Prince George Citizen January 16, 2025

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Turning the ignition on the fuels of the future

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

After nearly an hour listening to a panel of speakers at the Future Fuel Forum in Prince George discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for industry and governments adapting policies to stimulate new technologies and alternate fuel sources Monday, the audience was asked if anyone had a

2009 and has done his homework on elec tric vehicles and how they are radically changing the landscape as car manufac tures scramble to find ways to meet more stringent carbon emission standards.

Hydrogen vehicles aren’t the answer, say EV boosters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I’ve heard one of the barriers or limitations is the amount of electricity we have available to put into different activities to make the wheels turn or the propellers spin, and I’ve also heard we want to go to net-zero and we have limited public funds,” said Beckett.

“Hydrogen is very inefficient, I can drive four times as far on input electricity in an electric vehicle than I can in a comparable hydrogen vehicle, and all the data I’ve seen out there publicly for transport trucks, for trains, for airplanes all say the same.

“So if we have limited electricity and want to go to net-zero would it not make best sense, policy-wise, to focus our public dollars into battery-electric and direct-electric. We’ll reduce our carbon emissions 90 per cent or better compared to only a 30 per cent reduction, I believe, in hydrogen.”

Geoff Turner, BC Energy Regulator’s executive director of energy transition and intergovernmental relations, said during the discussion Monday he agreed with Beckett’s assessment of the performance of EVs as compared to hydrogen vehicles.

He cited the number of energy transformations needed to produce the final product and said in most cases the fewer changes needed to make energy, the more efficient the process is.

“Going from a hydro dam to a wire to a battery to an electric motor is going to be more efficient than going from a hydro dam to a wire, to an electrode, to a hydrogen storage tank to a fuel cell to an electric motor,” said Turner.

“One of the nuances about the (BC) Hydrogen Strategy is there are some parts of the economy where electrification doesn’t make sense, whether it’s high-heat industrial applications, whether it is remote communities, heavy-haul transportation corridors where you have long distances between communities and long-haul flights where you can’t necessarily stop,” he said.

“Given the current state of battery

technology, I’m not expecting to be buying a hydrogen car anytime soon, I think my next car is probably going to be a battery electric one. I also haul a fifth-wheel all over the province in the summer and that kind of an application might make more sense given the need to refuel or recharge frequently, and if you take that to an 18-wheeler or industrial truck that’s where I think the hydrogen strategy is zeroing in on the opportunities.”

Beckett says hydrogen fuel cell technology and its push to make internal combustion engines more efficient has a ways to go to catch up to the science that goes into EVs and the efficiency of hydrogen-powered vehicles is their greatest downfall by comparison.

“With the fuel cell technology, about 70 per cent of the energy is wasted before the wheels move,” Beckett said. “With electric vehicles, about 90 per cent of the energy moves the wheels, so 10 per cent wasted.

“Ballard Power (fuel cells) was a big thing in the 1990s and they haven’t evolved the technology much from there. Hydrogen (industry) is secretive

in their data, they don’t provide a lot on the highlights of the experiments that go on, but in the limited amount of data I’ve seen, the electric vehicle is lighter than the hydrogen vehicle and can travel further and you’re using onefourth the electricity, so your fuel costs are going to be less.”

Beckett said putting hydrogen into an internal combustion engine can create greater nitrous oxide emissions and more greenhouse gases than a diesel engine would. To power the province’s 3.7 million vehicles, and make them all EVs he estimates would require the electricity of another 2.2 Site C dams. To convert all of them to hydrogen-burning fuels cells BC would require the power of another 10 Site C projects.

Panelist Todd Romaine, executive director for BC for the not-for-profit Canadian Hydrogen Association, said there’s room for everybody on the future fuels bandwagon when it comes to creating policies.

“Hydrogen has its utility, primarily in freight – trains, heavy trucks, ferry services and in servicing remote communities and it has various industrial

applications very different from what electricity can offer,” said Romaine.

“I think they can complement, it’s not one or the other, it’s both. From an economic standpoint there’s a lot of benefits from the hydrogen sector in BC. The fuel cell sector in the Lower Mainland creates over 2,000 high-paying jobs, generates hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue for the government and has tremendous export opportunities.

“There’s 42 countries that are now receivers of fuel cell technology from Metro Vancouver fuel cell companies, and there’s the export of hydrogen from BC to markets in Japan, Korea and the United States. We think what the government is doing on the Hydrogen Strategy is in alignment with their plans to be net-zero and their decarbonization objectives and we believe we have the manpower, the skill-sets and the resources in British Columbia to complement that objective.”

Beckett joined forces with UNBC a year ago to form the Energy Transition Group, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8 p.m. to discuss EV topics.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Panelists at the Future Fuels Forum discussion Monday included, from left, moderator Kylie Williams, Foresight Canada; Kimberley Irwin, Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions; Todd Romaine, Canadian Hydrogen Association; Kaelin Hickford, ClimateDoor; and Geoff Turner, BC Energy Regulator.

Rules broken on city councillor’s RCMP ride-along

Kyle Sampson posted a photo of himself in a police-issued vest to Facebook

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George RCMP say that a city councillor’s recent ride-along with officers resulted in rules being broken both by police and the politician.

Just after 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 4, Councilor Kyle Sampson posted to his Facebook page that he’d spent a night out with local Mounties to learn about what they deal with on the job.

The post included three photos, two from the lobby of the RCMP detachment and a third showing Sampson sitting in a police vehicle, wearing a protective vest marked “police” while bathed in red light.

Speaking to The Citizen on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Prince George RCMP public affairs officer Cpl. Jennifer Cooper said that as a civilian, Sampson should not have been issued a vest identifying him as part of the police.

“He should not have been wearing that,” Cooper said.

“He should have been, at most, given maybe an internal unmarked vest to wear, like one that he could wear underneath a jacket or underneath a shirt. Our officers have been given guidance on that protocol going forward.”

She said psychiatric nurses who sometimes accompany officers to calls wear Kevlar vests that are a different colour and say “nurse” instead of “police,” adding that she doubted anyone would have known about the error if Sampson hadn’t posted the photo.

“They wanted to offer him a modicum of protection based on being in a police vehicle, but perhaps neglected to think forward to the optics and the ramifications of a civilian wearing a vest labelled ‘police’ and have (now) been giving guidance about this issue,”

than what was in the public domain already,” Cooper said.

The photo of Sampson wearing the vest was deleted on Wednesday, Jan. 8 after The Citizen first reached out to the RCMP.

Reached by phone on Thursday, Jan. 9, Sampson said that with policing being one of the city’s largest annual costs, he wanted to see what challenges local officers are facing, especially with budget deliberations on the horizon.

He said he had not asked for the vest but had been provided one by officers.

“The photo of myself, I didn’t think it was any issue but talking to the detachment, they just said it would be best if I just didn’t have it there,” Sampson said.

“The post was meant to inform the public on what I’m doing as a councillor, to understand some issues in our community.”

He said he wouldn’t change anything “drastically” if he were to go on another ride-along, though he understands that taking photos of himself during them aren’t allowed.

As for what he saw on the ride-along, he said he wasn’t allowed to get into specifics, but saw an officer help an intoxicated man call a taxi to get a safe ride home and observed that Moccasin Flats was less busy than the last time he went out with police.

After Sampson said he had been offered the vest by police, The Citizen offered RCMP officer-in-charge Supt. Darin Rappel the opportunity to comment but was told he would let Cooper’s comments on the matter stand.

As the City of Prince George funds the activities of the local RCMP, The Citizen also reached out to city administration for comment but a spokesperson declined the offer.

Cooper said.

On top of that, she said Sampson should not have posted the photo of him wearing the vest as he had signed a document agreeing not to share photos from his ride-along.

There are no issues with Sampson posting photos from inside the foyer of the police building.

“We did remind him that he was not supposed to take or post any photos while he was on the ride-along other

“Given this ride-along was organized between the councillor and the RCMP with no involvement from the city’s administration we don’t have anything to add on the matter,” they said.

KYLE SAMPSON/FACEBOOK

Coun. Kyle Sampson is seen wearing a police-labelled protective vest in this photo from an RCMP ride-along the councillor posted to his Facebook page on Jan. 4.

Four councillors voted onto citizens’ award committee

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George city council voted to appoint councillors Susan Scott, Kyle Sampson, Garth Frizzell and Brian Skakun to the new select committee that will shape the citizen medal recognition program at its Jan. 13 meeting.

The program was initially introduced by Sampson, Coun. Cori Ramsay and Coun. Tim Bennett last year, saying that the existing Freedom of the City award is rarely awarded. The intent is for up to five people to be given awards each year.

Mayor Simon Yu said at the Jan. 13 meeting that he voted against establishing the program the last time it came up not because he objected to improve the city’s awards program but because he was wary of it becoming a political exercise.

However, he said he would like to be on the select committee because he wants to recognize people in the city belonging to visible minorities and champion their cases.

The mayor nominated himself, Frizzell, Scott and Skakun to the committee. His rationale for the latter three was that they are the most senior members of council.

Ramsay nominated herself, Sampson, Bennett and Coun. Ron Polillo.

Bennett nominated Coun. Trudy Klassen, meaning all nine councillors received nominations. After that happened, staff passed out ballots to each councillor.

