 31-year-old man – all well known to local police – are in custody and are expected to face charges.

Police seized two firearms near the crashed car. During the search, students at Duchess Park Secondary School were recalled back into the school under the school’s emergency procedures.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, Douglass said.

It was the second shooting of the day at the same home on Bellos Street. The first happened at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.

In that shooting, police officers arrived on the scene and cleared a home on the street. Three adults in the home were found uninjured.

The suspect or suspects fled the area before police were called, but officers found evidence confirming shots had been fired.

There was another shooting on the street on Sept. 21. No injuries were reported in that shooting, either, but investigators found “firearm-related damage” to a home on the street.

All three incidents are believed to be targeted attacks associated to an ongoing conflict between two rival gangs in the city, RCMP said.

Suppor ting smiles

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EDUCATORS SHAPE CONCUSSION POLICY

CHRISTINE HINZMANN

Citizen staff

Three Prince George educators were part of creating a provincial concussion education module for those who supervise student athletes in BC schools.

Renzo Berra and RJay Berra, teachers and skills instructors who work at Prince George Secondary School, and Rob Lewis, vice principal of the Central Interior Distance Education School, curriculum & innovations department, came together to provide working knowledge from their experience to inform a library guide on concussions.

SD 57 trustees came to Lewis and the Berras to put together a comprehensive guide for the school district about concussions and the after care required to help a student in recovery, Lewis said.

There is a continually updated library

guide that offers links to resources, online tools, online courses to be taken by coaches, parents, students and that’s also where links are found for lesson plans and other digital resources, Lewis added.

As more information is provided about how complex and far reaching a concussion can be to a person it became clear that a team effort of support needs to be established to help an injured student athlete.

“Everyone needs to take this type of injury seriously,” Renzo said. “It is for the staff of the school district but we realized it was more far reaching than that. Anyone in the community can access it and it provides excellent information for parents, kids and other coaches in the community as well.”

There are best practices and knowledge around concussions but it is a constantly changing field where experts are learning more every day, Lewis said.

‘Uncertain times’ shadow spruce beetle outbreak

CHRISTINE HINZMANN

Citizen staff

Mild winters and an accelerated life cycle are forcing government and scientists to look at the current spruce beetle infestation differently.

“We are heading into uncertain times and those issues are on our minds and are certainly factors we are thinking about as we consider how to move forward,” Jeanne Robert, the regional forest entomologist for the Omineca and Northeast region, said.

Since 2014, a total of 1.3 million hectares have been affected in the province by the spruce beetle, making it the largest outbreak ever recorded in B.C. A significant portion of the infestation has been seen in the Prince George, Fort St. James, Mackenzie, and Vanderhoof areas.

“Historically these massive cold snaps are what keeps the population under control,” Robert said. “This is one of the things we need to pay attention to, I think, because bark beetles are not acting in a way they have historically and that can have implications in forestry.”

Its life cycle has been one of those changes.

“Instead of taking two years to get from egg to an adult that flies to attack new trees it’s actually just taking a year,” Robert said. “It’s quite common to have a portion of the population in a one-year life cycle but what we’re seeing now is proportions

are different from what we’ve seen historically. In the past, about 85 per cent of spruce beetles were in a two-year life cycle and now we’re seeing an increase in the one-year life cycle.”

The spruce beetle prefers to attack old growth trees and this latest infestation took place when a wind throw eventwhere trees are uprooted - took place north of Prince George and then again north of Mackenzie. The impact varies by area and includes a light sprinkling of affected trees to severe infestation, which means 30 per cent of the trees in a particular stand are affected. The concern about this particular outbreak is its size.

“It’s large, it’s widespread and it is exacerbated by the mild winter temperatures that we’ve had so if we are seeing minimum winter temperatures rise in this area of spruce beetle outbreak that is documented as well established, and we are very rarely seeing these very cold snaps early in the fall or early in the spring,” Robert said.

The uncertainty isn’t all bad news, Robert stressed.

“There is a lot of resilience built into forest ecosystems to deal with these kinds of disturbances and hopefully as humans we can figure out a way to work with those mechanisms to create a forest that is going to work now and 50 years from now and 100 years from now,” she said.

Good information provided was the kind of monitored activity an athlete is able to participate in and the length of time recovery can actually take, Lewis said.

RJay, a former captain of the Prince George Spruce Kings who has experienced concussions himself and has seen others go through it, knows people’s ability to process information is affected as well.

“Your attention span, how quickly you tire out no matter what you’re doing is changed when you are recovering from a concussion and that includes in a classroom,” RJay said. “The recommended time a concussed student should be reading, using a screen or focusing on one thing is all new information so we added a list of things as part of the return-to-school plan, which is different from what people expected to see.”

Most people, RJay said, would expect just a guideline for returning to play but

the guide is more comprehensive.

“The focus for us as coaches and being immersed in the sports world the concussions we’re coming across are often related to sport,” Lewis said.

“In doing this guide and constructing these resources you really see it’s not just a sport or student athlete issue. It’s a student issue and people encounter concussions from all sorts of activity, including daily activity and so it’s much more than just a sport issue.”

It’s important for students to speak up when an injury is not seen by the coach and report the injury or behaviour a student is displaying that might be the result of a concussion, Renzo added.

“Students share that information more readily now, which is a very important step in the diagnosis process,” Renzo said.

The guide is available online at https:// sd57.libguides.com/concussion.

P.G. wine lover creates board game

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

Wine tourism is a growing industry in the vineyard-rich Okanagan region and a Prince George man has found a way to become the ultimate tour guide to bring people to the grape-growers without having to leave the comforts of his home.

It’s all a game to Chris Dias, the designer of Naramata: A Game of Wine and Tourism, a new board game that features the wineries of the Naramata Bench, a fertile strip of land on the ridge which overlooks Okanagan Lake near Penticton.

In Naramata, each game player is responsible for driving a vehicle to bring tourists to the wineries and will complete various actions, such as a wine-tasting session, to satisfy each tourist’s whims. With every task completed, the game player collects points. Whoever collects the most points at the completion of the wine tours wins the game.

Depending on which level is chosen, the tours last two, three or four days. A day of touring starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. and each simulated daily tour takes about 35 or 40 minutes of board play to complete. Up to five players at a time can play.

Dias and his wife Nicole are wine lovers and it was a natural progression to turn their hobby into an occupation.

“I’ve been trying to get into the tabletop board game scene with the new generation of adult-oriented games and was with my friends and we always drink wine because

Chris Dias, centre, plays a prototype version of Naramata: A Game of Wine and Tourism, with Will Hardman, left, and Paul Rhodenize of Deep Roots Winery in Naramata.

I visit Okanagan wine country every year, sometimes several times a year,” said Dias.

Dias is a full-time writer known for his restaurant review blog and has long had an interest in developing adult role-playing games, such as Ultramodern5, a supplement to Dungeons and Dragons, which raised $100,000 in a Kickstarter before it was released in August.

“The vast majority of wineries in the

Naramata region have come on board,” said Dias.

“When you think of Naramata, it’s always 100 per cent always wine, they have a couple orchards there but it’s wine country and they’re starting to make themselves look like the Napa of Canada.”

There are opportunities for individuals who pay a sponsorship fee to get their likeness on the tourist cards, which will be

used in the game. The amount of money raised from sales and sponsorships at the Kickstarter will determine how much Dias will have to spend to enhance each component of the game and how many games will be produced in the initial run.

Naramata Bench wineries are part of the BeadTrail, a network of tourist attractions in the Okanagan region, which each have their own unique beads for tourists to collect on a chain, similar to a charm bracelet, and the bead-collecting concept is an integral part of the game.

Dias plans to uncork the tabletop version of Naramata at a Kickstarter event in early November, which will raise money to help the game evolve from the developmental stage into actual production.

The digital version Naramata is already completed, which will work on game platforms Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator in the next month, and Dias has nearly worked out all the rules for the tabletop version.

He’s lined up a Chinese manufacturer to produce the tabletop version and package it for sales in stores. Dias figures it will sell for between $60 and $70. Retailers will get a 50 per cent discount if they buy six or more of the games.

If the game is successful, Dias has plans to develop other versions centred around other wine-producing areas. The Niagara region in Ontario in one possibility and he’s already been approached about building a game that targets Napa Valley, north of Oakland, Calif.

CITIZEN PHOTO

Dog force-fed drugs, booze

Citizen staff

A dog who was allegedly beaten and force-fed drugs and alcohol is now safely in the care of a foster home, alongside her 10 puppies.

Acting on a tip that the owner was abusing the four-year-old German short-haired pointer, the B.C. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized the pooch and her litter from an area home and took them to the shelter in Prince George.

A check by a veterinarian revealed fractures and scarring and a further test confirmed toxic ingestion. Despite the abuse, the mother dog remains friendly.

“Mama dog loves humans,” said animal welfare officer Rachel Cook. “She wants to sit on your lap. She wants to hold hands with her paw. She’s just so sweet.”

The mother and pups have since been accepted into a foster home and are doing well, according to the SPCA. The pups will be ready for adoption once they have reached eight weeks in age. The mother will be ready for adoption shortly after that, once she’s been spayed.

“She is doing well and doing such a great job looking after her babies. She is going to make a great family dog in a few months,” said Cook. “They’ve been through a lot. We’re so proud of them.”

Prince George SPCA manager Alex Schare said the incident shows why the SPCA’s cruelty investigations teams are so important.

This dog is recovering at the SPCA shelter after it and its puppies were seized from an area home.

“If it wasn’t for them, this dog would likely still be in this very bad situation with her puppies and both her and their welfare would be poor,” he said. “She deserves great treatment and that is not what she was getting before.”

