SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH
Saturday Evening Bingo at 6pm
ON THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF THE LHEIDLI T’ENNEH
THURSDAY, December 29, 2022
City sues architect of new pool
The City of Prince George has filed a lawsuit against the architectural firm hired to design the Canfor Leisure Pool, saying it was responsible for a three-week delay that added $1.3 million to the project’s cost by shipping faulty steel beams to the site.
In a notice of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, the city alleges HDR Architecture Associates Inc relied on an out-of-date Master Painter Institute manual when painting and priming of the beams
As a result, only a single coat of primer was applied whereas the current online copy of the manual called for two coats
The city also claims an acrylic primer was used rather than a longer-lasting and more durable epoxy primer “especially in the context of a pool setting” and “with only a marginal up front cost savings ”
And the city alleges HDR cut corners on the curing process in order to meet the Dec 14, 2020 deadline for delivering the beams to the site. It says the primer had a 30-day curing period and is dependent on weather conditions but were delivered from Calgary and Edmonton less than a week after having been primed during wet winter conditions.
Arrival of the components began two days after the deadline and much of the material began to show signs of rusting
See POOL WAS
Fundraiser to help victim of hit-and-run
Citizen staff
There is an online fundraising effort for the hit and run victim who lost her unborn child after she was struck and left lying on Highway 97 at Noranda Road on Friday, Dec. 16 at about 7 p.m.
The gofundme page was created by a friend of the family, Joe Matthews, who said in his post that Brenda Palmieri, 37, has been sent to Vancouver for further treatment after being stabilized at the hospital in Prince George
Her parents have rushed to her side.
Palmieri’s recovery, unfortunately, will be a long one with many surgeries in her future to fix what’s broken.
The Good Samaritans that came upon Palmieri lying on the highway last Friday night reported that her leg was badly damaged and a lifeguard who was on the scene tried to help her by wrapping one Good Samaritan’s scarf around her leg to stem the bleeding and stabilize it
Matthews posted on the page that this fundraiser is for support and any medical costs incurred
Prince George RCMP have located the suspect driver and the vehicle involved in the incident, said Cpl Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP
“We are appreciative of all the information and h i d d i h rse of this
Steel beams going up during construction of the Canfor Leisure Pool.
MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff
Crime keeps workers, residents on high alert
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Joe Johnston wishes he had a dollar for every time someone has tried to break in or steal something from his store.
He’s the assistant manager of the Prince George Andre’s Electronic Experts on Vance Road and as a retailer of TVs, home audio, cell phones and appliances, those big-ticket items are coveted by thieves.
Johnston has been doing business in Prince George long enough to notice the theft problem has grown exponentially worse in the city and he says the anger of residents and business owners being victimized is reaching a boiling point.
“Security is a big thing, especially in Prince George, it’s gotten really bad, especially in the last two years,” said Johnston “The cops do the best they can to arrest them but they get released all the time and they’re back out doing it again
“COVID made it easier to hide their identity with masks because before COVID, anybody who walked into a business with a mask on their face was under a lot of scrutiny. Now it’s kind of the normal thing ”
The Facebook site STOLEN Prince George has 16,000 members who post photos and videos of thieves caught in the act doing crimes in city neighbourhoods.
Some of them look right at security cameras and brazenly wave while they cart off their stolen merchandise
“It’s the same handful of people doing it, over and over again, and there’s no fear of repercussions,” said Johnston, who says the site helps him recognize habitual criminals who come into his store “It’s really bad in Prince George right now ”
The STOLEN Prince George site helps people recover stolen items found discarded in the neighbourhood
People can report suspicious activity and warn people to watch out for shady characters sneaking through yards or dragging carts along the street
job I see it They’re arresting people But they’re getting released and they don’t seem to care if they have 25 charges or 225 charges against them.”
Police have told Johnston the residential property crime rate went down in 2020 and 2021, when more people were staying home because of the pandemic, but there was a corresponding increase in commercial crime in those two years when more businesses were left unattended.
cops do the best they can to arrest them but they get released all the time and they’re back out doing it again.”
Several posts allude to the frustration people are feeling about the court system and its failure to put habitual thieves and shoplifters in jail Some victims, in their posts, suggest vigilantism as a solution to stop crime and punish the culprits and Johnston says that could lead to tragic unintended consequences
“I can tell already that people are taking things into their own hands because some of these guys that are still on the street, you can tell, they’ve been beaten up,” Johnston said “I’m worried some people will take things to another level.
“It’s the courts I have no problem with law enforcement, the RCMP, doing their
He said the closure of the two 7-Eleven convenience stores in the city centre over the past six months is a symptom the problems associated with vagrancy, panhandlers, shoplifting, threats of violence and open drug use are chasing businesses out of the downtown core.
“I’m a big guy and I’m not afraid of confrontation but I stopped frequenting there (at the 7-Elevens) because a lot of times they don’t accept ‘no’ as an answer,” said Johnston “Although I’m not worried about anything personally, my vehicle would get vandalized and I’d come back out to a slashed tire or a keyed vehicle if I continued into the store. That kind of stuff happens to all kinds of people ” Johnston has a high-definition dashcam in his car that’s activated by motion and he gave police the footage to identify three thieves ripping off vehicles in the parking area of his condominum complex His cellphone linked to a security monitoring system that delivers a push alert notification in case a door or window at
stuffing items into their coats or handbags
But the problem persists
Johnston looks to the front entrance of his store serves as a reminder of the time someone tried to pry the steel doors open to gain access, leaving a gap where the doors used to fit tightly together
The store has posts cemented into the sidewalk around the doors to prevent drive-through attacks. He said criminals are known to steal two trucks and have both with them on heist attempts, one to break through the building and the other to load the merchandise.
“What they don’t realize if I have a five-ton steel gate on the inside of our building with a locking armour door that goes down, so even if they try to smash through the building, that door will stop a five-ton truck,” Johnston said.
He says people come home and commonly leave the keys to their vehicles near front entrances with the door unlocked, and car thieves aren’t afraid to try to open that door to grab the keys before anyone notices
Doorbell cameras will help identify culprits, but for most thieves cameras are no deterrent.
his store is breached Cameras monitor the building constantly and he and his staff and customers have caught shoplifters red-handed,
The Christmas gift-giving season mean more packages are being dropped off on doorsteps and porch pirates are having a field day helping themselves.
CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO
Donna Laramee, the Telus manager at Andre’s Electronic Experts, shows a security camera on display in the Vance Road store
Pig rescue group shares heartwarming tales
CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen staff
Kerri Hegel of Prince George has rescued pigs from a drug house, one that got his head crushed in by another animal’s hooves, and those literally on the chopping block.
It all started when Kerri Hegel adopted her first pig in 2017. She had wanted a pot-bellied pig back in the 80s when they first became popular and decades later it all came together for her Hegel named her first pot-bellied pig Kohkos, the Cree word for pig
“Don’t believe it when someone tells you there’s such a thing as a tea cup pig – unless it’s supposed to fit in one of the tea cups at the ride at Disney – just don’t believe it,” Hegel laughed
“Mini pot belly pigs grow to between 200 and 300 pounds I believed Kohkos would stay small and she just went to the vet recently and I put her on the scale and she weighs 240 pounds,” Hegel laughed. Pigs grow for five years and since Kohkos is now five she’s full grown.
Kohkos got her friend Tater Tot next Hegel was looking for a companion for her ’mini’ black pig with one white hoof and she found a mini pig breeder about two hours away But the joy of finding another beloved pet quickly turned in to a rescue mission
The breeder was raising the pigs for food and two had died recently and the survivors didn’t look at all healthy She couldn’t save them all but she had enough cash to buy one and that’s how Tater Tot found a his new happy home.
And next came Bonk who is a Kunekune
(pronounced koonie koonie). When the family went to visit a farm, one of Hegel’s children picked up a little pig who seemed very docile Usually piglets are squealing, squirmy, shimmying masses of energy so Hegel knew something wasn’t right. Best guess was Bonk had been stepped on by another farm animal and had sustained enough damage to his poor little head that the owner said he would promptly be put down
But because of the big-hearted woman behind PG Tickled Pig Rescue, he was swiftly taken away and brought into a loving home where he was fed every two hours for months until he healed. There was some damage that couldn’t
be undone by love and it turns out little Bonk was blind and deaf.
The vet managed to put the protruding part of his eye back in, instead of removing the eye and the wee pig eventually grew.