After the four winners of the ballot were announced, Sampson said he rejected the notion that the program would become a political exercise, saying he always intended it to be a non-partisan effort.

The last comment Yu made before departing the meeting to attend the Future Fuels Forum and leaving Klassen to chair the meeting as acting mayor was that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Council also approved terms of

the Standing Committee on Citizen Recognition at its Jan. 13 meeting.

reference at the meeting, which have the committee’s term ending on Sept. 30, 2025.

Before that end date, the committee will develop a report suggesting the rules through which people are nominated for the program, how many annual nominees will be suggested, what the awards will look like, what the award ceremony will be like and more.

One of the discussions mentioned in the terms of reference is whether people can be given the award posthumously.

Like other city committees, all members of council would be entitled to attend all meetings even if they do not have voting rights.

Administration suggests it will recruit the non-council members of the committee from Jan. 16 through Feb. 20, with council voting on which nominations to approve at its closed meeting on March 10.

The committee’s chair will be nominated and approved at its first regular meeting, which is likely to take place in the last week of March. The committee would then meet once a month until its term ends.

Once that final report is presented, the program is expected to launch in 2026.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Prince George city council discusses which of their members to appoint to

Ospika student housing project shifting to seniors

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

The third time was the charm for the developer of an Ospika Boulevard property.

After two previous attempts to convince Prince George city council to amend a restrictive covenant on 4500 Ospika Boulevard to allow for a 118-unit seniors housing building to be built instead of a 256-unit student housing building, Praxis Solutions and HUB Collective finally succeeded at the Monday, Jan. 13 council meeting.

Councillors voted unanimously to allow for seniors housing on the site.

Almost five years ago, the city sold the property to the developer to build student housing there. However, HUB Collective later said that idea was no longer financially viable.

Coun. Cori Ramsay said she had received correspondence as a University of Northern BC alumna discussing the school’s intent to expand student housing on campus. Because of those plans, she said, she was approving the application.

Coun. Tim Bennett said he still supports the application, with the land already having been cleared and ready for development.

Coun. Ron Polillo said while he was against the application last time, the developer worked to revise its design since then and spoke with several local organizations who indicated general support for the development.

He also cited the federal government’s recent reduction in the number of international students allowed into the country since the initial application.

Coun. Brian Skakun said he was one of several councillors who attended an open house last year. He praised the developer’s work to update the idea and voiced his support.

Coun. Kyle Sampson said he was in favour to advance work on a site that has sat only partially developed for years. However, he said he would like road access to the site to be improved and said he was disappointed to not see that factor addressed. Another

Development has stalled at 4500 Ospika Blvd. for years after HUB Collective wanted a restrictive covenant changed to allow for seniors housing to be built. Prince George city council finally granted that change Monday.

disappointment for Sampson was a lack of commercial space on the site.

Coun. Trudy Klassen, serving as acting mayor, said she was supportive as well.

It’s been a long few years for the property.

In July 2020, the city sold the property to The HUB Collection for $500,000, below the then-assessed value of $682,000. The below-market price was agreed upon under the condition that the developer build a 256-unit student housing facility within the next 24 months or Prince George would have the right to buy it back.

In 2022, BC Assessment hiked its value for the property to $3.127 million though it has since receded back to $700,000 in 2025. HUB argued in a 2023 media release that the original price was negotiated on Oct. 21, 2019 and at that time, it only had access to the 2018 tax assessment of $435,000.

At the Feb. 6, 2023 city council meeting, councillors rejected a proposal from the developer to amend a restrictive covenant to allow for a 118-unit seniors housing facility to be built in place of the originally-proposed student housing.

During that meeting, director of planning and development Deanna Wasnik told council that she had already approved changes to the covenant. Later that year, The Citizen discovered through documents obtained through a freedom of information request that Wasnik agreed on Oct. 12, 2021 to amend the covenant so that instead of having to complete the framing of the proposed student

housing development within 24 months, the developer only had to pour its foundation.

Also discovered by The Citizen was that concrete footings had been poured on the site in April 2022, but constructions had stopped within the next month. More obtained documents showed that Wasnik signed a document on May 3, 2022 discharging the city’s right to repurchase the land for $485,000.

A few days after the Feb. 6 meeting, community group Ginter’s Green Forever raised questions about whether the city’s sale of the property violated the BC Community Charter, which prevents local government from giving “a grant, benefit, advantage or other form of assistance to a business” without giving public notice that it intended to do so.

Then, on Feb. 17, 2023, the city issued a statement saying an internal review it had conducted revealed the previous administration had indeed failed to follow the community charter.

“Upon discovering the administrative oversight, the City took immediate remedial action, including undergoing a restructuring and rebuilding of the city’s real estate division to better support the Administration’s continued dedication to its public responsibilities under all provincial legislation and its intention to provide fully transparent and accountable processes,” the statement said.

In April of that same year, The HUB Collection argued to council that it was “completely uneconomical” to build the original student housing project in a post-COVID and war in Ukraine world,

but once again failed to convince council to amend the covenant.

The next month, council voted 5-4 against changing the covenant.

Heading into Monday’s meeting, Praxis Solution was applying on HUB’s behalf in another attempt to amend the covenant to allow for the seniors housing.

A letter of intent attached to the meeting agenda from Praxis said it had held an open house on Oct. 9, 2024 “to gather community input and ensure transparency around the project’s design and objectives.”

Invitees to the open house, they said, included the Prince George Council of Seniors, the Elder Citizens Recreation Association and Ginters Green Forever. The open house’s 11 attendees included three unnamed city councillors and Mayor Simon Yu.

Since previous attempts to have the project approved, Praxis said it had made several changes to the project design. That includes the addition of soil cells to manage stormwater, to reforest the northern property line, considering the future addition of more accessibility features as well as more parking spots.

The letter references the city’s 2021 housing needs report, which discusses the need for seniors’ housing.

City administration was recommending that council approve the change to the covenant, saying it was consistent with Prince George’s Official Community Plan, that it represents the redevelopment of existing vacant and underutilized sites as well as the housing needs report.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Council gives OK to mayor’s trip to Taiwan summit

No cost to taxpayers for Simon Yu to attend Smart City

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

Prince George’s mayor is looking to represent the city on the international stage.

At the first council meeting of 2025 on Monday, Jan. 13, Mayor Simon Yu said he has been invited to the Smart City Summit Expo in Taipei, Taiwan from March 18 to 22.

According to a letter from Lihsin Angel Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Vancouver, attached to the meeting agenda, the summit “will bring together municipal leaders from around the world to exchange ideas on how cities can leverage innovation to create renewable and sustainable urban environments.”

Taiwan would pay for mayor’s accommodations and reimburse him for his flights, meaning the trip would have no cost to Prince George taxpayers.

Prince George Airport Authority appoints interim president/CEO

CITIZEN STAFF

Sabrina Angus is the Prince George Airport Authority’s interim president and CEO, effective immediately.

Angus, a chartered professional in human resources, operational excellence and team development, has earned recognition for her contributions to both business and community, states the announcement. This includes being named to the Prince George Chamber of Commerce’s Top 40 Under 40 and receiving the BC Human Resources Management Association’s Rising Star Award.

She is replacing Gordon Duke, who retired at the end of 2024.

“We are confident that Ms. Angus has the right skills, abilities, and leadership qualities to guide our team during this transition period,” said Derek Dougherty, chair of the Prince George Airport Authority board. “Her leadership will

ensure continuity as we conduct a thorough search for a permanent CEO. We also extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Duke for his years of dedicated service to the airport community and beyond.”

Angus expressed her excitement at stepping into the role.

“I am honoured to lead the Prince George Airport Authority during this pivotal time,” she said. “I look forward to collaborating with our talented team, airport partners, and the community to build on the solid foundation laid by Mr. Duke. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition and supporting the organization’s goals and priorities.”

The airport authority operates the Prince George International Airport.

would give a report on what he learned during the summit at a future council meeting.

Coun. Garth Frizzell said that the city needs to do a “full court press” on economic development and praised Yu’s willingness to travel two months into a “new world order” — likely referring to the second presidency of Donald Trump which starts on Jan. 20.

Other councillors said they were in favour of the trip, largely for economic reasons.

Coun. Kyle Sampson said he wondered if it would make sense to send representatives from city administration on the trip, but Yu said he was concerned about the budgetary implications.

At the 2024 summit, Canadian representatives from Maple Ridge, Ottawa and Brandon, Man. attended. Once he has returned, Yu said he

However, the mayor said he had reached out to the provincial government to see if it was willing to assist with his trip.

A motion put forward from Coun. Brian Skakun signalling council’s support for the trip passed unanimously.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Prince George Mayor Simon Yu will represent Prince George at the Smart City Summit Expo in Taipei, Taiwan from March 18 to 22.

OPINION

Otway Nordic is an example of how it should be done

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Almost, but not quite.

One of the more charming things about Prince George is the city’s ability to plan, build, launch and enjoy impressive new recreational infrastructure that, usually, comes up just a bit short.

Like Masich Place Stadium. It’s a beautiful multi-use field with fan-friendly stands, located in a convenient mid-city location. It’s used for football, soccer, track and field and more. The problem? Its lack of parking and accessibility. Almost, but not quite.