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Au tumn Serv ices 10 -111 Chow sunke tSt, Fras er Lake,BC

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General Voting Places (open 8a.m. to 8p.m. Pacific time on Saturday,October 24):

Au tumnS er vic es

10 -111 Chow sunket St,Fra serLake, BC

Cl ucul zL akeCommH al l

3385 Lund Rd,Map es,BC

Davi dHoy El em School

772Birch St W, Fort St .James,BC

Decker La ke El em School

6710 Decker Lake Fr tg, Burns Lake,BC

El der ’s Cent re

4223 Felix Rd,Tachie,BC

Fort Fr as er CommH al l

470Corporation St,For tFra ser, BC

Fr ancoisL akeCommH al l

770FrancoisLakeRdE,FrancoisLake, BC

Gr anis le Sr Comm Cent re 19 ChapmanSt, Granisle,BC

Gr as sy Pl ainsH al l

37267KeefesLanding Rd,Gra ssy Plains,BC Hous ton CommH al l

2302Butler Ave, Hous ton,BC

Is la nd GospelFel low ship

81035Hwy,Burns Lake,BC

Ma pesElemS chool 14907Map es Rd,Map es,BC

Na dl eh Whut ’enYah 823 Nautley Rd,Fra serLake, BC

Nech akoS enio rCitiz en Ha ll 219Vic toriaStE,Vanderhoof, BC Ni thiRes or t

103Nithi LodgeRd, Fras er Lake,BC Omin ec aG en er al Sto re /Pos tO ffi ce MansonCreek, Manson Cr eek, BC

Po tl at ch Hous e 141A Bahlats Rd,Takla Landing, BC Rose La ke Hal l 16 Hw y, Topley,BC

OpenDates

Sa ik’u zF ir st Na tion 135Jos ephSt, Vand erhoof,BC Sinkut vi ew El em School 3348 Sinkut View Rd,Vanderhoof, BC Topl ey Comm Hal l 11591Chest er St,Topley, BC Tr ou tCreek CommH all ColleymountRd, Hous ton,BC

Wi sta ri aH al l 36 674Oot sa-Nadina Rd,Oot sa Lake,BC

DistrictElectoral Offices:

192Stewart St W Vanderhoof, BC (250)692-1290

Ho ur so fO pera tion: Mo nd ay -Frid ay 9a .m .t o5 p. m. Sa turd ay

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Candidate’sName:

Ma rg oM al ey

In de pe nd en t

Jo nR em pe l

Libert aria n

Jo hn Ru sta d BC LiberalPar ty

An ne Ma rie Sa m BC NDP

Da nS tu ar t

Christia nHerit ag ePar ty of B.C.

Financial Agent:

Margo Maley PO Box1392, Fort St. James, BC, V0J 1P0 (250)996 -4194

JonRem pel Po Box111, Fort Fraser,BC, V0J 1N0 (250)567-0744

AlanFit zp at rick PO Box2282, Vanderhoof BC, V0J 3A0 (250)570 -9342

Mich elle Bo schm an PO Box136, Fort St. James BC, V0J 1P0 (250)996 -1207

An gelina Stuart PO Box1346, Hous ton BC, V0J 1Z0 (250)845 -8755

Vo tin gPlacesfor Prin ce Geor ge -Mackenzie

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(open 8a.m.to8 p.m.local time on the dates listed)

Ch rist Ou rS av iou rChu rchH all 4514 Austin Rd W, Prince George,BC

Ma cken zie SecS chool 500Ske ena Dr,Mackenzie,BC

Pr in ce Geor ge Fa mil yWor ship Cent re 3400 Hart Hw y, Prince George,BC

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General Voting Places (open 8a.m. to 8p.m. Pacific time on Saturday,October 24):

Be ar La ke Commis sion

353Grizzly Ave, Bear Lake,BC

Be aver ly El em School

9777 West ernRd, Prince George,BC

Ch rist Ou rS av iou rChu rchH al l

4514 Austin Rd W, Prince George,BC

D. P. Todd SecS chool

4444 Hill Ave, Prince George,BC

Edgewood El em School

4440Craig Dr,Prince George,BC

Foot hills El em School

4375 Eaglenest Cr es,PrinceGeorge,BC

Ha rt Hi gh la ndsE lemS chool

2233 Suss ex Lane, Prince George,BC

He at herP ar kElemS chool

7151 HeatherParkRd, PrinceGeorge,BC

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Ma cken zie SecS chool

500SkeenaDr, Mackenzie, BC

McL eo dL akeCommH al l

4818997Hwy,McLeodLake, BC

Mi worthCommH al l

13510Flint Rd,PrinceGeorge,BC

Nes sL akeCommH al l

9770 Lakeside Dr,ReidLake, BC

NukkoL akeCommH al l

23485Chief Lake Rd,NukkoLake, BC

Pin ewoodElemS chool

4140 Campbell Ave, Prince George,BC

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Official Agent:

PrinceGeorgeFamilyWorship Centre

3400HartHwy,PrinceGeorge,BC

Qu ins on El em School

251SOgilvieSt, Prince George,BC

Sa lmon Va ll ey Com mH al l

17735 Trou tRd, Salmon Valley,BC

Summi tL akeCommH al l 1280 AdamsRd, Summit Lake,BC, BC

District ElectoralOffices:

212-100Tabor Blvd S

Prince George,BC

(250)649 -2880

Ho ur so fO pera tion: Mo nd ay -Frid ay 9a .m .t o5 p.

Candid ates forNechako Lakes

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At ki nso n BC NDP

Ca th ar in eK en dal l

De eK ra nz

Christia nHerit ag ePar ty of B.C.

Mi ke Mo rr is BC LiberalPar ty

Ra ym on dRod ger s Libert aria n

Jam es At kinson PO Box2631, Mackenzie BC, V0J 2C0 (250)997-3190

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(open 8a.m.to8 p.m.local time on the dates listed)

Columbus Comm Cent re 7201DomanoBlvd, Prince George,BC

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General Voting Places (open 8a.m. to 8p.m. Pacific time on Saturday,October 24):

Bl ackburn CommC en tr e

2451 Blackburn Rd S, Prince George,BC

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Videopoem draws international attention

CHRISTINE HINZMANN Citizen staff

A local author’s videopoem has been accepted into two international festivals.

Al Rempel is a high-school physics teacher whose artistic side is explored through the written word. He collaborated with other artists to creative a multimedia project.

I’ve In the Rain is Rempel’s poem that he’s decided to expand. He reached out to an artistic Italian friend, Sando Pecchiari, to translate and recite the poem while American Erica Goss set the music and images into the video format.

The videopoem will be showcased at the ZEBRA poetry film festival in Berlin, the oldest and largest festivals of its kind and the Ó Bhéal International Poetry-Film Competition in Cork, Ireland. Videopoems are a fairly new art form and the ZEBRA is the first festival to celebrate the format. It started in 2002 and is considered the most prestigious festival.

Years ago, Rempel stumbled on a videopoem on Facebook and knew it would be something he’d like to explore.

He started with a poem he wrote about his daughter’s first year of life called Eloise.

“That’s when I really started getting interested in it but I didn’t have the ability to do the tech side,” Rempel said. “I liked taking pictures growing up and I was an amateur photographer but I didn’t have the proper technology to do videos or to put it together.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Al Rempel, a local physics teacher, has collaborated internationally with other artists to create a videopoem called I’ve In the Rain. This is one of the images used in the piece.

He soon partnered up with Steph St. Laurent, a local filmmaker.

“I would supply the poem and sometimes the idea and he would supply the imagery and put it all together and other local artists like Jeremy Stewart would compose some original music that would be put to the video,” Rempel said. “So we’ve done collaborations like that.”

I’ve In the Rain is an international collab-

oration.

“My poet friend in Italy had translated the poem and sent it to me reading it,” Rempel said. “And I thought ‘wow this is so beautiful.’ I mean everything sounds great in Italian, of course, but this just sounded so fantastic I thought I can’t just let this be a sound file that I share with a few friends.”

He reached out to Erica Goss in Oregon, who creates videopoems and had reviewed

one of Rempel’s earlier videopoems. Goss put it all together and then sent it back to Rempel.

“And it was fantastic,” he said. He was inspired to send it out for submission into videopoem film festivals.

Rempel already has three books of poetry and a handful of chapbooks to go with his growing inventory of videopoems.

His inspiration for I’ve In the Rain was a variety of images colliding in his mind’s eye from different times and places.

“It’s like a painter mixing paint,” Rempel. “One blends into another. I remember one was when I was sitting in a car in the parking lot at Parkwood Mall and the rain was coming down.”

A couple arguing outside their car came to mind.

“And so I was thinking about relationships negotiated in the rain and then some of the sound imagery - the ping and the pang - was from one of our older houses that had a down spout that would make these really odds sounds when it rainedso that was another image that came from another place and time.”

Rempel hopes everyone will enjoy the poem, he said.

“What’s fascinating to me is that when a poem becomes a videopoem it becomes something different from the original poem,” Rempel said. “The interpretation changes and that’s fine for me. It kind of finds its own legs.”

For more information and works by Rempel, visit www.alrempel.com.

Candidate offers ‘godly principles’

ARTHUR WILLIAMS Citizen staff

Christian Heritage Party candidate Dee Kranz knows neither her party or her views are mainstream, but she’s alright with that. Kranz is running in the Prince George-Mackenzie riding as one of five Christian Heritage candidates in the province.

“The word ‘Christian’ is not a popular word anymore, even though it’s the foundation of what our country was built on,” Kranz said. “We’re pro-life. We believe in the sanctity of life, be it in the womb or at any age.

“The party’s platform is based on the “godly principles” of life, family and freedom,” she said.

The former registered nurse and retired business owner said she knows her odds of being elected are low, but she chose to run for a party that reflects her values.

“I’m not a politician. I ‘m a wife, I’m a

mother of four grown children, grandmother of six grandchildren... they’re my reason for doing this,” Kranz said. “As a citizen, I’ve been dismayed by what has been going on. It is so deeply troubling.

“Protecting freedom of speech is one of the key issues for the upcoming election, Kranz said. “If you don’t have freedom of speech, you don’t have democracy.”

Kranz said she believes the COVID-19 pandemic is being used as a cover to erode citizen’s rights.

“I worked during all the previous, supposed, epidemics. My idea of a pandemic is you have hospitals overflowing, people dying,” Kranz said. “The numbers are not bearing out, the hospitals are empty. But Premier Horgan is still calling for emergency measures. What is really going on here?”

Kranz said the death toll from COVID-19 is less than that from the common flu (the Public Heath Agency of Canada reported 224 deaths linked to influenza during

DEE KRANZ

the 2018-2019 flu season, compared with nearly 9,600 COVD-19 related deaths as of last Friday).

She also questioned the safety of wearing non-medical masks, why Canada is working with the World Health Orga-

Runner hits the streets for autism

CHRISTINE HINZMANN

Citizen

staff

Local long distance runner Matija Tiani, who has worked with children on the autism spectrum for the last decade, has committed to run 10 km a day, six days a week during the month of October, as five local businesses

pledged to sponsor her efforts by donating $1 for each kilometre she runs.

The goal is to raise $5,000 for the local society.

Tiani ran the Amazing Marathon in April and did some fundraising for Autism Speaks where John Brink contributed to the cause at that time.

IS THE BOX EMPTY?

Then they reconnected for the most recent fundraising effort since fall is Tiani’s favourite time of year to run it was a perfect continuation of her fundraising efforts.

The five businesses who are the major sponsors are Canadian Western Bank, Rivers Edge Services, North Side Auto

nization, COVID-19 testing, and called it “criminal” that the province is not proscribing COVID-19 patients with the controversial and unproven hydroxychloroquine treatment.

“Why would churches be closed, but the liquor stores and pot stores are open? People aren’t questioning, and they need to be questioning,” she said. “This is no longer about the virus. If you have to go to have a test to see if you have the virus, what kind of test are they doing?”

China is using the economic chaos caused by the pandemic to buy up Canadian assets, she alleged.