“I do believe he can see shadows and light because if you stand between him and the sun he will come up to rub his snout on you right away to sniff ya’ and see who it is,” Hegel said “And he’s the one right now rootin’ around in the snow in the (-35) cold He just loves it and with all that hair he’s nice and warm ”
He’ll be two in May
And two years ago there was the drug house rescued pig Yes, you heard right When the social worker went into the house she rescued a little pig, took it to the Humane Society and Hegel was the one they called.
“He was found running around the drug house floor by all the used needles,” Hegel said “When we got him he was underfed and missing hair and they were looking for a pig-savvy home so he ended up coming to us.”
At that point she was ready to foster and rehome but Rupert had other plans.
“But I mean he just gelled with the other pigs so fast I couldn’t rehome him after that,” Hegel said “Pigs have a brain of a three-year-old child, they say,” Hegel explained “So they really understand a lot and they don’t like change It would be like putting your three-year-old child in with a new family – they don’t understand why. So once he had been accepted by the other pigs it was more important for me to keep him.”
Mogli is also a Kunekune and is the last
Continued from page 1
About a quarter of the beams were retained on the job site and “erected immediately” and the remaining components were transported to local fabricating shops to have the rust removed and to recoat them with an epoxy-based primer
An epoxy-based primer was also applied to the beams that had been erected at the site.
On or about Jan 14, 2021, an HDR representative admitted that the firm made a mistake by relying on outdated reference
addition to the five-piggie rescue farm
“He was at a breeder’s and there was a big litter and most people wanted the pigs for breeding but Mogli only had one testicle and nobody wanted him so he was left to the bitter end and she was selling him as food,” Hegel explained “So, yeah, we worked out a deal and now he gets to live out the rest of his life ”
There are two pigs more on the way to PG Tickled Pig Rescue in the new year
And as far as the care goes for all the piggies it always comes from love
“I mean you don’t have to walk your pigs but I do – most of them are leash trained – and I take them around the neighbourhood,” Hegel laughed “I just love them and I’m always happy to talk about my pigs!”
And of course, as Hegel opened her heart, other creatures found their way to her open home, so not only are pigs finding a safe haven, but so have three Guinea pigs, a hedgehog, and cats and dogs
Want to make sure all the piggies at the PG Tickled Pig Rescue have full bellies this holiday season? You can help by donating your food scraps – not pork, though! We don’t want to turn those sweet creatures into cannibals!
This animal rescue that started five years ago in Prince George is asking for all your leftovers and they’ll even do a COVID-friendly pick up from outside your front door Just leave the bag of food scraps outside, text 250-960-8048 with your address and they’ll pick up the reason it will be a happy holiday for Kohkos, Tater Tot, Bonk, Rupert and Mogli
For more information check out PG Tickled Pig Rescue Facebook page
materials, according to the city
The remediation of the failing components resulted in a three-week delay in the project, the city says in the claim
The pool opened in mid-November, a month later than expected, and at a cost of $39 1 million, about $2 9 million more than budgeted
The city is claiming breach of contract against HDR and is seeking general and special damages, costs and other relief as the court seems just HDR has not yet filed a response and the claims have not been tested in court
MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff
A judge dismissed four tickets Northern Health officials issued to a Prince George night club for allegedly violating pandemic-related health orders because the evidence presented failed to convince him beyond a reasonable doubt that infractions had been committed.
At times, Judicial Justice Brent Adair had sharp words for the Northern Health officials who appeared before him last month to make their case against Linda Allen, the owner of what was then known as Lambda Cabaret.
“There are so many holes in this case that it’s as if somebody shot it with a shotgun,” he said after dismissing one of the tickets during a hearing at the Prince
George courthouse on November 23
The Citizen obtained a recording of the proceeding through an application to B C Provincial Court after supporters of Allen said shortly after the outcome that eight tickets issued against her business, Learn to Earn Bartending and Consulting Ltd , had been “surrendered.”
Adair found Allen’s business not guilty of four counts alleged through the tickets. In turn, a Northern Health inspector who had been acting as a Crown prosecutor, stayed two more, all without Saron Gebresellassi, a lawyer who represented Allen, having to present a case in defence of her client. Two more tickets were dismissed for want of prosecution the next day after no one from Northern Health appeared before Adair
Through the tickets, Northern Health
variously alleged that Lambda had opened for business in violation of an order prohibiting liquor only establishments from doing so and, once that order was lifted, refusing to check patrons for proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and requiring them to wear masks when not consuming alcohol once inside.
The recording indicates that Adair took Northern Health to task for showing up at the hearing with just one witness, an environmental health officer, despite two RCMP officers and a Northern Health medical health officer also being variously involved in issuing the tickets and collecting video of people lined up outside the night club
He also had misgivings about the validity of postings on Facebook that allegedly showed patrons frequenting the night
club, now known as Club 1177
“I don’t have any assurance anywhere close to beyond a reasonable doubt that this website belongs to or is created by the defendant, that it was not hacked and so forth,” Adair said.
Adair also questioned whether video showing lineups outside the spot on Third Avenue downtown were enough to prove it was actually letting people in let alone checking for proof of vaccination Neither the Northern Health officials nor the RCMP officers entered the night club, he noted.
“Because there are a dozen or more people on the sidewalk outside the nightclub does not in any way come close to proof beyond reasonable doubt that the night club is open and operating,” Adair said.
Local cook featured on Netflix show
HANNA PETERSEN Citizen staff
With over 100 thousand followers on Instagram, it’s been a whirlwind of a journey since Katie Stymiest started her baking business Caked by Katie, and her latest exploit is appearing as a contested on the brand-new Netflix show Cook At All Costs.
Stymiest is no stranger to television appearances either, as she was one of three Prince George based- bakers who appeared on the Food Network’s Big Holiday Bake in Nov 2021 as part of the Reindeer Games Challenge
But now she’s stepping out of her comfort zone with a new challenge as a home cook competing against three other cooks in the competition cooking show hosted by chef and restauranteur Jordan Andino
“I randomly got an email one day, and I thought it was like a scam and deleted it but it was a producer from the show, and they asked if I would be interested in competing on a cooking show,” said Stymiest about how this opportunity came to be.
She eventually thought to see if it was real and replied to the email having researched the production company online
“I was like, oh, this is actually real Then it was really exciting and kind of nerve wracking and I thought let’s check it out ”
Stymiest said she is more confident in her baking skills but was also really excited because it would be a good opportunity to show that she can cook and does enjoy cooking.
“I have no training or experience in a professional setting whatsoever with cooking It is just me in the kitchen with my family.”
The premise of the show is to find out if a home cook can make an amazing meal regardless of the ingredients, whether or not those ingredients are really cheap or super expensive
Three contestants all compete under pressure to cook the best meal after bidding on one of three boxes
“There was a save box, there was a spend box, and then there was a surprise box. And so, we bid on these boxes, and we had no idea what was inside,” explained Stymiest.
“Then we got our box, and it was like you know the big unveil. We opened up our boxes and then we were given a timeframe to make a meal out of those ingredients ”
I have no training or experience in a professional setting whatsoever with cooking. It is just me in the kitchen with my family.”
Stymiest said describing cooking under pressure on the show as stressful was an understatement
“You have this huge clock, and it’s counting down and the host is doing the countdown too and it is incredibly stressful and like high pressure intense But at the same time, because it’s so high stress and intense it’s really exciting!”
Before the show was announced, Stymiest was also under contract so she couldn’t tell anyone about her experience filming the show in Toronto
“I couldn’t tell anybody, obviously, like my spouse knew and then my dad knew as well because
he had to help with childcare when I was gone. But that was it,” she added. “It’s been driving me crazy not being able to tell anybody and share the exciting news and it feels so good to finally let it out of the bag.”
In order to prepare for the challenge, Stymiest said she practiced during her Sunday family dinners by experimenting with new recipes.
“I really used those few Sundays as like a test run almost, I would pick a style or a recipe and I would try something new and challenge myself and cook up a big feast for us ”
She first started her baking journey back when she lived in Fort St John shortly after her first daughter was born.