How about the Civic Centre? Planned and built for competition basketball, it was never used for that purpose. Although the court is regulation size, there is not enough run-off space for player safety. Almost, but not quite.

The original Four Seasons Pool was built 15 centimetres too short for the requirement to be a competitive venue. Almost, but not quite.

For the new Aquatic Centre, the city did get the measurements correct for competition length lanes and diving facilities. The problem? There was no space provided for the spectators to watch those competition events. Almost, but not quite.

The Citizen baseball field in Carrie Jane Gray Park? Built with centre field being eight metres to short to meet international competition standards. Almost but not quite.

There is one significant exception to our history of “almost, but not quite.”

The Otway Nordic Centre is a model of how recreational infrastructure can succeed when city council, city staff and user groups work together. Once a very basic backwoods training ground for biathlon enthusiasts, the awarding of the 2015 Canada Winter Games created an opportunity. Ahead of the Winter Games, the user groups at Otway put a plan forward that they said would have a lasting legacy for our community.

Early comments by members of council and city staff were that their proposal represented too much of the total budget for all of the capital projects for the Winter Games.

The Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, led by Kevin Pettersen, was adamant that the project be completed as the user group proposed or there would be no legacy for our city.

Today, the Otway facility stands as one of Canada’s three premier biathlon venues, attracting national and international athletes, hosting major events and contributing to the city’s economic and cultural vitality.

Last week, 100 athletes from across the country gathered at Otway for the 2025 Biathlon Canada Junior/Youth World Championship trials. It is a moment that underscores just how far the facility has come since its early days when setup and takedown were manual, arduous tasks involving snowmobiles and makeshift equipment.

The facility’s journey from a rudimentary site to a world-class venue started with the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Followed by continuous improvements,

Centre on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

it continues to create a legacy of excellence in biathlon and cross-country skiing.

As Paul Collard, former president of Biathlon Canada, told The Citizen during the event, the Otway facility’s impressive infrastructure — including a 30-target biathlon range and superior snowmaking capabilities — offers distinct advantages over other major venues in Canada. These features, combined with the venue’s proximity to the city’s airport and affordable accommodations, position Prince George as a top destination for biathlon events. In fact, Otway is already on the radar for international competitions, with Collard noting that there is no reason why Prince George could not host a World Cup or IBU Cup race.

Behind the success of Otway is the vision and leadership of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, which has cultivated one of the largest and most successful volunteer-driven organizations in

Canada. The club’s foresight in developing infrastructure, from its state-ofthe-art shooting range to its year-round training facilities, has enabled it to host high-calibre events, such as the World Para Biathlon Championships and Para Nordic World Cup Finals.

The club’s consistent investment in long-term development has paid off and will continue to benefit the community for generations.

The Otway facility also highlights the broader value of well-planned infrastructure. A rich variety of winter and summer opportunities provide a draw for professionals, their families, and tourists alike, enriching the community and its economy.

In fact, the region’s accessible and affordable amenities are an attractive incentive for families considering Prince George as a place to work and live.

With the Otway Nordic Centre, our elected officials and city staff listened to the user groups.

The resulting facility has been a resounding success, and the legacy will continue for decades to come. This valuable lesson should be followed once more now that city council has given the go ahead for the next stage of the Civic Core Plan.

This time it’s Mike Hawes, of the Spruce Kings, and Eli Klasner, from the Community Arts Council, advocating for their user groups. Our city will be well served listening to their experience and creating a plan that fulfills their needs. Let’s build another lasting legacy, not another “almost but not quite.”

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CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Chelsea Nordiq athlete Zachary Connelly prepares his rifle at Otway Nordic

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Kennedy Gordon Managing Editor

OPINION

Clearer RCMP ride-along rules are harder to break

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Staff

A string of mistakes and a complete disregard for the rules led to Coun. Kyle Sampson to posting a selfie to Facebook wearing an official RCMP vest.

Sampson posted photos on his Facebook page Jan. 4 after he spent a night with local RCMP officers on patrol. One of these images, which has since been deleted, showed Sampson wearing a protective vest labeled “POLICE.”

The RCMP has acknowledged that this was a mistake.

Sampson had requested a nighttime ride-along, which meant fewer RCMP supervisors to call out the error before he buckled on the vest. As an unsworn civilian, Sampson should not have been issued that type of vest.

There is no argument that he should have had the protection; a nighttime RCMP ride-along in Prince George could have potential risks, but not one identifying him as “POLICE.”

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, the RCMP’s public affairs officer, explained that the proper protocol would have been for Sampson to wear an unmarked vest under his coat for his safety.

In the event of an emergency or confrontation, civilians wearing police-identifying gear could create concerns about optics and the potential for confusion and/or dangerous misunderstandings.

With mood lighting effects, Sampson snapped a selfie and posted it to Facebook, this despite signing an agreement not to share photos from the ride-along and being verbally reminded of it before the ride.

When asked, Sampson expressed that he didn’t think the photo would cause a problem.

The councillor, however, did indicate he would avoid such mistakes in the future, now acknowledging the rules regarding photo-sharing.

The intent behind the RCMP allowing such ride-alongs is to provide council members with a better understanding of

Prince George RCMP officers wearing frontline gear and emergency response uniforms work at a scene in this file photo. Knowing who is and who isn’t a police officer during a crisis is important.

the challenges faced by our local police officers. The events that unfolded raise questions about oversight, clarity of rules, and the need for more structured policies if they are to be a meaningful learning opportunity instead of a photo op.

City councillors need to understand their role in these ride-alongs and the limitations that come with them. The incident with Sampson exposes gaps in both oversight and accountability.

We should also point out the handsoff approach to this situation taken by the City of Prince George.

The city’s administration distanced itself from the incident, stating that the ride-along was organized directly

between the councillor and the RCMP.

This raises further concerns about the lack of clear policies regarding elected officials’ involvement with law enforcement.

While the RCMP is an independent federal agency, city council has direct input on the appointment of the superintendent and the budget for our local detachment.

This situation underscores the need for a formal policy regarding elected officials participating in ride-alongs with police officers. A clear set of rules should be established, beyond signing a document agreeing not to share photos from his ride-along.

Anyone familiar with trades is familiar

with the concept of a toolbox meetings. A quick checklist to familiarize yourself with a new working environment before commencing work as well as wearing the appropriate safety equipment for the job.

These tools could be easily adapted to create a more accountable policy regarding ride-alongs.

For the RCMP, this would mean a pre-ride-along checklist overseen by a supervisor before the officer and civilian depart.

Such a checklist would establish guidelines for participants, including elected officials, regarding photography, social media, and confidentiality. It should highlight appropriate use of equipment: no civilian may wear any gear, uniforms or vests, that may result in them being mistaken for law enforcement. Perhaps a vest with a patch reading “CIVILIAN” or “POLITICIAN” across the front could be required. Just as a “PRESS” marker has long been used by reporters.

For the city, policies for transparency, confidentiality, and answerability need to be established.

If the ride-along is to be a valuable and educational engagement between the city and the RCMP, elected officials should be required to report back on their experiences in a way that respects the confidentiality of police operations. To that end, the city must take an active role in ensuring that proper protocols are followed and hold all involved accountable.

This is about more than just one councillor not following the rules. It is about making sure there’s mutual respect, professionalism and transparency between elected officials and law enforcement.

The RCMP and the City of Prince George must step up and implement a policy that ensures the integrity and value of these ride-alongs and the safety of all those involved.

Have your say with a letter to the editor: editor@pgdaily.ca

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

OPINION

Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum has a new executive director

Fantastic news! I love this museum — it’s full of incredible artifacts, and the building itself is stunning.

Great to see someone with passion and museum experience stepping into this role.

Looking forward to seeing the great things ahead!

Partnerships with other community groups are key so it sounds like Baptiste already has the right idea!

S Goods

Editorial: Nothing wrong with asking Prince George’s experts first

Experts in general are usually focused on one side of an issue.

If one wants an expert opinion that is contrary to the first expert opinion, one needs to find another expert.

In the age of mass information there are all kinds of various forms of expert opinion.

In an interesting letter to the editor today that says being a Canadian today means being ‘one or the other’

In today’s world the variety of ‘expert’ opinion is ‘confusing’

It all depends on a person’s point of view.

The combined experts need to find common ground.

In the polarized Canada of today, common ground is illusive.

Waymar10@telus.net

Two people hit by vehicles in two days

While there is an automatic reaction to blame the vehicle driver, pedestrians also have to take some responsibility.

This time of year, inclement weather, slippery roads, and darkness all contribute to the possibility that a pedestrian could be missed.

We also have to be aware of people and electric mobility devices travelling along the road as sidewalks are sometimes inaccessible with snow and ice.

Many times we’ll see pedestrians wandering into the street without paying attention, assuming having the right-of-way means you don’t have to pay attention, crossing in the middle of the block popping out from between parked cars, staring at their phone, or attempting to cross against the light.

Whether driving, cycling or walking, we all need to be paying attention and be aware of our surroundings.

B1

Petition for Highway 16 wildlife safety reaches milestone

Sections of the Hart highway have no lighting and very difficult to see at night in the rain. Whose responsibility would this be, the province, the city or both?