“We are in a very fragile position. I’m not talking about Chinese people. (But) the Chinese Communist government does not have the same values as a democratic society,” Kranz said. “I realize what I’m saying is not what the mainstream are saying. But I also hold the mainstream media accountable for its role in this.”

Sales, Certified Labs and the Brink Group of Companies.

There is a GoFundMe account where the public can contribute funds for Northern Interior Autism.

For those who wish to raise awareness through social media, use the tag #ActiveForAutism.

LENGTHY SENTENCE FOR ATTACK

MARK NIELSEN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A man who attacked a Prince George convenience store clerk with a pizza slicer, nearly causing the victim to lose an eye, has been sentenced to eight years in jail, followed by a 10year long-term supervision order.

Less credit for time served for the May 2016 assault, Wesley Charles Goosehead, 40, has just 16 months left to serve on the jail term but the order means he will remain under the eye of Corrections Canada and the Parole Board of Canada for a further decade.

The terms came in the form of a joint submission from Crown and defence counsels and added up to a sentence designed to slowly reintegrate back into society someone who has spent most of the last 25 years in jail for a string of violent offences.

It was also noted that 10 years is the lengthiest term that can be issued through a long-term supervision order and that the

conditions typically include a curfew, staying away from people involved in criminal activity and abstaining from alcohol and drugs except for those prescribed by a physician.

Goosehead’s jail sentence was crafted so he will spend the remainder in a provincial jail rather than a federal one where, due to a range of reasons, he has had a “long and difficult history,” the court was told.

Goosehead hopes to spend the remainder of his sentence in a so-called substance-free unit at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre. And once out, Goosehead hopes to spend the first six months to a year in a community residential facility in the Prince George area that is geared towards Aboriginal offenders.

The victim suffered a laceration across his cheek, the bridge of his nose and an eyelid and, as of November 2017 when Goosehead was found guilty of aggravated assault, he continued to suffer issues with his vision.

For as long as there have been professional sports teams and leagues, there have been teams and leagues that have threatened to leave cities that don’t give them the business deal they want.

Sometimes those threats are hollow, sometimes not.

Would the Calgary Flames have left Alberta if the city hadn’t agreed at the end of 2019 to build a $550 million arena to replace the aging Saddledome?

Hard to say but guaranteed the political pressure put on the mayor and city council by fans to get a deal done was enormous. On a much smaller scale, the pressure was on Prince George city council this week to reopen Rolling Mix Concrete Arena to allow the Prince George Spruce Kings to play the 2020-21 B.C. Hockey League regular season in their home rink.

Would the Kings have folded or left town if city council had stuck to its guns and insisted the team play in CN Centre or Kin 1? Again, hard to say.

City council voted 8-1 to open RMCA, deferring not one but two significant financial issues down the road.

Mike Hawes, the team’s general manager, made a point of stressing during his presentation to mayor and council Monday night that it was the league, as opposed to the local non-profit society that owns the team, forcing them to insist on playing in the old Coliseum, instead of sharing CN Centre with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.

“The biggest hurdle is the branding. The BCHL will not support a broadcast (of our games) with WHL branding on the ice. They would not support us playing in that facility,” he said.

That sounds like an ultimatum, as opposed to a negotiation.

If city council had voted to keep the RCMA closed due to COVID-19 or just because it wanted to save some money, would the BCHL really have pulled the plug on its reigning league champion (no champion was crowned last season due to the pandemic outbreak in March) because it didn’t like the WHL and Cougars logos on the ice?

Once more, hard to say.

The Lheidli Tenneh First Nation and the McLeod Lake Indian Band have requested two permanent School District 57 Trustee positions for band members. This school board is continuing its efforts with reconciliation and has forwarded the request to the Minister of Education.

The Truth and Reconciliation Report is cited as a reason to have two designated, separate trustees for two local First Nations. However, no part of the TRC report or calls to action call for forced integration of Aboriginal people into the rest of society. We should be moving away from hyphenated Canadians, not adding more groups. Indigenous people should be free to participate, or not, in all aspects of society.

In fact, in the introduction for the TRC report, it says “Canada denied the right to participate fully in Canadian political, economic, and social life to those Aboriginal people who refused to abandon their Aboriginal identity.” By restricting the

THINKING ALOUD

TRUDY KLASSEN

rights of Indigenous people who chose to keep and celebrate their heritage, Canada caused harm. Why would the Province of BC want to repeat this offence with a slight twist? Why would anyone think they had the right to define what it means to be a modern Indigenous person? Why would anyone tell them they must vote for a band member to represent them? This proposal would not result in the opportunity to participate fully in Canadian life. The details aren’t known yet but can you imagine what it would be like to go to the ballot box, be asked if you held a status card and, if you did, be given a choice of candidates that is different than your neighbours? Or if the designated trustee seats were only voted for by band members, you would no longer have the

This is a unique situation because Prince George is the only municipality in B.C. trying to juggle the interests of two junior hockey teams. Wait, you say, what about Kelowna and Victoria? Kelowna has the WHL Rockets but the BCHL Warriors play in West Kelowna, its own municipality on the other side of Okanagan Lake. The WHL Royals play in Victoria but the BCHL’s Grizzlies play in Colwood, again its own separate municipality.

Based on the comments made by mayor and council Monday night, they likely wouldn’t have voted to reopen the RMCA if it was just for the junior hockey team.

“The Spruce Kings aren’t the sole reason to reopen the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena,” Coun. Brian Skakun said, stressing how other user groups will also benefit from having the arena open.

Opening the RMCA and CN Centre adds another $400,000 to an estimated budget shortfall of $6.4 million next year.

“It’s the right thing to do, to use the facilities we have,” Coun. Garth Frizzell said. “It’s going to help out all those people. (But) there will be a cost.”

As it stands right now, that cost may come in the form of a whopping six per

PAYING THE KINGS RANSOM School board plan unhelpful

opportunity to vote for any candidate that wasn’t a member?

This proposal is simply segregation with lipstick. The purpose may be to ensure Indigenous representation on the board, signal the importance of preserving indigenous culture, history, and community, but the result will be restriction of Band members’ rights.

In the 1990s, Canada supported South Africa’s elimination of apartheid. In fact, we brag about how we were one of the first countries to invite Nelson Mandela to speak in our House of Commons. Why would we want to subject Indigenous people to that kind of system?

Take a look at the three laws of South African Apartheid:

1.The Race Classification Act. Every citizen suspected of not being European was classified according to race.

2. The Mixed Marriages Act. It prohibited marriage between people of different races.

3. The Group Areas Act. It forced people of certain races into living in designated areas.

cent increase in property taxes, which everyone - not just Spruce Kings fans and arena users - will have to pay next summer. And if the BCHL is serious about its teams playing in their own rinks, the Spruce Kings will need a new rink to play in soon, since that old Coliseum is on its last legs. Dusting off and updating the plans to build Kin 4 at the current Kin Centres complex might be the best option but the city would likely require funding help from the provincial and/or federal governments to erect a rink that would cost somewhere between $30 million and $50 million.

If this city council or the next one decides that kind of investment is not worth it, are the Spruce Kings done in Prince George or could a deal be worked out to share space with the Cougars in CN Centre?

Last time, hard to say. Every city, big or small, eventually faces the prospect of how bad it wants professional sports team in its community. For now, the City of Prince George has done its part to keep one of its junior hockey teams going. It could be a different story in the years to come.

- Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout

Does any of it sound familiar? We already have #1: status cards for Indigenous people.

If local bands are given a race-based position on the school board, it is only a matter of time before Indigenous will feel community pressure for #2, to marry only from a list of “approved Status Indians” so that their community and their power will grow. This rule was only recently struck from the Indian Act, but this proposal sets up that policy for a return. Sadly, we still have #3 in the Indian Act. (It’s the Act that everyone says they hate, but no one wants to get rid of.)

We should be moving in the direction of less race-based identification, not more. Less hyphenations and toward a united Canada. Indigenous people deserve equal opportunity participation, not equity mandates like the one the NDP has, (ie: Nathan Cullen) which mean nothing because it is in the control of party headquarters. Is it 2020 or 1867? Have we learned nothing?

We are in the middle of a provincial election. Ask your candidates how they plan to deal with this school board request.

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Holocaust survivor Eva Kor died in the summer of 2019 while in Poland doing one of the things she found most meaningful - touring a group of young people through the Auschwitz concentration camp. Her message remains: “Each of us has an important part to play in repairing the world. Be the change you wish to see. “

Kor was misunderstood by many because she made the personal choice to forgive sadistic experimental scientist Josef Mengele and the other Nazis for what they had done to her. It’s important to realize, however, that this was only one part of Eva’s journey in life and it is only part of her challenge to us.

Fellow Holocaust survivor and existential psychologist Viktor Frankl tells us that it is vital to find meaning in our suffering. For Eva Kor, this meant forgiving. For others, it means teaching, embracing the life we have or simply learning to love again. This is where we need to listen to

Atoning for residential schools Money shouldn’t control happiness

Years ago, I would visit my grandfather in his Richmond apartment and we would sit and play cards and watch the planes as they came in for landing. He was a quiet man but one day he wanted to talk about money and the fact that even though he had worked driving forklift in the sawmills he had been able to put some money away.

Our family never talked about money much as I was growing up. I remember my dad sitting at the kitchen table and balancing his cheque book to ensure that they could make ends meet. There were no credit cards in those days so if you didn’t have enough money in your bank, your cheques would bounce. Things are much different today when credit cards are common and almost seen as a necessity for new high school graduates. “No money, no problem” is a common perception in a society where instant gratification overrides the need for saving and self-discipline. Every generation of every family has

LESSONS IN LEARNING

GERRY CHIDIAC

our neighbours tell their stories of suffering and hear them with compassion. They will embrace the path they need to take and the world will be better for it. Life is a journey and our perspectives can change. Kor spent much of her life wanting to put Mengele on trial for his crimes against her and other children but after 50 years she found peace by forgiving him.

Perhaps this inward journey is the key to Eva’s message. The truth is we all have the capacity to bring reconciliation and healing to the world.

Eva’s friend, Holocaust scholar Dr. Michael Berenbaum, points out that forgiveness is much easier when certain elements are present. One must request forgiveness from the people one has injured. There must be a recognition of the harm we’ve

BUSINESS COACH DAVE FULLER

a different relationship with money. We learn from our families and our parents the meaning of money and how we should use it. We are conditioned by a lack or an abundance of cash in our families, by societal and economic circumstances, even by the monetary habits of acquaintances. We can become hoarders or spenders of money, generous, needy or stingy, grateful, complacent or demanding of cash. We can learn to make money, give money and/or lose money.

Yet in the underlying psyche of most people is the fear that there is never enough money. Why is that? Even as our fortune increases, there never seems to be enough.

We think that if we just had a little more we would be happy.