“I really struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety and both as a way to stay sane and warm, I was just in the kitchen to keep busy. I randomly just decided to start baking as a thing to do to pass the time,” said Stymiest. “I put my daughter up in her little baby seat on the counter and we would literally bake all day long and I fell in love with it ”
She then launched her business Caked by Katie in 2016 taking orders online and baking at home all the while documenting her efforts on her Instagram account @cakedbykatie where she now has more than 100,000 followers
Stymiest said she never imagined she would have all of these incredible experiences because of her love of baking
“I mean, you could have asked me back then, like, what’s your wildest dream for baking? And I would have never, ever have guessed ”
She said the experience of being on Cook At All Costs was a wild amazing adventure.
“It is something that I don’t think you could ever duplicate. It was a once-ina-lifetime opportunity and I am just so glad that I jumped on it,” said Stymiest, adding, “It’s cool that I got to represent Prince George on like a North American TV show ”
All of the episodes of Cook At All Costs are available now and streaming on Netflix
Polar Bear Dip Sunday
The 22nd annual Polar Bear Dip is taking place at Ness Lake Bible Camp on Jan. 1, 2023.
More than $130,000 has been raised throughout the Polar Bear Dip’s 21-year history. The formal ceremony will start at 1:30 p m where prizes for most money raised through pledges and for best costumes will be presented
“So much of the event in years past has been about having big crowds and this year we are so excited to be able to do that again,” J D Desbiens, the new operations director said Every child deserves to go to camp and
Ness Lake Bible Camp has always tried to make camp more accessible for all. One way to do that is by fundraising in order to pay part of the fee for families that are not financially in a place to afford camp for their children. All funds raised at this event go directly to the Camper Sponsorship Fund.
Entry fee is $25 but if anyone raises more than that the fee is waived The first 75 Polar Bear Dippers to register get a free Polar Bear Dip T-shirt to commemorate their participation in the event
To register for the event or to donate visit www nesslakebiblecamp com.
CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO
Katie Stymiest on the show Cook at All Costs, now streaming on Netflix.
New warehouse under construction in BCR
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
What was a big pile of steel laying on the ground at a building site in the BCR Industrial Park in Prince George last month has now been welded and bolted together to create the iron structure to support a 66,000 square-foot warehouse being built on speculation.
By sometime next spring, tenants will be moving into the building at 8875 Willow Cale Rd , the latest project in an ambitious plan by John Brink’s Interior Warehousing division to expand the city’s storage space capacity.
The building material supplier, Colony of Vancouver, utilized pre-engineered steel for the beams and girders that are made in the United States using recycled
metal from scrapped vehicles
Like building a toy Meccano set, construction crews from Sapphire Steel of Edmonton quickly began assembling the pieces Nov 10 and already the building’s skeleton is now in place.
“In just over three weeks, considering the crews are from out of town and the cold weather we’ve been having, it’s amazing what they’ve done,” said Interior Warehousing project manager Dave McWalter.
The building will serve as general storage for one or more tenants.
“There’s no specific tenant that we’re aware of, but it’s a big building, a big open space,” said McWalter
Foundation construction started in May and the concrete walls that support the steel structure are sunk 10 feet into the
ground The site preparation was done by K2 Contracting of Prince George The south end of the lot is crossed by a BC Hydro transmission line and rezoning was required to allow the building footprint to come closer to that line.
The building is about two-thirds the size of the 100,000 square-foot Costco building on Range Road The new warehouse is about 400 feet long and 180 feet wide, until it narrows The triangular-shaped lot required a reduced width at the north end of the building
The rest of the steelwork and roof is scheduled to be completed by the end of January and it will be ready for occupancy by April or May
Interior also plans to develop an adjacent piece of property east of the current construction site at 1077 Boundary Rd.,
to build a 244,000 square-foot warehouse
That project won’t likely get started until well into 2023
“This is the first one that’s going up, and it’s all local people who have designed it,” said McWalter.
One of the designers is Prince George mayor Simon Yu, whose company, Simon and Co Structural Engineers, was involved in the design stage before he was elected mayor in October
The Brink Group of Companies intends to build one million square feet of new warehouse space in Prince George over the next five years
McWalter said there is a need for more warehouse space as the local economy diversifies to better serve the city in its position as the service and distribution hub of northern B.C.
SUPER BINGO
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH
Get the flu vaccine to help protect local children
Influenza has hit communities in northern BC hard.
As a pediatrician at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George, I have seen the profound impact of influenza on children this season
Typically respiratory viruses hit northern B.C. at least one month after the rest of B C , and this has been the case for this year’s flu season.
Northern B C is truly in the thick of it now.
As of December 21, 2022, the Northern Health (NH) region had the highest ‘positivity rate’ for nasal swabs for Influenza A (40 per cent of all NH swabs were positive for Influenza A)
NH has also been experiencing the highest rate of pediatric presentations to emergency rooms (ERs) for “influenza-like illness ”
Almost 50 per cent of all ER assessments of children have been for this reason in recent weeks
Physician colleagues who work in ER and family medicine tell me that for every child sick with the flu who is urgently referred to see a pediatrician, they have seen 30-40 other children with the same symptoms, although less severe
The volume of children sick with the flu this year has been staggering
UHNBC in Prince George is the only NH hospital with designated inpatient beds for infants and children.
This means that the children admitted to our pediatric ward come from all over the north
Some have received care in small, rural hospitals or remote medical clinics for hours or even days before transport to
Prince George could occur.
The rural clinicians provide excellent care, but are pushed well outside their comfort zone
In Northern B C , sick children depend on an overloaded pediatric patient transport system which is challenged by winter weather. Allow me to paint a picture of what we are seeing on the pediatric ward at UHNBC
We have cared for infants and toddlers with such significant breathing difficulty that their whole body moves with every breath, their eyes are wide and staring and they cannot speak because they are so short of breath
We have admitted pre-school and early school-aged children who have had eight, nine or ten days of very high fever, have refused to eat solid food for days and have only managed to drink small amounts of fluids.
They are dehydrated, listless and look very unwell.
We have seen older children and teens with influenza and serious bacterial infections such as pneumonia or bloodstream infections; they need admission for IV antibiotics and fluids
Some children have been so sick that transport to B C Children’s Hospital is needed.
These children and their families have spent the early part of their winter holidays in hospital
The stress and worry experienced by the caregivers of these children cannot be overstated
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WINTER
I know many people are going to jump on the climate change band wagon about the weather in B C and Canada this last week or so.
But this was not climate change
We acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada.
Nous reconnaissons l’appli financier du gouvernement du Canada.
I know that Citizen readers are aware of the provincial campaign to encourage British Columbians to get their annual influenza vaccine.
What you may not realize is that the reason the flu vaccine is important this year is not simply to avoid the need for a couple of ‘sick days’ off work or from just feeling run down due to the flu.
Rather, it is my opinion as a pediatrician that getting as many northern B.C. residents vaccinated against influenza is essential in order to prevent serious cases of influenza in our region’s children
These serious illness are preventable!
The fact that there have been several deaths of children in B C related to influenza (more than in any other year in recent history, and more than in any other province this season), should be reason enough for everyone eligible for the influenza vaccine to go out and get vaccinated.
already had influenza (confirmed on a nasal swab) to get vaccinated.
All influenza cases in northern B C so far this season were Influenza A but we know Influenza B is coming to the north
The first few pediatric cases of influenza B have just been detected in the Lower Mainland
The good news is that the influenza vaccine protects against both Influenza A and B.
The B C Centre for Disease Control just announced that immunity provided by this year’s vaccine against the circulating variants is excellent. Their preliminary findings report that the flu vaccine this year cut the risk of influenza illness by about half
Their whole body moves with every breath, their eyes are wide and staring and they cannot speak because they are so short of breath.”
And for those who worry that it may be too late to bother with the influenza vaccine, please believe me when I say that it is not
Some readers may feel that they do not ‘need’ the vaccine because they have already had the flu
It is important to keep in mind that there are viruses other than influenza circulating right now which can also cause “influenza-like illnesses”
Perhaps a different virus was the cause of the illness that has resolved so it is still important to get the influenza vaccine in this case
It is even important for those who
It was or is a typical winter weather for Canada and the problem is we have not had the really cold weather in Prince George like we use to get every November, December and January.