Laurie Packman

The most pressing takeaway I got from this brief summary of the report is the aging infrastructure (storm drains, sanitary servers, and water flow).

Given the increase of forest fires the past few years I would hope the city develops a plan for upgrades before attending to the other infrastructure issues.

B1

New report outlines financial, infrastructure challenges for growth in PG

Why do we have upgrades? So we can sell the thought of increased usage due to “densification.”

Who pays for the upgrades to water flow, pipes, roads and such? The tax base.

The city needs to do three things. People need to pay full price for their service in and out of city limits and two make the city smaller so the sprawl stops.

Lastly really look at why we have so many staff getting $100k or more every year. I say no to tax increase for operating costs and find some efficiency in house.

CC Mail

To the players and coaches of the Spruce

Thank you for a remarkable entertaining weekend of hockey.

Friday Night-WOW, Saturday Night-WOW again.

Best two games in a row I have ever seen.

Hope this continues till end of season.

THANKS AGAIN. Here for the Beer

James Steidle: Let’s consider more reasonable options for the Civic Core Plan

Agreed. While an expansion or upgrades to the arts and recreation facilities go a long way to adding to the livability of a city, if it can’t be done within existing or a reworked budget it’s a concern.

We have to consider any necessary upgrades to infrastructure as detailed in the recent report detailing the aging storm drains, sanitary sewers and water mains as a higher priority.

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Spruce Kings score 7-4 win over Alberni Valley

Kings.

New report outlines financial, infrastructure challenges for growth in PG

RCMP more proactive in 2024, says officer-in-charge

COLIN SLARK Citizen Staff

A 30 per cent drop in the number of people imprisoned by Prince George RCMP isn’t being driven by any one specific trend, officer-in-charge Supt. Darin Rappel told city council at its Monday, Jan. 13 meeting.

Rappel was on hand to deliver a yearin-review on policing in the city in 2024.

The number of prisoners of the local RCMP increased from 2,950 in 2023 to 3,858 in 2024 — a five-year high.

Some of it is due to the work of the Mounties’ downtown safety unit being proactive in finding people wanted for arrest. Another batch is due to busts made by the Problem Oriented Policing Team.

Some of the prisoners are repeat offenders as well as people receiving help from local social services for whom prison is not the best place but keep ending up back there.

Up to two-thirds of the RCMP’s prisoners are intoxicated from one substance or another, Rappel said, with many of them on opioids. Currently, only one guard watches cells overnight, which the officer in charge called an operational risk that hiring a second guard would help with.

There was about a 15 per cent increase in charges forwarded to the Crown from 1,680 in 2023 to 1,928 in 2024. Again, Rappel said some of that is due to the work of the Problem Oriented Policing Team. and the downtown safety unit.

However, some of the increase is due to the partial rollback of the decriminalization of illicit drugs and a corresponding rise in drug charges.

Property offences were said to be trending downwards in all categories, especially mischief.

When it comes to other police files, Rappel said there’s been a decrease in calls related to mental health crises. This, he said, is because of more resources being available locally to help people before the police are called to intervene.

Looking specifically at downtown Prince George, Rappel said the Lower

Patricia Boulevard encampment — Moccasin Flats — has dwindled to just a few people.

While the RCMP will be available to assist the city if there’s a court-ordered shutdown of the encampment, Rappel said he wasn’t sure whether they would be needed when and if that point is reached, especially with the new transitional housing facility opening nearby on Third Avenue.

Again referring to the rollback of decriminalization, he said officers have had some additional work dealing with drug offences seen on downtown sidewalks.

Last July, a new mental health crisis

team called the Peer Assisted Crime Team was launched in Prince George. Soon, Rappel said, that team’s working hours will be increased to 12 hours per day.

Overall calls for service in downtown Prince George decreased in 2024 compared to 2023, but both years were higher than the number of calls in 2020 through 2022.

Addressing a downwards trend in mischief charges in the downtown, Rappel offered a couple of potential reasons. One is that there’s a fatigue among people who are tired of reporting these crimes. He also theorized that it could be due to the availability of housing

and services improving some potential perpetrators’ circumstances.

Use of a mental health app called HealthIM by police and Northern Health have helped reduce the number of arrests of people who need mental health services. Rappel said the province has taken notice of successes seen with the app and its use is being rolled out to other communities in BC’s north district.

Another program used by local RCMP is ReVOII — the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative. Rappel said he would like to return to council in six to nine months and provide an update on it.

Late last year, local Mounties started wearing body-worn cameras. While Rappel said he believed the use of the cameras would help resolve public complaints about officers more quickly and serve as a source of evidence that can be sent to Crown counsel, having to use the videos and manage the files is a source of extra work for the police that is still being adapted to.

In local schools, Rappel said his officers were going to step up the number of workshops it gives to local schools on the dangers of organized crime and drug trafficking. He said in one instance, trafficking led to a death of a local student last year.

After Rappel was done presenting, Mayor Simon Yu asked what role the police will serve when BC formally adopts involuntary care for people dealing with addictions or mental health crises.

Rappel said the RCMP won’t decide who is placed in involuntary care, but that they have a baseline of information that can be used to help inform decision-makers.

At the last meeting of 2024, city council approved a pilot program to help downtown businesses install security cameras.

Rappel said he’s looking forward to the cameras being installed, though he noted that his colleagues in Penticton have noted that their cameras don’t so much serve as deterrents to crime as much as sources of evidence.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY COLIN SLARK

Prince George RCMP officer-in-charge Supt. Darin Rappel gives a 2024 year-inreview presentation at the Monday, Jan. 13 city council meeting.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

Prince George RCMP officers surround a home on Cuddie Crescent on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 28. It was one of the police service’s more high-profile incidents in 2024.

Call for Expressions of Interest

Tabor Mountain Ski Area

The Province is initiating a call for Expressions of Interest, seeking parties who may be interested in operating the Tabor Mountain Ski Area.

Tabor is a small community ski area located 20km east of Prince George on Hwy 16. On-hill recreation infrastructure includes a chairlift, T-bar, ski runs and trails, large workshop/maintenance building, ski patrol and first aid building and several smaller out-buildings. The Province is seeking Expressions of Interest from parties interested in pursuing an Operating Agreement with the Province with the intent to work towards reopening and operating Tabor under the All-Seasons Resort Policy.

The Province invites interested parties to submit an Expression of Interest. For contact information and details on the requirements for submissions visit: https://ow.ly/vj2B50U7g0T

The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest is February 14, 2025.

Inquiries on submitting an Expression of Interest should be directed to the Mountain Resorts Branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport at mountainresortsbranch@gov.bc.ca or by phone at 250 371-3952.

Disclaimer This advertisement is part of the Call for Expression of Interest process. It does not constitute approval of development by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. Should the Province select a successful proponent, they will be asked to prepare a draft Master Plan and apply for an Operating Agreement, at which time public engagement will be initiated.

Two Pine Centre stores face closure

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Bad news for any shoppers at Pine Centre Mall - Ricki’s may be shutting down soon.

Vancouver-based Comark Holdings, the parent company of Bootlegger and Ricki’s parent company, announced on Tuesday, Jan. 7 that it will enter a period of creditor protection. That means that Comark Holdings’ assets are protected from creditors’ claims in bankruptcy or from lawsuits aimed at recovering debt.

Bootlegger is reportedly going to be restructured.

The situation is due to several reasons, including years of financial strain after COVID-19, a ransomware attack, supply chain issues and competition from online ultra-low-cost brands like Temu and Shein, Comark Holdings stated in a news release.

“After careful consideration of all reasonably available options, the company has determined that it is in the best interests of its stakeholders to wind down its Ricki’s and Cleo operations and to close all Ricki’s and Cleo retail store locations,” stated Comark Holdings in a press release “The company will continue to explore opportunities with respect to Bootlegger through the Companies Creditor Arrangement Act process, which will include reducing its retail footprint to better position the company in today’s retail environment.”

Comark Holdings is seeking a further court order approving the full liquidation of all Ricki’s and Cleo’s and a select number of Bootlegger stores. These stores will however remain open until the decision is finalized.

Most Bootlegger stores will be restructured, the company stated. It is unclear what this means for the Bootlegger in Pine Centre Mall at this time.

One Ricki’s employee told The Citizen they were “shocked and disappointed, both as an employee and as a customer in Prince George.”

The stores’ customers will have until Jan. 17 to return items, use gift cards and redeem or receive loyalty points.

This is not the first time Comark Holdings has entered creditor protection, as the company also filed for these protections during COVID-19 and lost more than 50 storefront locations during the pandemic.

Currently, Ricki’s employs ten people in Prince George while six people work Bootleggers.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY MATTHEW HILLIER

Ricki’s is located in the Pine Centre Mall.

Petition for Jail Hill wildlife safety reaches milestone

A local woman launched it after trying to help one of the many deer that have been hit on Highway 16

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

If you have been living in Prince George you may have noticed dead animals in the ditch on the 3.1-kilometre stretch between Yellowhead Bridge and Boundary Hill.

This infamous spot is a frequent wildlife crossing location. Even more worryingly, the 3.1 km is almost pitch black at night due to a lack of streetlights, making wildlife collisions even more likely.