But would we be?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

a good dog owner

I have noticed a lot more people walking their dogs these days. Maybe it’s people being home more due to COVID or more people getting out and about when we actually have nice weather. Either way, it is great to see more dogs getting out of the house/backyard and enjoying the outdoors.

However, while I am also out on walks with my dogs, I am disheartened to see many people yanking on their dog’s leash. I am by no means a dog training expert but I like to think I use compassion and

done, a confession of the iniquity and a resolution not to commit the hurtful act again. One promises to do better and seeks to truly reconcile. Guilt is acknowledged and forgiveness is earned.

Berenbaum points out that as a Jew, he recognizes Germany’s effort to seek reconciliation for the Holocaust and move forward as a better country. Nations who don’t take these steps, however, are more likely to repeat their crimes.

When we truly listen to the stories of residential school survivors as well as the testimonies of Mengele twins like Eva, we recognize there are haunting parallels.

In 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologized for Canada’s role in the residential school system and acknowledged the harm this had caused to thousands and thousands of Indigenous children.

Harper’s discourse in Parliament that day was followed by an address from the late Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party. He pointed out that the apology was only the beginning. We

have to do better as a country. There has to be atonement. If we do not change, the deep wounds inflicted on generations of children will continue to cause suffering to our Indigenous neighbours and will keep Canada from becoming the compassionate country we want it to be.

Atonement is not easy but it is one of the most liberating actions a person or a nation can undertake. It has allowed Germany to go from a nation that was once feared, then despised to one that is admired and respected.

I can see the transformation that has occurred in me as educator and as a human being since taking up Jack Layton’s challenge. It has brought healing to my spirit and I hope it has brought healing to my school, my community and my country. Eva Kor did not give anyone a “get out of jail free” card for the suffering they caused to others.

Her choice to forgive was one of self-liberation and her message will always challenge us to bring forgiveness and healing to a broken world.

common sense to determine if something just does not look right. I have also participated in my fair share of dog training classes, read lots of books and watched lots of videos online. What I see many people doing to their dogs are generally referred to as leash corrections.

A leash correction is usually characterized by a quick snap or pop on a dog’s leash to correct a behavior, perhaps the dog is pulling or not paying attention to commands.

In my opinion, this is a form of punishment that does not teach a dog anything.

When is enough money simply enough?

For most people, our relationship with money permeates everything from how hard we will work in our job to our preferences.

In many cases, our relationship with money influences our relationships with family and friends. Some people can stress out about family spending patterns and others strive to keep up with the Joneses, both patterns of which affect who we are and how we act around others.

Occasionally, you might come across someone who doesn’t seem concerned about money in the least. They are not striving to make more money. They don’t seem worried about their bills. They are generous, despite the fact that you know they probably don’t have more than a couple pennies to rub together. These people often seem genuinely happy with what they have and with their life in general.

Our cultures have told us that we need money to be happy although it is true that if we don’t have enough money to pay our basic life expenses our money concerns can be overwhelming.

Not to mention the force by which I see many pet parents yarding on their dog’s leash, how is anyone to know the damage they are possibly causing to their windpipe, neck, back, etc.? Plus the damage to a dog is more than just physical, a pet parent also runs the risk of destroying the bond between them and their dog. If you are frustrated that your dog is pulling or not following commands (or exhibiting any other behavioural issues), I encourage you to seek help from a dog trainer that uses positive training techniques only. There are also any number of articles, books and videos available online

In my book Profit Yourself Healthy, I address the fact that business leaders are under considerable stress if their businesses are not providing enough profit to pay the bills and explain what needs to be done to fix those issues. Having money doesn’t equate to being happy, in fact an undue fixation on money, whether we are rich or poor, leads to an aspiration in our lives that can never be satisfied.

Genuinely happy people will tell you that to think less about money, we need to focus more on those other things we say are important but don’t give enough attention to, including our relationships, our friends and families, our faith, and those things that are intrinsically beautiful.

If you want to feel richer, start giving more of what you do have to the needy. That reminds me of the Persian proverb: “I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.”

- Dave Fuller MBA, is an award-winning professional business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Your business in money trouble? Email dave@ pivotleader.com

that promote and teach positive training. In this day and age, we not only understand a dog’s ability to smell human survivors in an avalanche, their ability to sense when a human is about to have a seizure, their ability to protect a human from a wild animal or intruder, but we now also understand their ability to feel sadness, loneliness, pain and much more. We must do better by dogs. It is the least we can do for all they bring to our lives.

Finally, walking your dog is not meant to be perfect. Give your dog time to just be a dog and most of all have fun!

Miranda Seymour, Prince George

At Thanksgiving, many families open up their tables to others who may be alone or without plans for a special holiday dinner.

Generosity to celebrate and be thankful for good fortune is a harvest tradition across many cultures. Americans will celebrate the 400th anniversary of their November Thanksgiving next year. In 1621, the pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, celebrated their bountiful harvest and expressed their thanks to the area Indigenous people for sharing the hunting, fishing and agricultural knowledge to help them survive and thrive.

In Canada, according to Canada History magazine, Thanksgiving either dates back to Martin Frobisher holding a dinner of thanks in 1578 in what today is Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, or Samuel de Champlain hosting a feast of gratitude in 1606 with the area Mi’kmaq, whose contribution of cranberries would have helped the French settlers avoid scurvy.

Both of those are colonial tales, of course. North American Indigenous peoples regularly held feasts of appreciation

A seat at the table Physics prize centuries in the making

First published in 1686, Newton’s Law of Gravitation laid the foundation for modern physics: that every particle in the universe is attracted to and attracted by every other particle changed the way scientists and mathematicians viewed the world. But could gravity hold onto light?

The speed of light is finite and represents an upper limit to velocity in our present understanding. The idea, then, that a star could be so massive that its escape velocity would be greater than the speed of light first occurred to the English astronomer and priest John Michell in 1783. Michell calculated that a star 500 times larger than the Sun but with the same density would have a gravitational pull so large its light would be trapped. In 1796, the French polymath Pierre-Simon Laplace came to the same conclusion but for a star only 250 times larger than the sun.

Both scientists had essentially outlined the object we now call a black hole but it really wasn’t until Einstein published his General Theory of Relativity in 1915 that the idea took hold. Within two months of its publication, the German astrophysicists Karl Schwarzschild was able to wade through the complicated mathematical equations and provide the first theoretical description of a black hole using general relativity. He provided a solution to

Clean water now

There have been reports that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is saying his government won’t be able to end boil water advisories.

NIGHT SHIFT

NEIL GODBOUT

throughout the year for many centuries before Europeans arrived. In our part of the world, these feasts are called potlatches and are still regularly held throughout the year because giving thanks, regardless of heritage, is something we should do all the time, not just once a year.

It is through the spirit of Thanksgiving and opening the table to others to share in the bounty of knowledge, hard work and good fortune, that we should look at the request of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and the McLeod Lake Indian Band for two Indigenous seats at the School District 57 board table. From a numbers perspective, the request makes plenty of sense.

In 2018, just before the last election, the provincial government changed the makeup of the school board to a ward system. Under that system, residents in Mackenzie and the Robson Valley were each allowed

RELATIVITY

TODD WHITCOMBE

Einstein’s equation describing the curvature of space-time around a spherically symmetric, non-rotating mass.

Schwarzschild’s metric provided a practical approach for tests of general relativity, such as the precession of Mercury’s perihelion, the gravitational bending of light, or the confirmation of gravitational time dilation. But the equation also demanded the existence of two extraordinary points. The first being at a radius of zero (r = 0) which corresponds to a true singularity while the second so-called Schwarzschild singularity corresponded to a distance, R, much further from the origin (R = 2GM/c^2). We now know the latter as the event horizon. It is the sphere surrounding a black hole representing the point-of-no-return. It defines the region of space-time isolated from the rest of the universe.

In 1939, the American physicist Robert Oppenheimer, with his student Hartland Snyder, were studying the collapse of a spherical cloud of matter and realized the importance of the Schwarzschild radius: “The star thus tends to close itself off from any communication with a distant observ-

to vote in their own trustee to the board.

So, despite the fact Mackenzie and the Robson Valley make up just seven per cent of the population within School District 57 borders, they were granted two of the seats on the school board. By contrast, more than 30 per cent of the SD 57 student population is Indigenous.

In the same way that the District of Mackenzie, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and the Village of Valemount asked for representation at the table, the Lheidli T’enneh and McLeod Lake governments have also asked for seats at the table, with elections held in their communities to choose those trustees.

Since joining the school board in 2018, Shulrose Valimohamed, the trustee from Mackenzie, and Bob Thompson, the Robson Valley trustee, have contributed to discussions and voted on all area education policy issues, regardless of whether it directly affected their communities or not. It’s safe to presume that duly elected Lheidli T’enneh and McLeod Lake school board trustees would do the same.

This is an extraordinary request from two area First Nations that should be

received with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Despite the tragic history of residential schools and, until very recently, little education in the curriculum to reflect their history, culture or language, the leaders of these two governments want a seat at the public education table, to benefit not just the children in their communities but all of the children in School District 57.

If anything, it’s sad Clay Poutney and Harley Chingee had to ask first. They, like every parent, like every politician, want to do everything in their power to help the people they represent and give more opportunities for success for their kids. Their leadership should be praised.

The origin of modern Thanksgiving, in both Canada and the United States, is rooted in settlers sitting at a table with their Indigenous neighbours to celebrate the value of their collaborative efforts.

In the same way that adding seats to the Thanksgiving table throughout the centuries has strengthened families, neighbourhoods and communities, adding two Indigenous seats to the school board table is the proper and generous thing to do.

How is it that this government can find billions of dollars for the TransMountain pipeline but we can’t find the money to ensure that every single person in Canada has access to clean water?

er; only its gravitational field persists.” But their results were predicated on spherical symmetry and for many years arguments were presented refuting the premise. Indeed, American physicist John Wheeler speculated quantum mechanics would prevent the collapse of space-time to a singularity.

In the late 1950s, compact and powerful radio sources were identified in all-sky surveys with no detectable visible counterpart. These objects were labeled quasars – short for quasi-stellar radio objects. In the early 1960s, optical astronomers were finally able to identify extragalactic visible objects associated with quasars. Because of the distances involved, their luminosity would need to be 1,000 times greater than the output from all the stars in our entire galaxy. Quasars were originally postulated as supermassive stars but their size meant they would be extremely unstable. The question became could they be black holes?

The discovery of quasars prompted Wheeler to reconsider the notion of gravitational collapse and the formation of singularities. He discussed his ideas with Roger Penrose who set out to analyze what would happened without the assumption of spherical symmetry. He only needed to assume the collapsing matter had a positive energy density.

But to do this, he need to invent a new mathematics built on the concept of

The cost of this pipeline has only risen during this pandemic and I for one would rather see my public dollars helping people, not pipelines.