Vancouver always gets some snow in winter and now
MAILING ADDRESS
505 Fourth Ave. Prince George, B.C. V2L 3H2
OFFICE HOURS
We still have time to reduce the risk to the children of our community by encouraging friends, family members and colleagues to get their flu vaccines! If you have been ambivalent about getting the influenza vaccine in the past, this is the year to do it and now is the time
That will be the best gift you can give your community this holiday season Dr Kirsten Miller is a pediatrician in Prince George and the Medical Lead for Northern Health pediatrics
the rains will follow
E-mail: letters@pgcitizen.ca
The real problem is people not being ready or equipped for it
Roland Hill
Prince George
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DR. KIRSTEN MILLER
Why did we build a pool with New Zealand pine?
If there’s one thing I want for Christmas, it’s a healthy, thriving Northern B C economy owned by northerners
In the late 70s and early 80s, Prince George had the distinction of having the highest income and the most millionaires per capita in Canada.
The reason we had that was pretty simple: we had dozens of sawmills and supporting industries and most of them were locally owned.
That’s mostly long gone
But how do we get local enterprise happening again?
Well, our government can give more opportunities to locals, for starters
One of the odd things I noticed about our new $40 million swimming pool is that it was designed by HDR Inc, a design firm with 11,000 employees headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
We have a college and a university in
HE BACK TORY MES STEIDLE
this town We have lots of smart people and world class designers.
We could have designed a pool
And that pool could have used more local products
You may not believe this, but that’s radiata pine on the pool’s exterior siding, from New Zealand and Chile.
They claim it performs better than our local cedar, but I doubt it makes longterm economic sense
We burn enough cedar as waste in a single inland rainforest clearcut to supply the pool with hundreds of years’ worth of siding
New Year’s the
For many of us, New Year’s Day is a good time to reassess our progress in life and set goals for the year ahead.
Looking back, we see that some things have gone very well while other things have not Challenges are inevitable but learning to respond effectively to those challenges is the key to a happy and successful life.
Our ability to respond effectively has a great deal to do with what we believe. Our beliefs colour the way we look at the world and often become self-fulfilling prophecies
If we believe that our boss is out to get us, we assess events in our workplace with that lens and gather evidence to “prove” that we are right Our employer may or may not be out to get us, but our preconceived notion makes it difficult to fully understand the situation and therefore difficult to respond effectively
The challenge then is to learn to become mindful of our beliefs and thus be able to distinguish whether they are helping us get where we want to in life or if they are holding us back from achieving our potential. There are many mindfulness practices we can learn to use to
ARTS CENTRE NEEDED
If we weren’t so obsessed with shiny, branded products (the siding is called ‘Accoya’), and were it legal to salvage slash piles, this could have happened
Regardless, there is no reason to hire an American firm to spec out wood products from another hemisphere for a public project in a lumber town And what’s the point of having built a “Wood Innovation Centre” if we are buying offshore pine for our “Canfor” pool?
Prince George should be firm on a shop local policy, especially lumber products.
Another example is the B C Government hiring CBRE to manage upkeep of B C government properties for $190 million per year.
This company, with 105,000 employees, is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, replaced the Ontario-based BGIS, another large property management firm, back in 2020
I briefly worked for BGIS to wrap up some projects prior to the transfer, and the magic is not in Dallas or Ontario It’s the local B C Government Employees Union members and resident facility managers who do the actual project management.
Up until 2004 we did this through a crown corporation, the B.C. Building Corporation, or BCBC It wasn’t perfect, but the project management fees off the top, which currently go to Dallas, stayed in B.C.
We have opportunities to resurrect our local economic sovereignty, to create a community of ownership, to support our local contractors and suppliers.
We just need our government to stop playing the Scrooge with the local population and start giving us the gift of opportunity.
James Steidle is a Prince George writer
time to challenge personal beliefs
LESSONS IN LEARNING
GERRY CHIDIAC
assist in our personal development. What if we took this sort of mindful approach to the way our world is governed?
Do the beliefs we hold promote our well-being or are they leading to our demise?
Most Canadians, for example, believe that publicly funded healthcare is a good thing
Since it came into practice 60 years ago, we have seen life expectancies increase and infant mortality decline The system has its flaws, but Canadians seem determined to make sure that it continues to improve
Other beliefs don’t seem to be serving us so well
In the early 1980s, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher told us we needed less government regulation and more unrestricted free enterprise.
In other words, we needed to embrace
Those lucky enough to obtain a ticket for the Prince George Symphony’s December 19th sold-out Christmas concert would understand that Prince George needs a Performing Arts Centre
The theatre at PGSS was designed for high school drama and music productions; it is not adequate for events such as the recent concert by the PGSO
The audience was crowded into the PGSS foyer, enduring 30 minute lineups in the biting cold, due to the good fortune of a sold-out concert
neoliberalism Countries all around the world, including Canada, adopted this system of belief
Looking back over the last 40 years, we see the result
Big business has not saved us. On the contrary, our governments have bailed out and subsidized large corporations, putting tremendous strain on normal taxpayers.
The rich, who proportionately pay very little tax, have become much richer, while our schools, hospitals, and other infrastructures are underfunded.
Over the last year, neoliberalism has made life even more difficult for ordinary citizens
Many believe that other economic theories will be more effective than neoliberalism Fortunately, we can see from history the theories that serve us and those that do not
The period following the Second World War saw very effective use of government spending, resulting in tremendous increases in the standard of living throughout western Europe and North America These are the ideas that can be perfected and expanded globally.
Other common beliefs are simply
As a former choir member, I can attest to the poor acoustics afforded to singers, due to the sheer lack of space for a production that includes choir and orchestra, never mind a production of the very popular Nutcracker
The PGSO is a wonderful, dynamic institution that would benefit greatly from a properly designed facility Such a facility would also allow us to see visiting artists who are not able to perform in a venue such as the CN Centre
A Performing Arts Centre is on the Christmas wish List of every music lover in Prince George Anne Allgaier, Prince George
wishful thinking
Many Canadians assume that we are highly esteemed internationally
In much of the global south, however, we are viewed as the lackey of the imperialistic United States. This has not always been the case, however
When Joe Clark was foreign affairs minister under Brian Mulroney, Canada was a respected world leader in human rights. In truth, it is difficult to come up with an example of a Canadian Prime Minister displaying higher ideals on the international scene since Jean Chretien refused to join the disastrous American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In essence, the beliefs that serve us best as a country are the same as those that serve us best as individuals If we display integrity and care for our neighbour, if we put away our selfish interests and sincerely try to create win-win scenarios, we will be successful
Of course, all of this requires hard work, courage, and the humility to correct our mistakes
May 2023 be a successful year for Canada and for all Canadians
Gerry Chidiac is a
LETTERS WELCOME: The Prince George Citizen welcomes letters to the editor from our readers. Submission should be sent by e-mail to: letters@pgcitizen ca No attachments, please. Maximum length is 400 words and writers are limited to one submission every three weeks. We will edit letters only to ensure clarity, good taste, for legal reasons, and occasionally for length. Although we will not include your address and telephone number in the paper, we need both for verification purposes. Unsigned letters will not be published.
Prince George writer
Here’s what brought local residents joy in 2022
With 2022 almost over and 2023 upon us, we asked some local residents to share their bliss list of what made them happy and helped maintain postive mental health during the past year. We hope they give you some joy and inspiration heading into the new year.
ASHLEY B
Books – Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew, Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Self-sufficient knowledge is a wonderful tool!
Food – Hello Fresh/Chef’s Plate. Takes the guessing and prep work out of dinner Has helped a lot during my recovery from surgery
Movies – The Lost City is a light hearted funny show with some action
Music – Country has stolen my heart in the past year Bailey Zimmerman, Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers are all wonderful artists
People – Everyone deserves love and kindness as you never know what battle someone is facing I switched jobs from retail to working with the less fortunate. It has been a truly humbling experience and I am forever grateful.
Things I have changed that have helped my mental health – Meditation 10-30 mins a day before I go to bed I am practicing being more mindful of all things that I consume, say or do I stopped drinking alcohol and have been spending more time in nature It truly has changed my life for the better. I have also learned how to say no and it’s been life changing!
DARCI PAICE
The things that made me happy were placing value on myself, my three sons, my dogs and my bestie I kept busy with my sons, dogs and renovating my house which was exhausting and also incredibly empowering to tackle things on the “honey do” list as I’m the only one to take on those tasks There is no “honey”, so I am doing all those “things” that needed doing because it makes me feel fantastic and like I am taking my life back
I will be leaving this home to move on with my life and want this home to have all those undone things complete before I walk away My house has about 26 years of “stuff,” most of which wasn’t mine so I was hard-pressed to know what to do with all the excess items. After discussing with my sons what they actually want to keep, I made a plan. I was incredibly happy to be able to offer items on freecycle like 12 bags of clothing, an older couch, older TV, my older dinning set, and miscellaneous toys that were sitting unloved and taking up space It was such a nice way to take back my space The new owners came and picked up their goodies and left me feeling happy and relieved.