This is worsened when dangerous weather conditions like fog roll in. Drivers have reported near-zero visibility when driving in fog at night on the stretch of highway.

A collision with a deer on Nov. 28 saw Natalie Anthony, along with other bystanders, divert traffic and stay by the deer until it succumbed to its injuries. However, just a few hours later, another deer was struck and killed on the same patch of road.

The next day Anthony started an online petition, addressed to B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

It seeks to address the lack of visibility at night, the lack of roadside fencing for wildlife and generally to increase safety along the stretch.

The petition brings together photos showing areas of concern and wildlife collisions. It also has accounts of travellers who have hit wildlife or seen wildlife be hit.

Since the petition started on Nov. 29, three deer and a moose have been hit crossing the road, with many more unconfirmed reports of deer and moose collisions in the same timeframe coming

Downtown PG executive director

Colleen Van Mook is retiring

MATTHEW

HILLIER Citizen Staff

After nearly a decade of loyal and passionate service, the executive director of Downtown Prince George is announcing her retirement.

“It has been an honour to serve as executive director of Downtown Prince George. I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited for the future of this vibrant community,” stated Colleen Van Mook. “I have a lot of people to thank for joining me in our efforts to improve and promote Prince George’s downtown. Most especially the property and business owners who commit themselves to their business day in and day out.”

Van Mook’s contributions towards the prosperity and growth of Downtown PG include the Clean & Safe Programs, which cleaned up more than 8,300 needles and 4,700 biohazards from the

from social media posts talking about the petition.

One anonymous commenter on the petition shared this as their reason for signing: “This area is poorly lit and needs better signage. It’s never improved since I’ve lived here. It saddens me to see how much wildlife has been hit over the years.”

Another anonymous commenter even stated that they turned down a job at the BC Regional Correctional Centre due to the road conditions.

Many more commenters told of times when they have witnessed or been involved in wildlife collisions on Jail Hill.

The petition itself gained more than 800 signatures in little over a week of its start, and more recently in the New Year, the petition has broken the 1,000-signatures milestone.

Besides social media attention and the signature count the petition has caused recent positive change.

Travellers going up Jail Hill may have

It saddens me to see how much wildlife has been hit over the years.”

recently noticed newly installed deer crossing signs.

These new signs were placed on both ends of the hill on Dec. 16, less than a month after the initial petition was started.

According to the petition, Anthony has been in contact with the Yellowhead Road & Bridge association which has acknowledged the safety concerns and confirmed communication with the Ministry of Transportation to explore installing new lights and signage.

The petition is still ongoing and is currently aiming to break 1,500 signatures. If you are interested in supporting the petition it can be found on Change.org.

streets. She has also been commended for fostering partnerships with the city.

“Colleen’s leadership has been instrumental in the creation and expansion of the programs that we offer.

We’ve made great progress as an organization in her time here,” said Eoin Foley, board president.

“Her vision and commitment have truly been an inspiration to us all. We wish her and her family the very best as she embarks on this new life journey.”

Downtown PG’s board of directors is searching for a new executive director.

They have noted that the search process will be thorough and inclusive, and are welcoming applications, with details to come.

Van Mook

Collision closes busy Ospika/Massey intersection

A busy city intersection was blocked by a collision shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. Police and firefighters were at the scene - the intersection of Ospika Boulevard and Massey Drive - and working to assist after at least two vehicles collided in the middle of the crossroads.

RCMP has safety reminders after two people hit by vehicles

CITIZEN STAFF

2025 Budget Deliberations

The Board of Directors start 2025 budget deliberations on Friday January 24, 2025 at 9 am. The Committee of the Whole agenda with budget details will be on rdffg.ca by January 16. Individuals and organizations can comment on this budget by:

• addressing the Board of Directors at the January 24 meeting (register in advance at 250-960-4444 or 1-800-667-1959)

• emailing budget@rdffg.bc.ca

Registrations or emailed comments must be received by January 23 at 12 pm.

Sign up for news and notices at rdffg.ca/subscribe

Police in Prince George are urging both drivers and pedestrians to exercise caution following two pedestrian-involved vehicle incidents over the span of two days.

Both happened when the pedestrians were crossing a street.

The first occurred Wednesday, Jan. 8, just after 4:30 p.m., when a pedestrian was struck in a crosswalk at the intersection of Second Avenue and Victoria Street.

The pedestrian suffered serious injuries and was transported to hospital by Emergency Health Services.

Police say the driver is fully co-operating with the ongoing investigation.

A second incident took place Thursday, Jan. 9, shortly before 8 a.m., when another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while crossing 15th Avenue near Patricia Boulevard.

The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital by paramedics.

The driver in this case is also co-operating with the investigation, which is still ongoing.

“We want to remind drivers and pedestrians alike that road safety is everyone’s concern,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP.

“Especially during our lengthy winter months, where we still have dark hours lasting into the morning and beginning early in the afternoon, we all need to take extra precautions to enhance the safety of pedestrians using the roadway.”

Cooper stressed the importance of double-checking that intersections are fully cleared before proceeding, wearing reflective clothing when walking in the dark and avoiding distractions while on the road.

CITIZEN

Fire Chief Cliff Warner announces his retirement

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Prince George fire Chief Cliff Warner is calling it a career.

After 29 years on the job with Prince George Fire Rescue, Warner is retiring so he can spend more time with his family, including three grandchildren. His last day on the job will be May 30.

Warner took over as chief from John Iverson in January 2022, at the tail end of COVID-19 pandemic, and oversaw the transformation as frontline firefighters became tasked more often as first responders to medical calls heightened in recent years by the opioid crisis. He also held a leadership role as deputy chief during the wildfire evacuations of 2017 and 2018.

Warner also was one of the dozens of firefighters called to the North Central Plywood fire in 2008, which ranks as one of the largest fires in the city’s history. That disastrous blaze in the BCR Site destroyed the plant where Warner used to work as a student.

Warner was a key figure in putting

out figurative fires while organizing the department’s move to the new Fire Hall No. 1 on Massey Drive in January 2021,

which significantly improved the dayto-day operations for the 130-employee PGFR - another of his career highlights.

“Something that rings true to me is the camaraderie, collaboration, and teamwork that have made my time with Prince George Fire Rescue so special,” Warner said, in a City of Prince George release.

“I feel blessed to have been a part of this team. I’ve worked with many great people over the years, learned a lot, and hope I’ve been able to share some of my knowledge in return.”

Warner was selected as the city’s 11th fire chief since it became a full-time position in the 1950s.

Mayor Simon Yu said Warner excelled at his job leading the department as a vital provider of emergency medical and fire protection services.

“We are deeply thankful for Chief Warner’s decades of service,” said Yu. “As mayor, and on behalf of the citizens of Prince George, we appreciate his tireless work under challenging circumstances, particularly in recent years. He has earned the utmost respect from all of us.”

The hunt for a new fire chief will begin shortly, according to a city release.

Bryan Burleigh and Clayton Sheen currently serve as deputy chiefs.

Sharp rise in counterfeit cash reported in Prince George

CITIZEN STAFF

Check your wallets - counterfeit cash is circulating in Prince George.

The local RCMP detachment has issued an advisory to retailers and other businesses who take cash transactions to pay extra attention to what people are handing them after a significant increase in reports of fake Canadian currency, particularly $20 and $50 bills.

“Where we would typically see one to two reports of counterfeit bills each month in Prince George, since Dec. 1 we have received 17 reports, so that’s quite a spike in counterfeit bills going around the city,” states Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the local RCMP detachment.”

Police say some of the bills appear to be imitation money that could be used, for example, in classrooms, while others were made with photocopiers.

Using fake currency is illegal.

Workers who suspect a counterfeit bill is being offered as payment are advised to assess the situation to ensure that they are not at risk.

Then, police say, do this:

• Politely refuse the bill and explain that you suspect that it may be counterfeit

• Ask for another bill,and check it, too

• Advise the person to have the bill looked at by police

• Inform police of a possible attempt to pass suspected counterfeit money.

• Be courteous. Remember that the person in possession of the bill may not realize it’s fake, say police.

For more information on how to detect counterfeit currency, visit the Bank of Canada’s website.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE PHOTO

Cliff Warner is retiring this year as Prince George fire chief. His last day on the job at the helm of Prince George Fire Rescue is May 30.

RCMP PHOTO

There has been a significant increase in the number of counterfeit Canadian bills reported in Prince George in January 2025.

Hunter found not guilty of violating judge’s order

The accused was never told about a mixup with the original order

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

What a judge agreed to in writing mattered more than what he said in court.

Self-represented hunter Richard Dawson Smith was found not guilty on Friday, Jan. 10 in Prince George Provincial Court of violating a judge’s order more than two years ago.

When Smith pleaded guilty Dec. 13, 2022 to hunting on cultivated land in November 2020, Judge Oliver Fleck fined him $1,200 and ordered him to re-take the provincially required Conservation Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) safety and ethics course prior to March 31, 2023.

That was the expiry date for his winter seasonal hunting licence.

Fleck signed the order, negotiated by Smith and Crown counsel, which allowed Smith to keep hunting.

But, in her oral judgment, Judge Cassandra Malfair said: “when articulating his reasons, Judge Fleck left out the qualification that the requirement to take the CORE hunting course before March 31 was tied to his ability to hunt after March 31.”