We need to defund Trans Mountain and

trapped surfaces – two-dimensional surfaces with the property that all light rays orthogonal to the surface converge when tracked toward the future, regardless of the curvature of the surface. Schwarzschild’s spherical symmetry is just a special case of Penrose’s mathematics. Penrose had provided the mathematics for describing black holes and so “for his discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity,” Roger Penrose has been awarded half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics.

The other half goes to two astronomers Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez, who followed a prediction made by John Michell in 1783. Michell wrote: “If any other luminous bodies would happen to revolve around them [super-massive stars] we might still perhaps from the motions of these revolving bodies infer the existence of the central ones with some degree of probability.”

Michell realized a super-massive star – a black hole – might be invisible but its effect on any surrounding bodies might give it away. Genzel and Ghez have each spent the last 30 years examining the core of our galaxy and for their work plotting stellar orbits in the core, they have been awarded the Nobel Prize ‘for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy.”

We are orbiting a massive black hole that may one day consume us all.

put that money where it’s really neededhelping communities get what they need, like access to clean water.

Michael Callaway Prince George

TEAMS CAUGHT IN COVID CONUNDRUM

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

The Cariboo under-18 triple-A Cougars are in a bit of a quandary trying to find opponents to play on Prince George ice. Teams willing to make that trip to play the defending league champions are few and far between.

The five major midget teams in the Lower Mainland as well as two on Vancouver Island and the Kootenay Ice have told the Cougars they won’t be travelling north to play Cariboo. With the regular season still in limbo and no league schedule yet determined, teams are not required by BC Hockey to travel and it is up to each team’s general manager to make arrangements for exhibition games.

That means the Cariboo Cats will not be playing any home games at Kin 1 unless regular-season play resumes.

“The GMs don’t want to come to Prince George because they don’t have to,” said Cariboo Cougars U-18 general manager Trevor Sprague. “Our league said it would be disappointing if nobody comes up, but the GMs of the Lower Mainland have no interest in coming up here at all.

“For me, it’s disappointing we didn’t have this all scheduled in like any other normal league. Obviously, nothing is fair and even and really we’re not getting any help on it. It leaves us out and it sucks to be us, and nobody cares. Some people get upset with me when I say it’s the north versus everybody else, well this is the perfect example. In almost every sport, it’s the north versus everybody else. It’s not acceptable that we can’t get games up here.”

The Thompson Blazers of Kamloops under GM Stu McGregor have tried to accommodate the geographically-challenged Cougars and agreed to play them twice Oct. 2 in 100 Mile House. Former Spruce Kings head coach Dave Dupas is the GM of the Okanagan Rockets in Kelowna and he told Sprague his team is willing to come to

Players scrimmage on the final day of the Cariboo Cougars U18 and U16 training camp last month.

Prince George for exhibition games. With no opponents in close proximity, the saving grace for the Cougars, at least from a competitive standpoint early in the season, is the Cohort Cup to be hosted over four weekends this fall by the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds in Abbotsford. All five Lower Mainland teams and the Cougars are involved. Each weekend, four of those teams will play each other and the four trips to Abbotsford will give the Cariboo Cats a dozen games before Christmas, including five against the Greater Vancou-

ver Canadians. The top teams will meet for the Cup in a final the weekend before Christmas.

“It’s something for us to look forward to, it’s some games,” said U-18 Cougars head coach Tyler Brough.

“It’s sounding like we’re going to do something similar (to the Cohort Cup) after Christmas within our league, whether they’re continuing to the exhibition games or regular season games, that’s yet to be seen. We’ll see how this pandemic goes and hopefully there will be some big im-

provements throughout the province.”

There’s still much uncertainty about whether there will be a league regular season and much will depend on how rampant the spread of COVID-19 is this winter. The Cohort Cup will be awarded in December and will provide an alternative to the Mac’s Invitational Tournament in Calgary, traditionally held right after Christmas, which has been canceled.

Last year, the Cougars got healthy just before the tournament began and advanced all the way to the semifinal round at the Mac’s and they were making a strong postseason push when the playoffs got canceled just before they boarded the bus for the opening round against Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.

That playoff matchup would have been a rematch of the 2018 league championship series in which Cariboo swept the T-birds in two straight games.

The league will learn if there will be a Telus Cup major midget national championship when Hockey Canada makes its decision on Jan. 18.

Sprague said it will cost each of the three Prince George-based male triple-A teams – the U-18, U-16, U-15 boys - $40,000 to play in their respective Cohort Cup tournaments.

The female U-18 Northern Capitals are not part of the Cohort Cup. They have games this weekend in Williams Lake against the Fraser Valley Rush and are trying to line up more games against league opponents and academy teams.

The Northern Bobcats double-A U-18 and U-15 teams fall under the minor hockey umbrella and will have the Northern Trackers of Fort St. John to play against.

The city’s travel teams have been practicing twice a week at the Kin Centre since the start of September and plan to increase that to three ice times per week this week, as soon as more ice becomes available with the opening of at CN Centre and Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.

Northern Capitals ready for exhibition season

Citizen staff

After seven months of waiting for their next game, the Northern Capitals will get to showcase their hockey talents this weekend in Williams Lake.

Northern B.C.’s regional representatives in the BC Female Under-18 Triple-A Hockey League will take on the Fraser Valley Rush in a three-game exhibition series Oct. 17-18 at Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. The neutral-site games will give the Capitals a chance to shake off the rust in what will be their first games since the COVID outbreak cut the season short last March.

“I know they’re all excited to finally get out and have an organized game,” said Capitals head coach Mario Desjardins. “They’ve been practicing at a high tempo and the young players have come in and have not looked out of place.

“We have a lot more veterans (11) starting off this season and everyone has come to camp in shape and ready to go. The off-ice conditioning this year twice a week

during the season is a bonus for them and we’re going into our first games of the season a lot more prepared than last season.”

Desjardins expects returning goalie

Tessa Sturgeon, a two-sport athlete who also plays fastball, to continue generating interest from post-secondary schools looking for a dependable puckstopper.

“She’s playing the best hockey I’ve ever seen since I started coaching her in second-year bantam and she’s a fantastic ball player too,” said Desjardins.

Karsyn Niven will be the Capitals’ backup goalie.

Third-year midget Kiera Mulder will anchor the defence, along with returning blueliners Keagan Goulet, Ella Boon and promising rookie Rachel Loewen.

The Capitals are blessed with skillful forwards and a mobile defence and Desjardins predicts the team will have plenty of offensive firepower and plans to utilize that strength in his game strategies.

Up front, the Capitals return centre Brett Kerley, their leading scorer from last

season, with eight goals and 26 points in 32 games. Pyper Alexander ranked third in team scoring (10-9-19) and was among the most fit Capitals in training camp testing. Brooklyn Hutchings (6-12-18) and Hailey Armstrong (8-10-18) are also capable of filling opponents’ nets, with support from veterans Maria Ayre (6-5-11) and Nancy Moore (5-5-10). Another player to watch is centre Cricket Colebank, who played last year for the Williams Lake triple-A midget team after being a late Capitals cut. The Capitals roster has 17 players.

The Capitals have been relatively unaffected by the COVID pandemic and most of them stayed together despite a July announcement by city planners to keep arenas closed for the rest of 2020 and possible all of 2021 to save money. There was no ice available in the city until early August and Desjardins said that forced the hand of four players who likely would have returned to the Capitals this season and instead chose to go to the private hockey academies. That list includes 16-year-old

Brooke Norkus, who collected five goals and 12 assists in 32 games as a midget rookie with the Caps last season.

Hayden James Berra joins the Capitals coaching staff from the Cariboo Cougars and Desjardins will also have Jordan Shanks as an assistant coach.

The regular season schedule has yet to be determined.

“Right now everything is on hold so we’re just starting our exhibition games,” said Desjardins. “Williams Lake seems to be quite flexible. We can have a maximum of 20 players at the rink and people in the stands and they’ve opened the dressing rooms. We were changing in the hallways until the city opened our dressing rooms this week.”

The Capitals will play the Rush at 7 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Saturday and again on Sunday at 11 a.m. They’ll be back in Williams Lake Nov. 7-8 with two games against the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers and the Capitals will travel to Vernon for a three-game series against the Lakers Nov. 13-15.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE

TED CLARKE

Young spread the golf gospel

SENIORS’ SCENE

KATHY

NADALIN

Editor’s Note: Findlay Young passed away over the Thanksgiving weekend. Our condolences to his family and many friends.

Findlay Young was born in 1928 in Glasgow, Scotland, where he practically grew up on a golf course. Life was good in Scotland where the avid golfer had a choice of at least 122 golf courses to enjoy his sport.

He was working as a sales representative for Texaco Regent Oil when he met and later married Nancy Adams – the love of his life.

Nancy was also born and raised in Glasgow. They married in 1955 and emigrated to Canada in 1957. They arrived in Vancouver and were robbed three days later, followed by a car accident one week after that.

One month later, they seriously considered moving back to Edinburgh and they would have if it had not been for the 1956 Suez crisis. Findlay said, “I had served in the Air Force National Service in Scotland and if there was to be a war, I would be among the first to be called to go to war.”

Thankfully, Findlay got a job interview with IAC – a finance company. He was hired and given the choice of working in Nanaimo, Kelowna or Prince George. The job included an expense account as well as a car and instructions to golf with clients once a week during his time off.

He said, “When I arrived here by train I thought ‘what a terrible place.’ I had no luggage, no arranged accommodations and no one met me at the train and to make matters worse I was just plain angry and mad at the world.

“I purchased a razor and a clean shirt and eventually my golf clubs arrived. I was looking forward to playing on what I was told to be a lovely little nine-hole golf course which would soon be an 18-hole golf course. I was used to playing at private clubs; I didn’t know it but I was in for a

Findlay and Nancy Young.

shock. The golf course – compared to what we had in Scotland - turned out to be as rough and primitive as its surroundings. To make a long story short I could not see the greens. What was pointed out as the green looked like a bunker to me. They were not covered in grass but instead they were a mixture of coarse sand and crude oil. Your feet would sink down into the mixture but wooden scrapers were provided on each green to clean your shoes. I nearly lost it and I inquired about when the next train was leaving for Vancouver.

“Nancy and I settled in and slowly we met many great people. Those we met first and made lasting friendships with were the families of Cliff Dezell, Harold Pretty, Matt Briggs, Jack MacDonald, Robby Laing and Vern Rikley.

“I changed jobs and we started our family of three sons; Crawford, Colin and Cameron who in turn gave us eight grandchildren. We only intended to stay here for five years. We started to love this one-horse town and the five years became 60 years when sadly Nancy passed away in 2017. Nancy was a champion in tennis, a champion in squash and a champion moth-

er and we have three great sons to prove it.

“My advice; when you change jobs and move, make sure you know all about it before you make that final decision.

“When I changed jobs, I went to work for an insurance brokerage company for sawmill and professional liabilities with Gordon Bryant Insurance which became Thompson Insurance, then Saunders Insurance, Whitehead Insurance and finally Sedgwick James Insurance. I worked in the

industry until I retired at the age of 65.