I attended the LEAP year conference for women, which was an amazing event and truly inspired me to reach for more and believe that it is never too late and Yes, I Can! This is the second time I have
attended this event and I can’t wait for next years event.
I have enjoyed watching a few too many shows on Netflix/Prime. Some of my favorites were: Anything Hallmark Christmas, even that bunch in July. Loved Hanna on Prime, Outlander is always a fave for me, and fell in love with the characters of Yellowstone, too I typically love romance novels but also really enjoyed Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life and a few other self help/empowerment reads
So my huge win in 2022 was a dream I really didn’t know if I could ever see through and now it’s happening! This summer, I got past my fear of failure and I passed the owner builder exam, so I will be the general contractor in building my own dream home There were many hoops and I truly underestimated how hard it would be to secure a framing crew. After 40 plus calls reality hit and I was unable to secure a framing crew until spring 2023.
In the meantime, I secured my plans, permit, septic plans, cleared the lot and learned about supply chain issues The holdups also apply to overworked service providers and everything that was “promised to be 1-2 weeks” ended up taking four weeks to three months It was an eye opener but also has taught me many new skills and will give me more time to plan out the finished product
As a 52-year-old single mom who typically just lives for her kids, this was an exceptional project to give me the strength and courage to push forward All the things that go into this project will keep me very busy and focused over the next year. This was huge for mental health because when I was married to my high school boyfriend, I allowed my ex to take credit for absolutely everything
that we take regular breaks to focus on the positive ARTHUR WILLIAMS
Pawn Stars The reality TV series about the family-run pawn shop in Las Vegas is pure junk TV But it’s fun to see the trash and treasures that get brought into the shop A definite guilty pleasure
The Curse of Oak Island. Another reality TV series, this one about the search for treasure on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia Each season the “fellowship of the dig” dig up enough clues and half-baked theories to keep me hooked A top pocket find for any history buff.
Bob’s Burgers An animated sitcom about small-time restauranteurs Bob and Linda Belcher and their three kids, Tina, Gene and Louise Bob’s Burgers doesn’t have the cult following of the Simpsons, the over-the-top humour of Family Guy or the madcap craziness of Rick and Morty
But the show’s charm is that the Belchers feel like a real family, which love and support each other despite their quirks
A feature-length film based on the show debuted this year as well
and never felt worthy or that I held much value.
By taking this project on and finding my way (even with many hiccups and an enormous learning curve), I felt incredibly good about myself and my abilities to provide a life for myself and my sons CLAIRE NIELSEN
I have thought about the meaningful times with family, friends, clients and customers, the joy of playing with my grandson, going into nature and realize there are too many to list However, the common denominator in all of the times that brought me to my happy place is when I am in a positive present state of mind
I realized long ago that happiness is not dependent on circumstance, but on our level of gratitude And having practiced gratitude for many years, I have found it to be the easiest energy to align with, in order to bring me to a present state of mind
I have learned that no matter what is going on in life, not matter how distracting and stressful life situations may become, there is always something to have gratitude for. Gratitude is the best thing we can do for our mental health To help connect with gratitude, a journal is beneficial (a journal only for noting what we have gratitude for) and writing in it every day (I choose the evening) and reading it every day will move our mental state of mind from only being focused on past or future (fear) and bring us peace and happiness in the present moment We can’t control all life circumstances but we can control our attitude about them The attitude of gratitude is the secret to manifesting happiness. It takes our focus away from negativity, and with the onslaught of intense life challenges these past couple years, it is important
Sharpe’s Assassin, by Bernard Cornwell After a 15-year hiatus, historical fiction author Bernard Cornwell returned to his best-selling series about the adventures of Napoleonic-era British infantry officer Richard Sharpe Fans of the series, or the BBC TV adaptation starring Sean Bean, will rejoice to find Sharpe once again hacking a swath through Napoleon’s henchmen in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo.
The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larsen Larsen offers an intimate account of Winston Churchill’s first year as prime minister of Britain, as seen through the eyes of his family and inner circle Larsen weaves together diary entries, personal accounts, official records and more to humanize the man who led Britain during its “finest hour.”
Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth, by Adam Frank. Astrophysicist Adam Frank delves into the history of humanity’s search for alien life, and what it has taught us about life on Earth. Frank makes the work of luminaries like Carl Sagan, Enrico Fermi, Nikolai Kardashev, Freeman Dyson and Frank Drake engaging and accessible for the average reader.
Ringing the bells for the Salvation Army It always gives my Christmas spirit and faith in humanity a boost, at the time I need it most. Knowing that I helped those less fortunate, in my small way, and gave others a chance to help too by being there is a good for the soul
Walking It doesn’t matter if it is just a stroll around the neighbourhood or a hike through one of the city’s many parks, there is no substitute for a little fresh air and exercise
Travelling B C Taking a couple road trips this year was a great reminder that we live in a truly beautiful province. See ‘LOVE IS THE KEY,’ page 11
GETTY IMAGES
The attitude of gratitude and finding self-worth were some of the things that brough bliss to the lives of local residents this year
‘Love is the key’
Continued from page 10
JAX BAILEY
Graduating from UBC with my BEd and coming home to Prince George after three years in Vancouver to start a career was my top bliss item
This summer, I got a personal mill and started milling my own lumber I am really excited about making furniture and using my own milled douglas fir for decking, trim and barn doors, and spruce for fencing. I have a love of wood and am fascinated with working on my own projects It brings a huge sense of happiness and pride for me
I mostly read anime and enjoyed a few series, I also like watching anime on TV I haven’t really gotten into any shows because I had been so busy with post secondary that I really had no personal time.
Close friends and family kept me on track, provided a sounding board (and I also provided that to them), a safe space, laughter and much happiness.
I enjoyed board game nights with friends, biking, walks and hanging out in general The post-COVID in-person communication seems to be on a much deeper level and I find my friends and I talk about more personal things and just had deeper and more meaningful conversations Being in isolation with a ton of stress wasn’t good for anyone.
I feel so much happiness in seeing my friends in person and being able to do things without restriction Simple things like going to the movie, a concert or swimming in a public place, dining in person at a friend’s house or at a restaurant, all seem like they are so much more valuable now.
JENNY GREMM
My biggest bliss item started out with something that made me very upset
My beloved VW Beetle, named Trixie, died I’m on a disability, so I had no money to fix her so I had her towed home A friend of a a friend who was mechanical looked at her a couple of times and deemed her beyond his ability to fix Trixie was 21 years old I don’t know what that is in human years, but definitely a senior!
I had no money to fix her and certainly no money for another car The guy who looked at Trixie gave me an amount that
she was worth and I sold her to a very nice gentleman In the course of our conversation, I said her name was Trixie. He couldn’t believe it, because years ago he had had a bug he named Trixie so it was meant to be
I still had no car though I was talking about it at a group I go to and one of the ladies had a reliable van that she hadn’t been able to sell. She had gotten a new vehicle a couple months before She said I could have the van for less than I got for Trixie She’s got rust on her but she’s reliable. I named her Edna. She’s five years younger than Trixie was, too I feel very thankful and blessed.
JULIE CELESTINO
1. My daughter moved from Ontario to Prince George after eight years of schooling and work. That makes me very happy and content because I know that I can see her everyday instead of every year. The feeling of love and caring that I know my daughter is safer when she’s around us.