On Dec. 28, 2022, just over two weeks after the guilty plea, Smith hunted and shot a lynx.

That led to a May 2024 charge for violating the court order.

Malfair said that Conservation Officers had learned about Fleck’s order and sought to have it amended. A new form of the order, without reference to Smith hunting after March 31, 2023, was drafted and submitted to Fleck without notice to Smith.

The amended order was filed in September 2023. Smith had retaken CORE in April of that year, rather than

A hunter was accused of violating a judge’s order because of an error in the issuing of the original order, a Prince George court has decided. He was found not guilty.

by the end of March, due to course availability.

“I am satisfied Mr. Smith has proven, on a balance of probabilities, the defence of honest but mistaken belief of facts,” Malfair said.

“In fact, it is my belief that Judge Fleck simply misspoke when he orally articulated the CORE course order and

did not intend to change the sentence proposed by the Crown.”

Malfair said it was clear that Fleck intended to impose the sentence negotiated between the parties. Had he rejected their joint submission, they would have been allowed to make further submissions.

Also, if Fleck had intended for Smith to cease hunting until retaking CORE, he would not have included the specific date.

“I find it reasonable that a person in Mr. Smith’s position would believe the order he was bound by was the one reflected in the written document signed by the judge, which was the subject of the joint submission in which he’d been provided,” Malfair said.

“Mr. Smith had never been put on notice that there was a discrepancy between what the judge had said and what was recorded in the written form of order.”

Guilty plea in drug case

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

NOTICE OF Information

Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 3371, 2024

Subject property: 18200 Robyn Way

Purpose: rezone the property to allow two Single-Family Residential dwellings

Next steps: the Regional District Board will consider first reading of Bylaw No. 3371, 2024 on Thursday January 23, 2025 at 1:30 pm in the Regional District Board Room at 155 George Street, Prince George BC For more details visit rdffg.ca/landuseapps

A woman caught with nearly half-a-kilogram of cocaine more than four years ago pleaded guilty Monday, Jan. 13 to possession for the purpose of trafficking in B.C. Supreme Court in Prince George.

Robyn Ann Bradley, 36, and co-accused Daryl Michael Tugnum, 56, were originally scheduled for their trial to begin Jan. 6. But Tugnum elected for his case to be sent to Provincial Court, where a disposition hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28.

Bradley’s trial was delayed a week to accommodate the schedule of Crown witnesses. But defence lawyer Jason LeBlond told Justice Marguerite Church that his client would change her plea to the charge under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

In reading a summary of the case, federal prosecutor Mansi Khajuria

told Church that “Bradley emerged as another suspected drug trafficker” during a fall 2020 investigation by the Prince George RCMP Street Crew.

When officers focused on Bradley for numerous days in November 2020, they observed her make short-duration stops consistent with drug-trafficking and visits to a suspected safe house. The surveillance coupled with vehicle tracking data led police to develop grounds for Bradley’s arrest on Dec. 3, 2020 while she was alone in a black GMC Canyon pickup truck. Drugs were found.

Police later weighed the exhibit and confirmed it was 493.98 grams of cocaine, with a purity ranging from 78 per cent to 91 per cent. According to street prices at the time, that much cocaine would have fetched between $17,289 and $49,398, Khajuria said.

Police also found a bag of 7.5 counterfeit pills of the opioid painkiller Percocet and a tube of suspected cannabis.

Man pleads guilty to Fort St. James trailer park murder

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A B.C. Supreme Court judge in Prince George heard Friday, Jan. 10 that a dispute over allegedly stolen firearms spiralled out of control and led to the murder of a man in a Fort St. James trailer park almost three years ago.

Thomas Kaylan Frank Duncan, 32, maintained he was not guilty of the first degree murder of John Louis Lazarre and had elected for a trial by judge and jury. But he pleaded guilty to the lesser and included charge of second degree murder and will be sentenced at a date to be determined.

“The Crown evidence establishes the essential elements, the second degree murder of John Lazarre and that Thomas Duncan intentionally caused his death by shooting him in the head without justification on Feb. 25, 2022,” said Crown prosecutor Robert Climie, reading from the statement of facts that Duncan earlier signed.

Court heard that Lazarre, 36, and his wife, who was a cousin to Duncan, allowed Duncan in the summer of 2021 to reside in a cabin at Middle River while he recovered from drug addictions. But, in September of that year, firearms were stolen from the cabin and Lazarre believed Duncan to have been

responsible.

During the next several months, Lazarre confronted Duncan about the firearms theft, causing Duncan to feel threatened.

At a Feb. 25, 2022 wake for Duncan’s sister, Lazarre spoke with Duncan. Before 11 p.m. that night, Lazarre and his wife were driven to a mobile home park in Fort St. James looking for Duncan, who they belivied was visiting Trailer 18.

Lazarre and his wife entered the trailer at 11:10 p.m., confronted Duncan and threatened to return with a firearm. When they left, some of the trailer’s occupants packed up and exited. Duncan and two associates remained to

prepare firearms for the couple’s return.

At 11:22 p.m., “Thomas Duncan climbed a ladder onto the roof of the trailer, carrying a .30-30, Winchester lever action rifle,” Climie said. Seven minutes later, the Lazarres approached the trailer unarmed.

With his wife “slightly preceding him, John Lazarre walked towards the entrance to the trailer and was shot in the head by Thomas Duncan from the roof of the trailer with the .30-30 rifle.”

She turned to her fallen husband, tried to help him and eventually called 911.

Immediately after Duncan’s initial shot, the Lazarres’ driver returned fire into the front window of the trailer,

using a shotgun he took from the Lazarres’ truck. Duncan and associates fled the scene, but police arrested them nearby.

Police found two spent shell casings on the roof of the trailer, the rifle, ammunition and clothing abandoned by Duncan. Climie said there was video surveillance footage from inside and outside the trailer, but it did not have an audio track.

A post mortem confirmed Lazarre died of a gunshot wound to the head.

North District Major Crime Unit officers arrested Duncan on April 25, 2023 and he was charged with the murder.

Justice Ronald Tindale confirmed with Duncan that he made the guilty plea voluntarily, admitted to the facts and gave up his right to a trial. Tindale also confirmed that Duncan knew he would be sentenced to mandatory life in prison with no parole for at least 10 years.

Tindale ordered pre-sentencing reports, including a psychiatric assessment and an analysis of the influence of Duncan’s Indigenous heritage. The next court date is April 7 to schedule a sentencing hearing.

A sheriff led Duncan, dressed in orange jail garb, out of the courtroom as a distraught woman sobbed in the gallery.

Curfew for man who threatened to kill woman while drunk

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Provincial Court judge sentenced a Prince George man to 12 months curfew on Monday, Jan. 6 for uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, contravening firearms storage regulations and breaching a recognizance order.

David Hartung, 60, pleaded guilty to the charges stemming from a May 1, 2024 incident. Court heard that a woman called Prince George RCMP after Hartung threatened to use a baseball bat or gun to kill her. An officer

found three firearms on the property of Hartung, who was intoxicated.

Judge Martin Nadon issued a 12-month conditional sentence order, requiring Hartung to obey the law, remain in B.C. and stay in his residence from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, except for a medical emergency. Nadon banned him from possessing firearms for five years and said he must not possess or consume drugs or alcohol, except for a medical prescription. He must also attend a counselling program as directed by a conditional sentence officer.

Hartung’s lawyer, David Jenkins,

described his client as a class 1 truck driver who has struggled with alcoholism, but is undergoing treatment through Northern Health.

“This is a gentleman who, now at the age of 60, has more or less steered clear of finding himself in trouble, but for acouple of instances when alcohol got the better of him,” Jenkins said.

Nadon said the sentence “speaks to three principles,” denunciation, deterrence and rehabilitation. He did not agree with the six-month house arrest and six-month curfew proposed by Crown prosecutor Simran Rai.

“I think it’s important that he be out

doing constructive things during the day and not locked down on the property,” Nadon said. “This would encourage him to continue with his counselling and also to get back to work as soon as possible, and begin again providing for the family.”

The court heard from the woman, who said “hopefully we can work it out peacefully and be friends.”

Nadon said Hartung may continue to have contact with the woman, only with her express consent. If she or a peace officer requests otherwise, he must stop all contact and communication with her.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

A 2022 murder case ended with a guilty plea in Prince George court on Friday, Jan. 10.

DEVELOPMENT OF A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN

APPLICATION NUMBER: FOR-N-PMP-2025-2030

Applicant:

Ministry of Forests, Range Branch 441 Columbia Street, Kamloops, B.C., V2C 2T3

Contact:

Email: invasive.plants@gov.bc.ca | Phone number: 250 219-3349

Members of the public are invited to comment on a multi-agency Pest Management Plan (PMP) for Northern B.C. The purpose of the proposed PMP is to manage invasive plants on provincial public land under the jurisdiction of the Ministries of Forests; Transportation and Transit; Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and Environment and Parks in Northern B.C. The proposed PMP applies to areas located in the Regional Districts of: Bulkley-Nechako, Fraser-Fort George, Kitimat-Stikine, North Coast (excluding Haida Gwaii), Peace River, Stikine and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.