“Over the years we were able to do lots of work-related and golf committee related traveling so we felt pretty privileged about that. One of the highlights was my successful application for membership in the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland. I am proud to say my application was signed by my good friend Peter Bentley.”

Over the past six decades, Findlay had been involved in the sport of golf not only as a player but as a coach and administrator.

During that time, he won 53 golf competitions, which included 11 Prince George Golf and Curling Club championships between 1959 and 1970.

During his career, he made a total of eight holes-in-one. The first one was in 1955 in Edinburgh and three at the PGGCC just to name four of them.

He was a director of the B.C. Golf Association from 1961-1999 and was an honourary life director.

He served as president of the Royal Canadian Golf Association in 1993 and was an honourary life governor, which included being the captain of the Canadian team at the Pacific Rim and world amateur tournament in 1992.

He was a director for the Prince George Mohawks senior hockey team for 10 years and wasinducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Findlay had been a member of the Masonic Lodge since 1960.

When Prince Rupert firefighter Rocky Paolo matched five consecutive icons on PlayNow.com’s Chain Reactors to win the $302,485 jackpot, not once did he even consider hanging up his helmet and axe for an early retirement. In fact, Paolo says he’s got “at least another five years” in him.

“I’ve never had less than two jobs at a time in my life,” says Paolo, who also operates a commercial cleaning business on the side. “I’ve always said that if I didn’t like the job I wouldn’t be there, but I just love what I do. I love [being a firefighter] just as much as when I first started more than 25 years ago.”

Paolo won the jackpot on Sept. 24.

“I had just come home and my wife was making lunch when I thought I’d play for a bit,” says Paolo. “I was actually trying to play for the smaller $7,000 purse and I thought I had won a few free plays. So I was shocked to see it was more than that. Going back to work after that… that was the longest six hours of my life. I felt dizzy, like I was going to faint. I even thought I was going to start crying.”

While Paolo isn’t calling it a career yet, he and his wife plan to pay off some bills and invest their winnings, though his family does have plans to do a road trip to see the beauty of British Columbia. The odds of getting five consecutive icons is one in 10 million.

Citizen staff

HANDOUT PHOTO

Acup of hot tea. Atasty meal. Amuchneeded foot rub. In my early postpartum days, these supportive gestures from my husband helped while Iwas learning how to breastfeed our daughter,Jovie.

Likemost parents, Ifeltthe exhaustion that comes with anew baby.Yet, I remember also feeling empowered and well cared for by my family,friends, and health care providers. My conﬁdence as a mother gradually increased and together, Jovie and Igrew and learned through our breastfeeding journey.

We know that most women want to breastfeed their babies. Nature has equipped mothers and babies with strong instincts to help them get started, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.Parents and their little ones need time and practice to learn how to breastfeed, and support from people around them to be successful.

What types of support do parents beneﬁt from?

Family support

Learning how to breastfeed can be easier when parents have the support of their families. All relatives have a

Healthy Living

Sustaining breastfeeding together : Parentscan do it ,you can help

By Randi Parsons, Regional Nursing Lead for

role: grandparents, parents, siblings, and extended family.Evenifyou’re far away, offering emotional support through active listening will be deeply appreciated by new parents.

Practical supports are just as important, such as doing housework ,orpicking up groceries. I’m grateful for my family; their help truly made adifference for us, both in the early days and over the last few years.

Spousal/partner support

Support from asignificant other can help abreastfeeding mother to build their comfort and confidence. Husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or a same -sex couple:all partners benefit from support. This type of support can help strengthen the relationship beyond the newborn period.

Peer support

Afriend, neighbour,oranother mother who has had agood experience with breastfeeding can be agreat resource. They can offer emotional support, encouragement, and tips and tricks. I found peer support online through a Facebook group of other moms and some of these ladies are my dearest friends

today

Single parents will beneﬁt even more from the support of their close contacts. Iwas raised in asingleparent home and learned about breastfeeding by watching my mom care for my younger siblings. Even at a young age, it was apparent how much my mom beneﬁted from having support, help with household tasks, and visits from close friends.

Community-based support

New mothers may also appreciate support from experts in their community.Health care providers, breastfeeding groups, and advocates (such as Lactation Consultants and La Leche League leaders (lllc.ca/)) are great resources.

They can enhance amother ’s knowledge, skill, and conﬁdence to breastfeed their baby.Attending groups with Jovie was one of my favourite sources of support. It can feel empowering to be part of a community of breastfeeding mothers.

We all have arole to play Seeing amother and her baby thrive in their breastfeeding journey is rewarding. Support from family,friends, experts, and

communities can enhance relationships and improve the health of mothers, babies, and families

Youdon’t have to be abreastfeeding expert to provide support to amom and her baby; we all have arole in sustaining breastfeeding together

Want to learn more about breastfeeding support? Check out these resources:

•Finding support –Baby’sbest chance: Parents’ handbook of pregnancy and baby care (health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/ year/2019/BB C-7th- edition-FINALNov2019.pdf#page=95)

•Support for breastfeeding -Northern Health (northernhealth.ca/health-information/ pregnancy-and-baby/breastfeeding)

•Why it’s important for everyone to support breastfeeding -Healthy Families BC (healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/blog/ why-its -important-everyone -supportbreastfeeding)

Maternal, Infant, Child, Youth with Public Health Practice, Northern Health

PUZZLE NO. 787

HOW TO PLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1through 9only once Each 3x3 box is outlined withadarker line. You already have afew numberstoget you started Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1through 9inthe same line, columnor3x3 box.

PUZZLE NO.

CL ASSIF IEDS

On Friday, September 11, 2020, Sandy Coverdale passed away at home with her husband David by her side.

Born August 22, 1951, Sandy was raised in East Vancouver and attended Vancouver Technical High School. She had lifelong memories of growing up in Vancouver and enjoyed attending several reunions at her old school. She received a Bachelor of Arts and Professional teaching Certificate from Simon Fraser University as well as completing a Library Technician program at Vancouver City College. She studied Middle Eastern History and pursued a teaching career, serving in Powell River, Campbell River, Terrace and Prince George school districts. During her teaching career she loved working with students and parents and took great pride in the public education system.

She loved reading and discussing her latest book with her friends in her local book club. After her retirement she spent four more months teaching in China. She truly enjoyed her time there and returned with many special memories and photographs.

Sandy is survived by her husband David, daughters Bronwen (Malcolm) and Tess (David), granddaughters Eleanor and Meadow, all in Prince George. She is also survived by her brother David Sykes in Ontario.

Sandy met her husband David in the fall of 1969 and as a result they went on to spend 50 years together. They worked for many years with the Children’s Aid Society and Ministry of Social Services in Vancouver operating a group home for children in care. During retirement they enjoyed many cruises and travelled to many places in the world. Sandy loved exploring ancient historical sites, especially in the middle east.

She loved being a mother to her two daughters and loved introducing them to the value of reading, literature, gardening and art. She led her family on many adventures and developed lasting memories that will always be cherished.

Sandy leaves a legacy of a dedicated teacher who made every effort to promote learning to every child she met. She will be remembered as a loving wife , mother and grandmother.

The family wishes to thank all the medical staff who have assisted her over the last 6 years.

Special thanks to Dr. Bre’el Davis and the Cedar Street Clinic staff. Dr. Vanessa Bernstein and staff at the BC Cancer Agency in Victoria. Dr. Piotr Juskiewicz, Dr. Katherine Morrison. All the staff of the Community Care South Team and all the staff at the Campbell River Hospital Cancer Care Centre.

Due to COVID-19 there will be no service or celebration of Life at this time. In Lieu of flowers the family requests donations be to the BC Cancer Foundation.

REMEMBRANCES

Matthew Shaye Kelly Hardy

July 5, 1986October 3, 2020

It is with great sorrow we announce the sudden passing of Matthew on October 3, 2020. He is and will always be on our minds and forever in our hearts.

Celebration of life for Matthew will be held outside at the Hardy residence located at 6553 Old Summit Lake Road on Saturday, Oct 17, 2020 from 1pm-5pm, slide show beginning at 3pm. Please bring a lawn chair, a beverage and your stories to share.

Covid-19 protocols will be in place.

August 29, 1939October 2, 2020

Survived by her 3 loving children: Debbie (Ormond) Higman, Bruce (Janet) Pattinson and Lance (Emilie); grandchildren: Glen, Crystal and Darcy; great-grandchildren: Cassidy, Brianna and Jeff.

Predeceased by husband, Morris Pattinson. No service by family’s request.

Her wings were ready but our hearts were not.

Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes

Betty Ann Pattinson

Coverdale, Sandra (Sandy) Jean; (nee Sykes) 1951 ~ 2020

“Always on our minds, forever in our hearts”

It is with profound sadness that the family of John Kellis announces his passing on September 27, just a week past his 52nd birthday.

John’s caring and charismatic personality touched many lives and his passion for anything outdoors was unforgettable (much like him). If you knew John, you’ve most likely hunted, fished, snowmobiled, camped, quadded, skydived or travelled with him. His warmth when meeting people shone through but never so much as when he was with people he loved.

John loved deeply and was deeply loved by many, especially by Karen, his wife of 25 years, his mom Barbara, his personal guardian angel ~ sister Stephanie (Nevio), brother Mark (Wendy), inlaws Paul and Darlene, Lorne and Gerri, brotherin-law Paul (Tracy) and sister-in-law Danielle.

John was predeceased by his dad, Nick. John’s love, care and respect for his dad was immeasurable and he missed him immensely. John attributed his love for the outdoors, his deep seeded family values and his strong sense of compassion to his father. This special bond between John and his father was a true friendship and although this is a time of extreme sadness for us, we are comforted in knowing that John is reunited with his best friend, his dad.

John loved the kids in his life and was an uncle to many ~ Jared (Courtney), Chelsea (Russell), Maddison, Elena, Nik, Theo, Tanna, Cassie, Christian and Chad, great uncle to Alex, Aria and Messer and godfather to Aiden and Landon.

John placed high value on all of his friendships, especially with Rob ~ his best friend, hunting buddy and fishing partner for over 30 years ~ their adventures were legendary and with Nevio who always had his back ~ their bond went beyond brother-in-laws and was one of true brothers.

At John’s request, no service will be held. In honor of John’s love of nature, donations can be made to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society (www.wildlifeshelter.com/p/memorial.html).

“If others wonder why I’m missing, Just tell them I’ve gone fishing”

In Loving Memory of Larry Martin Wilkes

May 20, 1946October 20, 2018

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be so He put his arms around you and whispered “Come to me” with tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away and although we loved you dearly we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating hardworking hands at rest God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best.

How you are missed.

Love your family

Births

OnSeptember20th, TravisandKiana welcomedtheirson LaineKeithShields. -Proudbigbrother, Trace,andfur-sister, Summit.