2 The citizens of Prince George who put together the drive for James, and being a part of it makes me happy and to know that our community helps in various ways
3 Listening to Christmas music and watching It’s a Wonderful Life or Christmas Chronicles are my favourites
4. Helping people that needed help in terms of sharing food, paying forward and kind gestures is always big for me.
5 The Farmers Market shared their fresh bounty so we can live healthy.
6 The people who served in the military to keep us free, the doctors, nurses and medical workers who help us when we are sick. The service providers who keep our city a better place
7. The people who care about other people in times of sorrow or pain overwhelmed my heart.
8 The creator that we believed in to make us a better person and to know that we are loved
9 The appreciation of everything we have in this great country in spite of our challenges to keep us alive
10 The people like you and me and the connection that we have to make things happen in a positive way.
Continued from page 11
NANCY SPENSLEY
Just wanted to say how wonderful our green spaces are in this city I love going for walks and or hikes into the parks and greenbelts It is so amazing to be able to access real nature within just minutes from anywhere in the city
This is the real “bliss” of our city and we should consider ourselves extremely lucky to be able to enjoy this wonderful asset of Prince George IVAN PAQUETTE
Twas the night before Christmas all through the house
Not a creature was stirring except a mouse
There it was chewing on paper it found Santa bent over, picked it up off the ground
It wasn’t easy for Santa being a bit round
On the paper it said Moments of Bliss
Santa pulled the note close to his heart, Blessed it with a kiss
Saying to the reindeer we need more of this
Blissful moments it said as he began to read
It was more about love than human greed
How one reaches out during crisis to his fellow man
The way the Creator designed us to show love, be kind and do our best to understand
Santa read a little further
Then used his phone to phone Mrs Claus
He asked her to take a moment and pause
To be grateful for what we have is what will be in the Christmas sack
Giving to those who need a little cheer
Oh and yes a treat for the reindeer. This year was filled with many Moments of Bliss too many to list I send this wish to friends, family in Prince George and surrounding community
Make the most of what you got, show love, do your best to be kind
This is what is best for your soul and mind
Share it with tender loving care
You make the list I wanted to share
See you all next year, Peace and Love You All
You Know Your Friend, Ivan Ho
CHRISTINE DALGLEISH
Ok, you have to start humming along with me like Julie Andrews as I talk about... a few of my favourite things. 2022 was a most interesting year As it does for many people, life sometimes gets in the way of your best intentions So for me it was a year about family and rekindled connections.
My dear sister and her equally dear husband came to visit us in Prince George It wasn’t nearly long enough but it was so nice to have a sister near me.
(We’re from Ontario and most everyone still lives there!)
We had a few adventures together and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Huble Homestead’s Potato Festival and their potato bacon soup. Yum! Still think about that! And although I could go on and on about my darling grandchildren, let me just say they are perfect and wonderful and kind and good and the most precious people on the planet
I took on a few challenges, which I love because well, that’s pretty much how life works for me Take on a challenge, fix what’s broken, overcome an obstacle, learn a thing, do a thing or make it so, then move on to the next. It keeps me motivated and on task because I’m a ‘squirrel!’ type of easily distracted woman
I always have to give credit to my ‘voice of reason,’ my best friend, who happens to be my husband Bob who always keeps me on task and if I go too far off the beaten path he’s right there to take up the machete and join me at hacking away to find a new way forward! Thanks hunneeee!
Throwing is very therapeutic for me. Yes, you heard me - I throw things – in a sanctioned, controlled, socially acceptable way – well, OK, sometimes the hammer or discus gets away from me – sorry Elena for the close call!
I am a Masters Track & Field athlete and I throw hammer, discus, shot put, javelin and weight throw and this year I tried a new thing The super weight owned me during one particularly crazy throw where I couldn’t let it go because I was afraid I was going to hit somebody – I didn’t, thankfully – and I did manage to wrangle it into submission on my last throw and break the BC record for chucking that 25 pound weight – just picture it: me swinging a metal ball by a handle attached by metal links over my head and it landed 6.40 metres away! I broke the indoor weight throw record, too, and my old outdoor weight throw record and a couple of local meet records and did the same at the 55+ BC Games but that one was just for a hot minute because
the very next day it was broken by a very worthy competitor so I’m thinking I might have the record for shortest record held –about 23 hours - so all in all a pretty good throwing season.
And there’s plenty of room for improvement and that’s what I’m going to do while I still can Because as you may already know, as we age it doesn’t get any easier!
And for you I wish that you can look back at so very many of your favourite things in 2022 and that, as I did here, can’t even begin to say all the things that were wonderful in this small space!
And may all our cups runneth over once again in 2023!
HEATHER SAPERGIA
1 Knowledge Network nature shows on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7 p m We have seen so many interesting places and wildlife in those shows If we can’t watch them, we record them. Some I have watched multiple times
2. Walking in various parks. We have two puppies and they and us have met so many super friendly people and other dogs in the parks In particular, the dog park at 17th and Hemlock, Cottonwood Island and Ginter’s As our daughter said, you get to know the names of so many lovely pooches in the parks, even if you don’t know the owner’s names
BERNICE
WARNER
Fresh flowers
Warm homemade muffins.
Watching my two grandchildren play hockey.
Book shops and reading lots of books Wednesday walks with three friends along the two rivers and through city centre trying the different coffee shops. Pickleball
Kayaking.
STUART GAIRNS
Visiting face to face with family and friends
Worship services in person at my church and the fellowship there XC skiing at Otway and Alpine skiing at Purden
Hiking in the mountains, eg Viking Ridge.
Fishing at Fraser Lake
Vacation in Austria to visit family and enjoying the beauty and culture of Austria and Northern Italy.
See ‘THE KIDS WERE’ page 13
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Connaught Hill Park in Prince George is one of the green spaces in Prince George that brings bliss to local residents
‘The kids were so kind, open-minded and sweet’
Continued from page 12
THEATRE NORTHWEST
Theatre NorthWest has so much to be thankful for We have had an absolutely stunning three years We have overcome so many obstacles that have been almost Herculean in their magnitude And here we are, reimagining ourselves, and rising to a new set of challenges
The pandemic, for all its hardship and heartbreak, brought new and interesting opportunities and experiences to our organization Firstly, our summer sewing camps – one of our only programs to continue running for the duration of the pandemic – was almost pure joy for us Heidi Klepsch, TNW’s accessibility coordinator and sewing camp assistant, said her favourite part of the program was: “Seeing friendships develop between students in our sewing camps! The kids were so kind, open-minded and sweet with one another and there was so much laughter One group of beginners, especially, really restored my faith in humanity with how well they treated each other. I cannot overstate how beautiful it was I went home and cried tears of joy, one day, because of how much love, respect and joy was in our classroom.” Additionally, when this program was established, seven years ago, part of our goal was to inspire a group of young people to enter the costume design field This year, one of those young people who attended our classes is now applying to design schools. For us, this is a dream coming true
Another item on our “bliss list” is the realization of our Theatre in the Pen program at Prince George Regional Correctional Centre “I have wanted this program for almost a decade’, says Marnie Hamagami, Artistic Producer Finally, since June of this year, we have held theatre classes in the jail almost every week We receive calls and comments from family members about the positive impact we are having on the lives of their loved ones. “This work has been so rewarding,” says Bradley Charles, program coordinator and artistic associate at TNW
In the spring, another long-term dream was realized as we were able to support Shakespeare in the Vines, a presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Northern Lights Estate Winery. It was so great to see such dedication and talent from our local artists. “I have always, always wanted to do this,” says Melissa Glover, director of the production and one of our artistic associates The play was great and the audiences were good sports when the weather was awful!
We have been enjoying our new series revolving around stage readings – an idea hatched by John Reilly, our production manager, during the pandemic We have had the pleasure to work with many talented artists from our community, and to enjoy a wider range of plays on our stage.
Theatre Northwest staged a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Northern Lights Winery in June, a blissful moment for director Melissa Glover
Finally, the absolute best part of this year has been the reopening of our MainStage Series. At last, to be back in full production mode with our audiences in their seats has been sheer bliss for us. We have enjoyed stretching our artistic muscles and getting back into performance shape Sure, there were some clunks as we hit our stride again. But –oh! – to be back at it, hearing the laughter and seeing the tears, has been wonderful. And with that, from all of us at TNW, we send a huge bunch of roses to all of you who have purchased tickets, made donations, sent sponsorships, taken posters to hang in windows, and reshared posts. It truly takes a village to support a theatre, and Prince George has been there for us. Thank you.
ROMA TINGLE
Mine is a shout out to all the great people who contributed to what was a very significant move for us this past year
Two Cracker Jack young techies who did our new TV, Internet, phone connections, a professional and energetic young team from the moving company, great young fencing contractor, plumber, electrician, waste removal team, and the list goes on.