The pest management methods proposed for use within the area to which the PMP applies include mechanical and biological control, and the use of herbicides. The active ingredients and examples of trade names of the herbicides proposed for use under this plan include: aminocyclopyrachlor (Truvist, Navius VM); aminopyralid (Milestone, Restore II, Restore NXT, Clearview and Reclaim II A); chlorsulfuron (Truvist); clopyralid (Lontrel XC); dicamba (Dyvel, Vanquish, Banvel); diflufenzopyr (Overdrive); flazasulfuron (LongRun); flumioxazin and pyroxasulfone (Torpedo); fluroxypyr (Starane, Pulsar); glyphosate (Roundup WeatherPro, Vantage Plus Max/VPM II, Vantage XRT, Roundup Transorb HC); 2,4-D (2,4-D Amine 600, Reclaim II B, Restore B, Grazon XC); halosulfuron (Sandea WG); imazapyr (Arsenal, ArsenalPowerline, Habitat); indaziflam (Esplanade SC); MCPA (DyVel); mecoprop-p (Dyvel DSp); metsulfuron-methyl (Escort, Clearview, Reclaim A, Navius VM); picloram (Tordon 22K, Grazon XC, Tordon 101); propyzamide (Kerb SC); florpyrauxifen-benzyl (Rinskor, Milestone NXT, Restore NXT); rimsulfuron (Prism); and triclopyr (Garlon RTU, Garlon XRT, Triclopyr 480).

Herbicides will be applied using selective application methods such as wick/ wipe-on, stem injection, ground vehicle mounted sprayers and backpack or handheld sprayers. Aerial application is not permitted under this PMP.

The proposed duration of the PMP is from May 12, 2025 - May 12, 2030.

A draft copy of the proposed PMP is available at gov.bc.ca/invasive-species

A person wishing to contribute information about a proposed treatment area, relevant to the development of the pest management plan, may send copies of the information to the applicant at the address or email address above within 30 days of the publication of this notice.

Judge sentences local drug dealer’s driver

BOB MACKIN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Provincial Court judge sentenced a Prince George woman on Wednesday, Jan. 8 to two years less a day, to be served in the community, for possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking.

Under Judge David Simpkin’s conditional sentence order, Robin Taralee Leveille, 33, will spend 10 months in house arrest, with limited allowance to leave her residence, then another 10 months on an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. curfew.

Leveille was charged in September 2023, almost two years after her arrest with co-accused Sebastian Gordon Goudreau, 36. Goudreau, her former boyfriend, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 11, according to the online court database.

Court heard that Prince George RCMP had Goudreau and Leveille under surveillance for nearly two months when they spotted Leveille’s black Chevy pickup truck at a gas station on Nov. 4, 2021. They arrested Goudreau inside the gas station and Leveille in the passenger seat of the pickup.

Leveille was wearing a fanny pack that contained somebody else’s identification and $340 in cash. Police seized a black backpack from the centre rear passenger area of the pickup. Inside the backpack was a small, hard-shelled case containing 133.4 grams of methamphetamine and 34.32 grams of fentanyl.

A further 1.5 grams of fentanyl in a vial was found on Leveille in the police cells.

Federal Crown prosecutor Amritpal Gill said the RCMP began the investigation on Sept. 8, 2021 “based on jail phone calls with his recently incarcerated boss, during which they discussed Mr. Goudreau taking over the business.”

Gill detailed milestones in the surveillance operation, which included street crew officers witnessing Leveille transporting Goudreau to various locations, moving bags inside and outside buildings, and meeting with drug traffickers

known to police.

Gill said Abbotsford Police stopped the pair in Leveille’s pickup truck on Sept. 20, 2021.

“They could not advise the police why they were in the Lower Mainland at that time, and the police believed that they had travelled south to obtain a supply of drugs to bring back to Prince George.”

Three days later, Gill said, police obtained a warrant to seek data from Leveille’s truck.

Among other things, it showed that, on Oct. 27, the pickup stopped at the tent city homeless camp.

Gill said Leveille “was involved with the wrong person and was involved, for the most part, trying to support her own addiction issue. Crown submits that the co-accused in this matter was the bigger fish of the operation.”

After double-checking the quantity, Simpkin remarked: “That’s a lot of fentanyl, and we all know how dangerous that drug is here in British Columbia. “But the mitigating factors here far outweigh the aggravating factors.”

Simpkin noted Leveille’s guilty plea, entered last July, the state of instability and homelessness throughout her life and her desire to change her lifestyle.

Simpkin cited a pre-sentence report that showed Leveille’s Indigenous mother and Metis father’s substance abuse affected her to the point that she began drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at age 13.

Leveille eventually became addicted to opiates. Simpkin said she uses drugs to treat her depression, but it worsens her depression.

Simpkin said Leveille must obey the law, remain in B.C, except with prior written permission of her sentence supervisor, and undergo a treatment program.

“What’s important here is that you focus on your health and well-being, and a healthy Ms. Leveille won’t be back in court, I would imagine,” Simpkin told her. “So let’s focus on that.”

Forestry company breached workers’ privacy: Court

BOB MACKIN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A division of a forestry and construction company with an office in Prince George lost a review of an arbitrator’s decision that awarded fallers $4,000 each for breach of privacy.

BC Labour Relations Board associate chair Andres Barker dismissed the application by Rehn Enterprises Ltd. on Jan. 6. Rehn disagreed with last July’s decision by an arbitrator against the use of rear-facing dash cameras in company vehicles. It argued that the award was inconsistent with the Labour Relations Code and wanted the matter deferred pending a decision by the Court of Appeal.

Rehn is part of the Kamloops-headquartered Roga Group, which operates in Prince George, Houston and Campbell River. At issue was the installation of dash cameras in the company’s fourwheel drive pickups in Campbell River,

where Rehn is a falling contractor for Western Forest Products.

Rehn began installing the dash cameras in February 2023, prompting the United Steelworkers, Local 1-1937 (USW) to file a grievance the next month.

It was referred to arbitration in April 2023 and, in September of that year, Rehn gave the union the dash camera policy and procedure, which stated the purpose for the rear-facing dash camera included “road conditions not seen by the forward-facing camera” and monitoring “distractions in cab – eating, texting, smoking, horseplay.”

The company did not enforce it, pending the award decision.

USW did not take issue with collection of GPS information or video from the forward-facing cameras while the crew bus was in motion. Its grievance was about the audio and video collected by the rear-facing camera and video by the forward-facing camera while the vehicle

Regional district adopts new voting transparency bylaw

A forestry and construction company has lost a review of an arbitrator’s decision that found the firm breached workers’ privacy.

was idle.

The company argued that consent was not required because the purpose of the dash cameras related to road safety. During the arbitration, its four witnesses included Roga president Troy Young.

Arbitrator Jacquie de Aguayo found that the “overarching purpose for the surveillance is to monitor the fallers’ conduct, including for discipline. This is a purpose with a tenuous and speculative link to safety and is unreasonable.”

De Aguayo ruled that the company failed to give the union and workers notice of installation and decided the use of the rear-facing dash cameras was contrary to the Personal Information Protection Act. She ordered Rehn to turn off the rear-facing cameras, delete images collected and pay $4,000 in general damages to each faller.

Barker wrote that the arbitrator’s decision was “reasoned in how it made relevant findings and reached the conclusion that the fallers’ consent was required for the collection of information captured by the dash cams.

“I am therefore unable to find there is an error for the reasons stated by the employer and I also dismiss this ground of review,” Barker concluded.

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors adopted a bylaw amendment requiring that votes in opposition be recorded in meeting minutes by default at their December board meeting.

The adoption of the amendment follows months of discussion about how recording votes may affect transparency and directors’ privacy, the first version of the amendment having been discussed in August.

That first version was narrowly dismissed by the board in a 7-6 vote on the grounds that disclosing how directors vote may lead to more harassment from constituents and media, as well as concerns that the practice may discourage directors from voting in the minority. In response to these concerns, Director

Kyle Sampson tweaked the amendment so directors could opt out of having their “no” vote recorded, though opposing votes will still be recorded by default.

The board gave first, second and third reading to this amendment during their November meeting.

The board officially adopted the amended bylaw on December 19th.

Electoral Area H Director Dannielle Alan, who has previously spoken to The Goat about her opposition to the bylaw, reiterated her concerns.

“I was one of the few that voted in opposition [during the November meeting], and I was contacted by a local paper,” Alan said. “It proves my point that this is an opportunity to exacerbate divisions, instead of providing transparency.”

The amended bylaw took effect immediately upon adoption.

ACCESS 2025 PROPERTY VALUES

Search and compare property assessment information at bcassessment.ca

If you’re among BC’s approximately 2 million property owners, visit bcassessment.ca to find your updated property assessment information. The 2025 assessments are based on market value as of July 1, 2024. Have questions or want more information? Visit us online at bcassessment.ca or contact us at 1-866-valueBC. The deadline to file an appeal for your assessment is January 31, 2025.

ABIGAIL POPPLE Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

What’s happening in PG

Colour & Shades in Acrylic Workshop goes Saturday, January 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. This free workshop offers a chance to learn how to mix colours, balance light and dark in painting and blend acrylic paints with selftaught artist Linda Abbott. To register send an email to info@ominecaartscentre.com

Petty Boy Osley – Tear Me Apart Tour goes Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kinsmen Community Complex. Petty blends lyrical depth, melodic hooks, and genre-bending beats, fusing, introspective storytelling, and sonic experimentation. For tickets visit www. eventbrite.ca/e/petty-boy-osley-tear-meapart-tour-prince-george.