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Ridley Terminals Inc. is currently seeking the following positions for their marine bulk handling terminal, located on the north coast of BC, approximately 16 km from the City of Prince Rupert. Committed to a safe and healthy workplace, Ridley Terminals Inc.provides an excellent working environment for individuals who have a high degree of initiative.

Heavy Duty Mechanic

Permanent Full-Time

The successful candidate must have an Inter-Provincial ticket (Tradesman Qualifications with l/P standards) with experience in an industrial environment. Demonstrated evidence of troubleshooting experience in mechanical, hydraulics, electronics and pneumatics. Experience with Caterpillar equipment an asset.

Journeyman Millwright

Permanent Full-Time

The successful candidate must have an Inter-Provincial ticket (Tradesman Qualifications with I/P standards). Minimum 5 years experience on an industrial site as a journeyman would be considered an asset. Troubleshooting experience in mechanical, hydraulics and pneumatics would be considered an asset. Candidates should have good welding and cutting skills as well as troubleshooting experience.

These positions offer a very competitive salary and benefits package. Tradesmen currently working a four day on, four day off schedule.

Ridley Terminals Inc. provides an excellent working environment. The ability to work with a team to achieve results is essential. Applicants should also have an excellent health, safety and environmental record. For a complete job description go to: www.rti.ca.

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P. O. Bag 800 0, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 4H3

Attention: H.R. Manager Or by e-mail to: jobs@rti.ca

Ridley Terminals Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals of Aboriginal descent are strongly encouraged to apply.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates to be interviewed will be contacted.

3.00x133.0-4C

PG11 / PG000031

sales Team

If you are interested in helping businesses grow and enjoy talking to customers, we’d like to meet you!

Multi-Media Marketing Executive

Key duTies and responsibiliTies

• Communicating with clients to understand their needs and explain product value.

• Building relationships with clients, based on trust and respect.

• Collaborating with internal departments to facilitate client need fulfillment.

• Maintaining updated knowledge of company products and services.

• Resolving complaints and preventing additional issues by improving processes.

• Identifying industry trends.

• Acting as a client advocate with a focus on improving the buyer experience.

• Ability to clearly articulate the benefits of print and digital marketing strategies.

• Successfully deliver compelling presentations.

• Ability to secure and grow business.

• Contribute to the success and growth of the sales team.

• Understand and keep current on best practices as it relates to digital marketing and advertising.

• Understand the current and competitive landscape and be able to appropriately position our services relative to competitors.

• Achieve monthly, quarterly and annual targets.

educaTion, QualificaTions and sKills

• Outstanding relationship building.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication.

• Adaptability and strong problem solving.

• Ability to build rapport and collaborate with clients and others within the company

• Understanding of consumer behaviors and industry trends.

• Extensive, accurate product knowledge

• Effective time management.

• Detail oriented and ability to multi-task.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Diplomacy; effective listening and public speaking skills.

• Personable, understanding, objective, fair and honest.

• A background in print advertising, website development, SEO, SEM, social media, video and/or brand identity, Google AdWords, analytics certification would be an asset.

• Bachelor’s degree in sales, communications, or related field would be an asset.

Please forward your interest to njohnson@pgcitizen.ca

Nancy Johnson, Director of Advertising by 5pm on September 25th

No calls please, only those shortlisted will be contacted

We thank all applicants but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Join our dynamic

Motorcycles

SUZUKI Bandit 1200, great shape, recent tune-up and brakes. (250)613-5981

2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON Wide Glide. Low mileage. 250-6170443

2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON FAT BOY Anniversary Edition. 22,000 km $14,500 613-8567

2002 BMW 1150 RT motorcycle, excellent cond. $5500. (250)5643152 (250)640-8267

RVs/Campers/Trailers

2017 WolfCreek 8’ camper, new never used. lots of extras (250)552-8657

2007 Okanagan Camper - 9’6”, custom steps, dually jacks, slide, TV, fantastic fan, solar panel. Excellent condition $18,000.00obo(250)441-3242 or (250)961-5073

Sports Utilities & 4X4s

2011 Ford Escape Limited Edition. Fully loaded, exc cond, comes w/ second set of tires & rims. V6: auto, leather interior. Very well maintained $6,000.00 obo (250) 963-8374

2012 RAM 1500 4X4 short box, loaded, maroon. Extended 7 yr 160k warranty. 21,000 kms, too much to list. Equity. $39,000 owing. Take over payments. 250301.0221, 250-967-4268

Trucks & Vans

2006 F450 XL Super Duty Flat Deck. Brand new heavy duty transmission and brand new motor. Call Mike 250-564-3734

2006 DODGE Cummins diesel, 4x4, 4 dr, Lb, auto, 2 owner, receipts since new, no accidents, 107K, $27,900 obo. 596-5434

1998 FORD F250 Diesel w/ plow. Exc. cond. $10,000. 250-3980720

1977 FORD 1 ton, renovated, $2500. 250-306-2292

Tires

4- 235x16” studded tires on 5 hole Jeep rims $400.00 (250) 564-6784 ask for George

Parts Trucks

Chrome tailgate, fits 3/4 ton GMC, cover top fits GMC 6 1/2

Adult Personal Messages

e-mail biffsbenson@yahoo.ca

/ Condos-For

CLASSIFIEDS

Pursuant to the Warehouse Lien Act in BCIntegrated Recovery Solutions Corp. Does here by give notice to the following that your vehicle will be sold for nonpayment plus fees, storage and costs accuring. Dubois, Terry for a 2011 Dodge Caliber 1B3CB4HA5BD156091 for the sum of $2888.67. Sale will take place 10/30/2020 or there after.

Please call IRSC at 604-595-7376 for information.

Forest Stewardship Plan Amendment

Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor), Mackenzie Fibre Management Corporation, Sasuchan Development Corporation, Conifex Mackenzie Forest Products Inc., Mackenzie Pulp Mill Corporation and Three Feathers Limited Partnership (TFLP), are preparing an Amendment Requiring Approval (ARA) to their joint Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) for operations in the Mackenzie Natural Resource District.

FSP 2 Amendment ARA-011 is required to add Non-Replaceable Forest License A18666 held by Three Feathers Limited Partnership into the Forest Stewardship Plan and this amendment will not result in any changes to the FDUs, strategies or results.

In accordance with the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation, Amendment ARA011 is available for public review and comment from October 16, 2020 to November 16, 2020 at the following location during regular office hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm). Due to Covid-19 safety considerations we request all interested parties arrange an appointment to view:

Canadian Forest Products Ltd., 5162 Northwood Pulpmill Road, P.O. Box 9000, Prince George BC V2L 4W2; Phone: (250) 962-3343. Email: Shannon.Burbee@canfor.com, or jlang@parallel55.com.

If an interested party is unable to view Amendment ARA-011 during regular business hours, please contact us by phone, or in writing (Attention Shannon Burbee) to arrange a suitable time.

Arrangements for an appointment to view at our office can be made by contacting the phone number listed above. Representatives will be available at the above office location or by phone to both discuss the proposed amendment and to receive comment(s).

Teresa Saunders

Dr.Devan Reddy

Richardand WendyGirard

Douglas Walder

Brian Pearson

DorothyReimer

David Flegel

Ronand AnnetteParnell

Dave Read

Jan Rose

Dave King

DorothyFriesen

Gordon Bliss

BarbaraHampe

Chris H.

Linda Wijcik

SusanMcCook

Jackie Clements

Roland Green

Sharon &Wayne Armistead

TheGreat Trim Debate! part2

Just recently,I was asked how to determine whatfinish, tone, and/or colour to be used for wall trim, chair rails or crown moulding. Here’safoolproof, can’t-go-wrong formula: Flatoreggshell finish for walls and semigloss for baseboards, window and door casings, doors and moulding. Flatpaint doesn’t reflect light and is best for hiding bumps and crackson the wall, while semi-gloss paint stands up to traffic, is easy to clean and gives millwork dimension and sheen.

Having said that, some older homes have uased an older fancier and possibly asolid wood moulding whose millwork certainly deserves to be recognized. Yes, thereare still some beautifully crafted wood mouldings and trims. It is wonderful to see this craftstill alive and well.

Regarding tones and colours, Itook apage from houzz.com,and Isuggest going with the following guidelines;

Choose wood if:

It’s already there. Most trim is MDF or the like, so celebraterealwood if you have it!

Youwant to add an elementofwarm wood but don’t want wood ﬂoors

Your space needs alittle extratexture

Youlove arustic lookorneed amasculine counterpointtofeminine details

Choose black if:

Youwant adramatic look that’sclassic and sophisticated

Youwant to contrast wood ﬂoors or cabinets

Your neutral scheme needs some edge to bring it to life

Your beautiful views demand to be framed likeportraits

for afree, no hassle quote.

Mary-Jean (MJ) Jacobson loves to talk real estate! She is passionate about helping clients increase the value of the assets. She is aProfessional Property Manager,StrataManager,RealEstate Sales Agent and Licensed Managing Broker.She writes aseries of

Donna

Spruce up your décor and optimize your storage with belly baskets

Combining style and function, belly baskets are among this year’s interior design musthaves. Whether you place them in the entrance, kitchen, office, bathroom or bedroom, these stylish foldable baskets will make an attractive and practical addition to your interior.

Hand-woven from natural materials such as seagrass, belly baskets complement most popular design styles, from Scandinavian-inspired to boho-chic. While often left au naturel, these eco-friendly storage units are also available in different colours and can be embellished with pompoms, embroidery and more.

In a nutshell, belly baskets are an ideal storage solution, with endless ways to use them around the home. In addition to storing blankets, toys and towels, these functional baskets can also serve as trendy potholders for your favourite houseplants!

INTERIOR DESIGN

The beauty of unfinished walls

The particular charm of bare, unfinished walls is increasingly winning over interior design enthusiasts. Of course, whether made from concrete or brick, a wall that clearly shows signs of aging (rings, irregularities, visible joints, etc.) may at first seem a little disconcerting.

However, an unfinished wall doesn’t necessarily equal a neglected décor! On the contrary, the rough aspect of the wall’s surface serves as the perfect backdrop for a space worthy of trendy loft apartments or prestigious ancestral homes.

MarcotteLaw Corporation has been ensuring smooth real estate transac tions forovertwo decades.When youare buying or selling,we’re heretohelp save youtime, risk, and money.

Today, bare walls are an “it” factor in homes with cutting edge design.

Modular kitchen design: a practical solution!

Do you dream of a beautiful new kitchen but don’t have the time or means to have cabinets and counters custom-made for your space? If you have a standard kitchen — i.e. one that doesn’t comprise any irregular angles or curves — then rejoice, because modular kitchens were specifically designed for this type of layout.

Modular kitchen design involves arranging cabinets in a way that creates an attractive, practical and user-friendly space. Available on demand and easy to install, these sectional kitchens are without a doubt the preferred solution among homeowners who are fond of quick and efficient renos!