We are truly blessed with this community and the people who contribute to our everyday lives
GWEN REESE
My bliss started at the end of last December (Dec. 27th, 2021, to Jan. 1st, 2022)
It was our first winter on Vancouver Island, after living in Prince George for almost 50 years. We love it here as we’re close to our youngest son and his family, but do miss our oldest son and his family in Prince George
So, on Dec 27th, 2021, our PG family came down It was great with all our families together We have 5 grandchildren
Even though COVID was a concern, we all went to the Butchart Gardens Christmas Lights display. We all loved
it It was amazing It was our Christmas highlight that took all of our minds off the COVID issue for a few hours. All the outdoor displays provided wonderful family memories that we all got to enjoy.
Family gatherings are so very special and so much fun. We love it.
Thank you for allowing me to share my blissful memory with you.
NEIL GODBOUT
Here are the things that brought me joy and lifted me up when I was down in 2022:
Music
I Don’t Live Here Anymore – The War On
Drugs
Call Me Little Sunshine – Ghost
Inner Light – Elderbrook/Bob Moses Of The New Day – Porcupine Tree
Free And Weightless – Billy Howerdel
Theorem (Live At Arcosanti) – Puscifer
A Beautiful Life – Dorothy
About Damn Time – Lizzo
Filthy – Ayron Jones
Adrenalize 1983 – In This Moment
Cracker Island – Gorillaz
Lonely Weather – Of Monsters And Men
TV
The Sandman
All Of Us Are Dead
Sex Education
His Dark Materials
The Boys
Yellowstone
Stranger Things
Nature
Nova
Jeopardy!
Activities
Creative writing project
Long walks through the Hart
Visiting my best friend from university in Toronto and seeing Porcupine Tree.
HOROSCOPES & PUZZLES
HOROSCOPES
ARIES
You’re under pressure, and your finances are stressing you out. It’s not always easy to find balance in life. When you want a little solitude, there are plenty of people around you. When you find yourself alone, you’ll want friends for company
TAURUS
This week, you’ll take the opportunity to make online and in -store returns or exchanges. You’ll also find some fantastic deals and won’t mind treating yourself to some well -deserved luxury
GEMINI
outings that satisfy your adventurous spirit.
CANCER
You’ll be confused and easily distracted at times. Your growing fatigue will catch up with you. Try to use your time off to rest and recharge. Perhaps you have too much to do.
LEO
Let the good times roll! You’ll have several opportunities to celebrate and be invited to several parties. A large and demanding client base at work will make you feel overwhelmed. You’ll be pressed for time.
VIRGO
LIBRA
A getaway or trip may get organized spontaneously You’ll also be excited about the idea of learning something new If that’s what you’re doing, you’ll take returning to school seriously
SCORPIO
You’ll feel emotional as you kick off the New Year Both in your professional and personal life, new challenges will arise to mark a stimulating new beginning.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
You can no longer put off cleaning your home. The festivities are over, and it’s time to get to business. In your professional life, you’ll land your dream job after a colleague unexpectedly quits.
AQUARIUS
It’s an excellent time to learn how to care for and respect yourself. You’ll also discover what you’re passionate about in life and take the first steps toward more rewarding challenges.
PISCES
If you’re on vacation, take the opportunity to do outdoor activities with family and friends. You desperately need to move your body Even if you’re single, you’ll go on several
Time is precious, and you can’t neglect any of your responsibilities. Your boss may ask you to return to work after taking time off. Your family will also demand your time and attention.
Pay attention: you may have a misunderstanding with someone close to you, which could disrupt your daily life. You’ll have to tread lightly with some people who’ll make you feel like you’re walking on eggshells.
Whether you have time off, you’ll spend the week with your family, or at least in your home. You could take advantage of the next few days to reconsider your decor and move some furniture around to clear your mind.
HOW TO PLAY:
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.
cl assi fi eds
REMEMBRANCES
In Memoriam
Jason Ross Middleton
Mar 6, 1979December 29, 2013
Jason, all of us are missing your smile, sense of humour, your wonderful, loving, caring character and your Music. Always in our hearts, always on our minds!
Love Dad, the Turgeon & Niro Families and all your many Family and Friends
Fond memories linger every day, Remembrance keeps them near.
In Memoriam
In Loving Memory of Rupert Johannes Egger
Feb 24, 1929 - Dec 29, 2020
Aus dem Leben bist Du uns genommen, aber nicht aus unseren Herzen. We love and miss you, Christine & Christian, Rupert, Martin, Sylvia & Tom, Christian Jr., Aaron & Sarah, Tony and your great-grandson Max.
Obituaries
Cornelius (Neil) Friesen
Apr 21, 1932Dec 17, 2022
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Neil (Cornelius) Friesen. Born in his grandparents’ farm house in Southern Manitoba to Abram and Helen Friesen. He married the love of his life, his wife Elfrieda (Enns) August 1961.
Neil began his working career at Stelco, Hamilton, On, followed by years of mechanical maintenance and sales. He taught mechanical maintenance at SAIT, Calgary, Alta.
He was involved in several mission outreaches and served as Chaplain for The Gideons and Lighthouse Harbour Ministries in Prince Rupert, BC.
He enjoyed travelling with Elfrieda and viewing the beauty of nature, reading, writing and singing.
He is survived by his wife Elfrieda, son David, son Darryl (Karen), grandchildren Tyler and Logen, brother Jim (Bernice) and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituaries
Born October 31, 1942Died December 17, 2022
Elwood was loved so dearly by the love of his life, Fern, his children; son Neil (Susan) McKay, daughter Shannon (Scott) Stratton. His pride & joy, grandkids Sean, Calum, Jake & Nicole. Held the heart of his sister Lorraine (Jim) Phillips as well as many extended family. Dad was predeceased by his little angel Kaileigh Rebeccah McKay, parents Donald & Emma McKay, brothers Marvin & Lyle and Sister Linda. Dad fought hard and stayed strong until the very end. You will be missed by so many. Please join us in saying Goodbye on Thursday, December 29th, 2022 at 1:00 at First Baptist Church 483 Gillett Street.
“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever”
The family gratefully acknowledges the kind service and care provided by Dr. Wooldridge and Dr. Carter, and all staff members at Simon Fraser Lodge.
Celebrate the
of
with
Neil passed peacefully at Prince George Simon Fraser Lodge. A Memorial Service will be held Thursday, December 29th at 11:00am at Prince George Evangelical Free Church, 4590 - 5th Avenue.
ELWOOD DONALD MCKAY
Look Who's Celebrating
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduation or Any Special Occasion Look Who’s Celebrating runs every Thursday (Deadline Fridays at 3pm). To book your spot call 250.562.6666
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Established Franchise Photography Business Serving Northern B.C for over 35 years
Gross Revenues of $150.000 plus annually from seasonal work Lots of opportunity to expand the business. Transition support available to the right buyer
Serious Enquiries Only
Office 250-596-9199 Cell 250-981-1472
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Established Franchise Tax Preparation BusinessMackenzieservicing and McLeod Lake area for over 30 years.
Gross Revenues of $85,000 to $90,000
Annually and Potential to expand revenues in a growing economy.
Transition support available for the right buyer. Serious Inquires Only
(250)997-9003
(250)997-5538
(250)990-0152
A LOT Of 45 & LPs. All kinds $5$40 each, 778-675-4716
BUYING ALL SILVER! WANTED 9999 BULLION, BARS, COINS, ROUNDS, ALL SILVER COINS, PRE 1968 COINS, ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, FRANKLIN MINT SETS, OLD STERLING SILVER, COIN COLLECTIONS +++ ALSO BUYING GOLD!!! TODD 25O 864 3521
COLLECTOR PURCHASING COINS & COIN COLLECTIONS! BUYING OLD COINS, ROLLS OF COINS, BANK BAGS OF COINS, RARE COINS, COLLECTOR COINS, OLYMPIC COINS, OLD PAPER MONEY, PRE 1968 COINS, ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, US MINT, COLLECTIONS +. WANTED CANADA, USA & WORLD COLLECTIONS! Todd’s Coins 1-250-8643521
Firewood
BIRCH Firewood in 20 foot lengths. Delivered by dumptruck load. $1100. or bucked to length $1300 per load delivered 250614-6667
Mills/Equipment
1998 KENWORTH with mixer trailer, white. $120,000. 617-3373 SAWMILL, 48” head rig, hand set, completely rebuilt, $8000 obo plus parts. 250-441-3242
Sheds/Outbuildings
NEW 30’ x 50’ All Steel Commercial shop, never assembled, c/w complete set of drawings and engineer cert. Has straight outside walls, 1 12’ x 14’ service door opening, 1 3’ man door opening, inside clearance 16’, roof has 3/ 12 pitch that is 20’ high at peak. Outside wall cladding painted tan. $30, 000 Call Bob 250-983-3372
BUYING OLD JEWELRY, COINS, OLD MONEY, COIN COLLECTIONS, 9999 BARS & COINS, ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, COIN SETS, WORLD $$$ COLLECTIONS ++ TODD 25O 864 3521
Genuine Rolex watches, all models, old, new, damaged or parts req’d. Top prices paid subject to viewing. Gold, two-tone, tri-color & Stainless. Available 24/7 250-612-1808
WANTED Danish Modern Furniture.We pay top dollar for teak and rosewood furniture from the 1950s1960s. All types and conditions. Single items or entire estates. Call today! 250-886-7335 danishmodernfurniture@gma il.com
WANTED SASQUATCH SKULL - Also purchasing SILVER & GOLD coins, bars, jewelry, scrap, nuggets, sterling, 999+ BULLION, maple leafs, bulk silver, pre-1969 coins. Coin collector BUYING ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS, old $ & Royal Canadian Mint coins. TODD 250-864-3521.
Jewellery
Houses for Sale
Apartments / Condos-For
Property For Sale
“DUNSTER PROPERTY FOR SALE” 115 acres with 1/2 mile Fraser River frontage. 10 acres Island. 15 acres cleared. Mixed forest. 100% reliable water source. Log cabin attached to mobile home. Water line and hydro. Easy access. Mountainscape views. Private. 250-479-5545 45.5 ACRES Corner of Upper Fraser Rd & Beaver Forest Rd. with good driveway &
Recreational Property
FOR EMPLOYMENT ORMOND CREEK (NORTHSHORE FRASER LAKE BC) ON 8.1 ACRES/HOME MACHINERY/SHOP/GREENHOUSES
PHONE 250-699-1072 ONLY $255,000 (HOME) $105,000(MACHINERY)
TAKE NOTICE THAT: any One with a prior, equal, or superior right, interest, CONDUCT, treaty or Convention in/to/for/of the NAME and property of: HENRI RAOUL JOSEPH BEAULAC, and/or BEAULAC, HENRI RAOUL JOSEPH Estate in any style or variation thereof capable to confuse, suspend or clog said NAME, Title and/or Estate is hereby WARRANTED to present their said claim to WITNESS: Kari Willis, c/o 1068 4th Street Courtenay BC V9N 1H7 before the expiration of†twentyeight (28) days of this Notice publication first published on December 22, 2022.††
TAKE NOTICE THAT: any One with a prior, equal, or superior right, interest, CONDUCT, treaty or Convention in/to/for/of the NAME and property of: COLLEEN KIM CLANCY, and/or CLANCY, COLLEEN KIM, and/or COLLEEN KIM GREINER, and/or GREINER, COLLEEN KIM Estate in any style or variation thereof capable to confuse, suspend or clog said NAME, Title and/or Estate is hereby WARRANTED to present their said claim to WITNESS: Kari Willis, c/o 1068 4th Street Courtenay BC V9N 1H7 before the expiration of†twentyeight (28) days of this Notice publication first published on December 22, 2022.††
Woodlot Licence 1793
Woodlot Licence Plan
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to section 17 of the Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation, that a Woodlot Licence Plan has been prepared for Woodlot Licence 1793, licensed to James Whissell. This woodlot has portions located south of Mackenzie B.C.
If approved by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s District Manager, this plan may apply for a term of ten years from the date of approval.
This woodlot licence plan is available for public review and comment from January 1st, 2023 to January 31st, 2023 by appointment at (250) 562-5541. Any written comments on the plan should be mailed to 1579 9th Avenue, Prince George, BC, V2L 3R8.
SUDOKU
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.
PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE
ACROSS
1. Chop up
5. Ones who utilize
10. Sings with closed lips
14. South American hummingbird
15. Serves as a coxswain
16. Liquor distilled from coconut or rice
17. Spur
18. Senile
19. Tanzanian people
20. Cruel
22. Boxing’s “GOAT”
23. Yokels
24. London soccer team
DOWN
27. Chinese chess piece
30. Supervises flying
31. 007’s creator
32. Shaft horsepower (abbr.)
35. A spider makes one
37. Liquefied natural gas
38. Opaque gem
39. Brazilian palm
40. Periodical (slang)
41. You might step on one
42. Marvin and Horsley are two
43. Partner to cheese
44. Unpleasant smell
45. Field force unit (abbr.)
46. Fashion accessory
47. Cool!
48. Time zone
49. Songs to one’s lover
52. German river
55. Go bad
56. Sword
60. Very eager
61. Leaf bug
63. Italian seaport
64. Napoleon Dynamite’s uncle
65. Member of Jamaican religion
66. Large wading bird
67. Carries out 68. Eternal rest 69. It holds up your headwords 1. Not low
Small water buffalo
A mark left behind
Archaic form of have
Fiddler crabs
Popular Hyundai sedan
Deport
Making over
Midway between south
Most people dream about creating a welcoming, tidy and attractive home. However, creating a magazine-worthy space can be pricey Fortunately, there are several inexpensive ways to make a stylish residence. Here are four smart ideas.
1. DISPLAY YOUR FASHION ACCESSORIES
Use nails, hooks, shelves or pegboard to artistically display your most beautiful, eccentric or elegant accessories like hats, evening bags, stilettos, watches and ties.
2. CREATE A BOLD ACCENT WALL
Transform the end of a hallway or large wall into a statement piece. For example, you can use a contrasting paint colour or apply a uniquely patterned wallpaper Using recycled paint or liquidation wallpaper is even better
3. MULTIPLY THE PLANTS
Walking into a room full of plants instantly makes you feel good. Fortunately, you can find beautiful, affordable and easyto-care-for plants at local stores. If your friends have green thumbs, ask them for a few cuttings.
4.
CHOOSE USED ACCESSORIES
With some research, you can find one-ofa-kind decor in classified ads, thrift stores, second-hand stores and garage sales. For example, you can pick up mirrors, knickknacks, frames, lamps and vases in good condition at ridiculously low prices. With a bit of imagination and resourcefulness, decorating your home can be affordable and fun.
Are your kitchen cabinets 20 or 30 years old? Are they showing signs of deterioration? Replacing them is a significant project that requires careful planning. Here are a few things to consider for the best results.
CHOOSE A STYLE AND MATERIAL
Consult an interior designer to help you choose new cabinets that complement your home They’ll create mock-ups using 3D design software to show you various cabinets that fit your space, style and budget
Cabinet materials include medium density
fibreboard (MDF), hardwood, melamine and acrylic. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Browse several samples to
find your preference On top of how the material looks, consider how easy it is to clean and maintain.
Once you know which cabinets you want to buy, place your order and determine
when you can have them installed, whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself.
REMOVE THE OLD CABINETS
First, empty your old cabinets and remove them from the walls. To avoid injuring yourself, entrust this task to a professional. They’ll also dispose of unusable materials correctly
INSTALL THE NEW CABINETS
Before installing your new kitchen cabinets, prepare the room. For example, clear and protect the floor, remove your appliances and disconnect the plumbing. Depending on the project’s complexity, you may need to find an alternative space to prepare your meals.
Replacing the cabinets is a sure way to make your kitchen look great and increase the value of your home. Visit your local kitchen design store for more ideas.
Beautify your HOME
Keep an eye out for arches when planning home design and decorating projects for 2023. Their smooth lines, evocative of eastern ideals of space organization, promote inner balance and elevate your mood Here are some ways to incorporate arches into your space.
LARGE SCALE REMODEL
If you’re planning a major renovation, consider including arches in the structure of your home. Turn boring thresholds into elegant arched entryways or install half-moon windows. For added drama, install curved wooden ceiling beams.
SMALL DESIGN FEATURES
Update the focal points in your rooms. For example, give your fireplace mantle a new look with an arch-shaped art piece. You could also create a curved headboard with backlighting to evoke the feeling of a romantic sunset.
LITTLE TOUCHES
You don’t have to invest in an extensive remodel to bring arches into your decor. Use curved moulding to create a DIY wall feature. Explore yard sales and second-hand shops for vintage mirrors and furniture with arch details. You could also experiment with an eye-catching paint colour by adding a geometric arch shape on an accent wall. Talk to a design adviser at your local home improvement store for more ideas.