To find cabinets that will complement your existing décor

and suit your immediate and long-term needs — visit stores in your region that supply modular kitchen units. By searching through their showrooms, you can determine your preferred style (rustic, modern, industrial, etc.), select your preferred material (melamine, wood, thermoplastic, etc.), and choose your preferred colour and finish. Psst! Don’t forget to bring your exact measurements — down to the millimetre! — with you to the store.

If you’re interested in installing modular units in your kitchen but aren’t very handy, don’t fret! Several businesses offer professional installation services for your convenience. Why not take advantage?

The butcher’s block

A butcher’s block is a thick slab of solid wood (cherry, maple or walnut wood, for example) that’s usually installed on a kitchen counter or island. Elegant, robust and durable, this versatile work surface can serve as both a cutting board and a serving platter. Contrary to what its name may suggest, a butcher’s block isn’t just for preparing cuts of meat!

A layer of finishing oil with antibacterial and stain-proofing properties is the key to maintaining a lustrous wooden butcher’s block. Carefully wash this handy piece of kitchen equipment after each use, and regularly apply a protective cream or oil according to the manufacturer’s recommended frequency.

A quality butcher’s block is a valuable tool to have in any home kitchen. Visit a local business that either sells kitchenware or manufactures high-end wooden furniture to find the perfect butcher’s block for your culinary needs!

Modular

This charming townhome is aplace you will love to call home! It has the perfect, end unit location with views out to Westgate Park; double garage plus aseparate RV parking spot; &alight &bright open floorplan. Features: huge kitchen with ample cupboards & greenhouse window; eating area; SGDtothe deck:

Noise reduction options for the home

Experiencing unwanted noise in your home at all hours of the day and night can prevent you from concentrating on important tasks and getting adequate sleep. Thankfully, a variety of superior materials are available to help improve the quality of life of homeowners dealing with excess noise. If you wish to turn down the volume in your bedroom, basement or office, you need to invest in the right materials — and have them properly installed!

PANELS AND WOOL

To soundproof floors or walls, you essentially need two materials: acoustic panels and insulation (mineral) wool. Both of these prevent the transfer of noise and are generally made from rock, glass or wood fibres. Compressed in factories for increased density, the fibres are sometimes covered in a protective layer of polymer and are usually non-combustible, waterproof, moisture-resistant, eco-friendly and malleable.

Are you all about green living?

Prioritize supplies made from recycled materials or those that can at least be reconditioned.

OTHER NECESSARY MATERIALS

Of course, you need to procure various other supplies to successfully soundproof your home. Make sure to have on hand:

• Glue

• Acoustic membrane

• Nails

• Durable metal bars

• Screws

• Sealant

Be aware that soundproofing a room is no easy feat! Even if you’ve invested in the best materials available and are generally good with manual labour, a simple assembly error can devalue your efforts since unwanted noise will continue to filter in even after the work is complete. For optimal results, hire a professional contractor in your area and enjoy peace of mind!

Three benefits of handle-free kitchen cabinets

Consumers are increasingly leaning towards kitchen cabinets with invisible handles, so to speak. Various manufacturers offer models with different types of discreet knobs and grips such as:

• Thin horizontal or vertical aluminum bars

• Grooves and indentations concealed in the edge of the door

• Pressure catches

• Electrically powered automatic devices

When you opt for handle-free cabinets and cupboards, you’re guaranteed the following three advantages:

1. A clean look that complements several design styles currently in vogue contemporary, modern, industrial, etc)

2. Reduced maintenance needs no more endless scrubbing to get handles looking clean!

3. Less risk of injury say goodbye to forehead collisions!

Swing by a kitchen cabinet manufacturer in your area to admire and test some of the most eye-catching handle-free models available.

How to add a touch of steampunk to your home

Steampunk refers first and foremost to a genre of literary fiction. In these stories, plots are usually set in an alternate, post-apocalyptic 19th century — an era marked by the Industrial Revolution and the invention of steam-powered machinery. Today, the steampunk aesthetic has made its way into the realms of cinema, fashion, video games and, of course, interior design.

Would you like to add a retro touch to your living space? Visit your local antique shops and interior decoration stores to track down some unique items reminiscent of the neo-Victorian style known as steampunk. Keep your eyes peeled for:

• Clocks with exposed gears

• Furniture padded with velvet or dark brown leather

• Paintings displaying 19th-century-inspired designs (portraits, blimps, locomotives, etc.)

• Antique globes and maps

• Old-fashioned hats and accessories (top hats, aviators, etc.)

• Navigational tools and astronomical instruments (telescopes, astrolabes, compasses, etc.)

• Old books and encyclopedias

• Animal bones and taxidermy (real or faux!)

Want to know more about this intriguing trend? The web is chock-full of inspiring ideas for creating a retro-futuristic home worthy of the extraordinary tales of Jules Verne or H. G. Wells!

Relieve daily tensions with your own massage chair

Are your days physically demanding? Do they leave you with achy muscles and sore joints? Do you often feel tense or anxious? Well, it sounds like you could really use some downtime! If you love rubdowns but don’t have the time or means to make regular visits to your local massage therapist, buying a massage chair can seriously change your life.

ADVANTAGES

A robotic massage chair allows you to benefit from the soothing effects of a real massage in the comfort of your very own home — and without having to undress! To relieve your tired muscles and stimulate blood flow, all you need to do is sit back in your user-friendly chair and push a few buttons to receive a tailored massage. Furthermore, you can use your massage chair while reading, talking on the phone or watching television — all of which would be impossible at a spa or massage clinic!

OPTIONS

Massage chairs allow you to select different features in order to receive a personalized massage that suits your exact needs. For example, they:

• Allow you to target specific body parts (neck, back, thighs, arms, calves, etc.)

• Provide different movements (rolling, drumming, kneading, etc.)

• Have varying intensity levels (soft, medium, vigorous, etc.)

• Offer different massage techniques (Swedish, Hawaiian, etc.)

PURCHASE

Are you interested in buying your very own massage chair?

SMART CHAIRS

The most sophisticated massage chairs available on the market are able to accurately scan your body to target problematic areas and adapt the massage technique accordingly. Long live technology!

Consider the following points as you shop around:

• Your budget (prices vary between $4,000 and $10,000)

• Your available space (certain models are quite bulky!)

• The style of your interior décor (choose a style and colour that complements your furniture and accessories)

• The level of noise emitted

• Optional features (heated seating, a music player, a remote control, storage pockets, etc.

• Maintenance requirements

What’s the most important step in the buying process? Testing the chairs, of course! To choose the right massage chair that will meet your needs, try several models for at least five minutes at a time. On that note, sit back and relax!

Hello again, terracotta!

In Italian, the word terracotta means “earthenware.” This natural material is used to make all kinds of timeless and elegant pieces, often by hand. In 2017, terracotta-tiled floors and walls are making a major comeback, as are terracotta pots, plates, sculptures, cups and frames, among other home accessories.

To conclude, did you know that terracotta isn’t always reddish brown? In fact, depending on the type of clay used, terracotta can be beige, white or even grey!

JohN hart peace riVer

How

to

choose the ideal coffee maker

Is coffee an integral part of your morning routine? Then it’s in your best interest to invest in a quality coffee maker! Here are six things to keep in mind when it comes to finding the best model for your needs:

1. Budget. Determine the amount of money that you’re willing to spend on your new appliance. Consider energy consumption, the price of the machine, extra costs (e.g. coffee filters)

and, of course, the coffee itself. To help guide your decision, base your budget on the price of a single cup of joe. Ideally, a coffee brewed at home should cost less than a cup of the same quality brew from a coffee shop.

2. Brand. Invest in a reputable brand of coffee maker, and purchase it from a well-established appliance store. In the event of a problem, the repair, reim-

bursement or exchange process will be a lot simpler and quicker!

3. Needs. Do you want a coffee maker designed to brew one or several cups of coffee at a time? Would you like a machine that you can program with your smartphone to have a steaming cup ready when you wake up? What about being able to adjust the brewing strength according to your preference? And will you need to keep the same pot of coffee hot for extended lengths of time? Think about it!

4. Maintenance. Replacing water filters and cleaning the different parts of your machine (compartments, reservoirs, etc.) can be tedious and time consuming. Certain models are very easy to maintain, whereas others require a little more effort — like coffee makers with a glossy finish that makes fingerprints and smudges stand out. Do your research before settling on a model.

5. Space. To avoid having to return a coffee maker that was too big for your kitchen, take note of the exact measurements of the space where you intend to keep it before you head to the store.

6. Style. Coffee makers — especially high-end models — are available in different designs and finishes to suit every homeowner’s needs and style preferences. Large or compact, shiny or matte, bright red or classic black, modern or retro — make your choice according to your kitchen’s existing décor for best results.

Have you heard of

string art?

Not sure what string art is, exactly? This increasingly popular art form consists of intricate designs made from interwoven strings held down with nails or pins. Requiring a great deal of patience and care, this technique is much adored by DIY enthusiasts who love to create their own quirky, poetic, abstract, typographic or geometric designs.

Look up “string art” in any image search engine (or head over to Pinterest) to discover a dizzying array of inspiring project ideas! Feel like giving string art a shot? You can find everything you need to create your masterpiece at your local craft shop or hardware store.

Why hire a kitchen designer?

Whether you’d like to create a functional and elegant kitchen from the ground up or renovate your existing one so that it better meets your current needs, enlist the help of a kitchen designer. This renovation expert has more than one trick up his or her sleeve!

Kitchen designers are creative and detail-oriented professionals with extensive

knowledge of various industries and trades, including architecture, woodworking, plumbing, carpentry, electricity, masonry and, of course, interior design.

Thanks to the expertise of these talented individuals, you’re guaranteed a beautiful and functional kitchen tailored to your specific needs and style preferences. Why not take advantage?

1. Eliminate coffee, red wine, beets, strawberries, curry and anything else that tends to stain from your diet.

2. Lay down several thick waterproof tablecloths before each meal.

3. Prohibit your guests from using forks and knives (only bare hands and spoons are tolerated).

4. Protect the table’s surface with an elegant, custom-made sheet of tempered glass, and enjoy life to the fullest!

All jokes aside, the fourth option is ob-

Protect your furniture with tempered glass

Does the idea of your beautiful wood dining table getting scratched or stained give you nightmares? Not to worry! Here are a few ways to keep your precious piece of furniture in pristine condition:

viously the most efficient way to protect the surface of your furniture (tables, desks, dressers, etc.) from scratches, dents, stains and streaks.

A TRANSPARENT SHIELD

Tempered glass is manufactured in a way that makes it nearly impossible to chip, crack or shatter. Therefore, carefully polished made-to-measure tempered glass panels add a sophisticated and modern touch to furniture while protecting it from harm.

Visit a glass shop in your area for solutions to help protect and enhance the beauty of your precious furniture.