30+ Welcome to the ‘90s night! Goes Saturday, Jan. 18 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Underground Show and Bar, 1177 Third Ave. Dust off your flannel shirts and combat boots because the event is throwing it back to the best decade ever. Get ready to groove to favourite ‘90s hits, from grunge to hip-hop to pop. Don’t forget to rock your scrunchies and fanny packs - the 90’s fashion is making a comeback! Tickets are $30 at www.eventbrite.ca/e/30-club-night-welcome-to-the-90s-tickets

Stand Up Comedy goes Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. at Trench Brewing, 399 Second Ave. OK, DOPE is proud to presents Brittany Lyseng (Just for Laughs, Roast Battle Canada) and Faris Hytiaa (Just for Laughs, CBC). Hosted by Nash Park (JFL Vancouver). Come hang for an evening of laughs with some of Canada’s best comedians. Tickets at tickets.ok-dope.com/e/ brittany-lyseng-and-faris-hytiaa.

Surrey Eagles at Prince George Spruce Kings goes Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena, 888 Dominion St. For tickets visit www. sprucekings.bc.ca/.

Robbie Burns Celebration goes Thursday, Jan. 23 at Nellie’s Pub, 2280 John Hart Hwy. Presented by the Prince George Pipe Band, the event includes piping, drumming, Highland dance and haggis. Tickets are $10 available

“Cheetahbear” Jude Dawkins falls onto an immobile Barlow Creek Butcher during their Northwestern Title Match at Primetime Wrestling’s Main Event at the Kin Centre on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Prince George, B.C. Primetime Entertainment offers another two nights of action Jan. 24 and 25 at the Civic Centre.

at Nellie’s and at 203-1378 Fifth Ave.

Doors open at 6, Toast to the Haggis at 6:30p.m. For more information contact vhawke10@gmail.com.

Kiwanis Alefest 2025 goes Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25 with afternoon and evening tasting sessions on both days at Two Rivers Gallery. Kiwanis AleFest will host craft breweries, cideries, and several local restaurants during the event which features more than 50 different craft beverages to sample, complementary local food, a silent auction, 50/50 draws, music, and more. For more information and tickets visit www.kiwanisalefest.ca/tickets.

Live Pro Wrestling presented by

artist Kobe Antoine of the Lake Babine Nation. There will be a game worn jersey auction, live performances by Indigenous groups & artists on both nights. Artisan vendors & performers throughout the arena. Jersey raffle – win one of three Indigenous jerseys. Autograph signing with the Cougars after Saturday’s game, presented by CIBC. On Friday the Cats face-off against the Brandon Wheat Kings and on Saturday they go up against Kamloops Blazers. For tickets visit ticketsnorth.evenue.net/events/CSG.

Robbie Burns Night goes Saturday, Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Coast Hotel, 770 Brunswick St. This is a fantastic celebration of Scottish culture. The Prince George Symphony Orchestra hosts this traditional fundraising event featuring dinner, a fun Salute to the Haggis and lively Highland dancing. For tickets and more information visit https://pgso. com/concerts/robbie_burns_2/141

Primetime Entertainment goes Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25 with VIP doors at 5:45 p.m., general admission doors at 6:30 and bell dings at 7 p.m. at the Prince George Civic Centre. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Scrapbook Zone on 18th Ave, J&A Stereo+. General tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. VIP tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

Prince George Cougars Indigenous Weekend goes Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25, presented by Four Rivers Co-op and PRD Construction. Fast-paced hockey meets the vibrant cultures of Northern BC, including special Indigenous jerseys designed by Dakelh fine

Tapestry Singers Silent Auction and Dinner Fundraiser goes Saturday, Jan. 25 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Columbus Community Centre, 7201 St. Lawrence Ave. There will be a performance by the Tapestry Seniors Singers along with the dinner and silent auction. Net proceeds will support the Tapestry Senior Singers’ March 2025 trip to the Kamloops Performing Arts Festival and their April 2026 trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountain Festival in Banff. There are Swiss chocolate door prizes and a cash bar. Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased by emailing carolynduerksen@gmail.com.

2025 Vintage Snow Machine Show and Shine goes Sunday, Jan. 26 at the PG Snowmobile Club, 12000 Scott Road. Registration is at 10 a.m. for racers it’s $2. Race starts at 11 a.m. Vintage ride is on Schlitt trail that takes about 45 minutes. Noon is the show and shine, with awards and prizes presented at 4 p.m. Prizes for best vintage sled, best vintage mountain modified, best vintage mountain attire. There is a concession, 50/50 draw, firepit and social from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Fantasy Fantasie Faculty Chamber Concert goes Sunday, Jan. 26 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Prince George Conservatory of Music, 355 Fifth Ave. Step into a world of wonder and imagination during this concert that blends myth, magic, and musical mastery. Featuring music from the fantastical realms of The Lord of the Rings and classical works in the ‘fantasie’ genre. This performance spans centuries of musical storytelling, brought to life through saxophone, guitar, voice, flute, violin, and harp. Admission is pay-what-you-can.

Pizza Making Workshop for children eight to 12 years old goes on Pro-D Day, Monday, Jan, 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is hosted by the Prince George Italian Club, 1209 Fifth Ave. Participants will make their own personal-sized pizza, learn some kitchen safety, and some Italian vocabulary. Cost is $20 per child for non-members and $15 per child for Italian Club members. Register by Monday, Jan. 20 by emailing princegeorgeitalianclub@gmail.com and pay by e-transfer to pgitalianclub1@gmail. com.

Learn How to Take Care Of, Groom and Ride Horses Day Camp goes on Monday, Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 9550 Patterson Rd. E. Presented by Hylee Training this day camp is suitable for children seven and older. This is the best way to spend a Pro-D Day - surrounded by horses. Ride, learn about how to take care of our four-legged friends, and practice your stable management skills in this one-day adventure camp. Cost is $120 plus GST.

Pottery Mug Painting Class goes Thursday, Jan. 30 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Northern Lights Estate Winery, 745 Prince George Pulpmill Road hosted by Three Mad Potters. During this event people can choose a bare pottery mug to customize. All painting supplies, glazes and expert instruction is included along with a glass on Northern Lights wine. The completed mug will be kiln-fired. Tickets are $110 at www.buynorthernlightswines.com/

madd-potter-class

Beaded Feathers goes Jan. 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Two Rivers Gallery. Learn basic peyote stitch to create a beaded stem on a naturally harvested feather using different coloured seed beads. Join Indigenous programmer Crystal Behn to create a customized accessory. Enjoy freshly made treats while learning traditional Indigenous art. Everyone is welcome. $31.50 for one session. Register at tworiversgallery.ca/ programs/beaded-feathers.

Susie Roth Show goes Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at Deadfall Brewing Company, 1733 Nicholson St. S. This is a free show but donations are appreciated.

at the First Baptist Church, 483 Gillett St. Everyone is welcome to attend. Drop-in fee is $5 at the door.

Games Night goes every Thursday at 7 p.m at Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Come on down and join in a game of backgammon, checkers, crib or better yet try out the pool table or dart board, please bring your own darts. Open to everyone for a $5 drop in fee.

Craft & Chat at the main branch of the Prince George Public Library goes every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the magazine corner, second floor, where fibre artists are invited to bring their latest projects to share, vent frustrations, brag about successes, get and give help and join in lively discussions. Snacks provided. This event is in partnership with Great Northwest Fibre Fest.

Parkinson Support Group meetings are the third Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Spruce Capital Seniors Centre, 3701 Rainbow Drive. Meetings are informal and are for sharing information about slowing down the progression of PD. There are guest speakers, special events and biweekly exercise sessions and positive social interaction. Use lower parking lot beside ball diamond to access the seniors centre.

BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Winter Dance goes Saturday, Feb. 22 and March 22 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Prince George Seniors Activity Centre, 425 Brunswick St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. This is a chance to do some old-time dancing to live fiddle music. Tickets are $10 at the door, children are free with parent. Includes an ice cream bar treat. There is also coffee, chips, pop and bottled water offered by donation. There is free parking available evenings at the bank parking lot off Fourth Avenue. For more information email pgfiddlers@gmail.com or call 250-565-1025.

BC Old Time Fiddlers’ Jams and Lessons go every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.

Trivia Night at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday at 8 p.m., 1261 Third Ave. There are three rounds per game, each round has five themed questions and five music questions. There’s something for everyone. The winning team gets a custom Nancy O’s Trivia trophy and a round of drinks, their photo on the wall that goes into the winners’ book after two weeks. Those caught cheating will be publicly shamed and labelled as cheaters – good wholesome fun. Book a spot by calling ahead at 250-562-8066.

If you’ve got an event coming up email us at news@pgcitizen.ca to offer details including name of the event, the date, time and location, ticket price and where to get them and a little bit about what’s happening, too. LOCF

NEW LINE CINEMAS PHOTO

The music of the Lord of the Rings films is part of the Prince George Conservatory of Music’s Fantasy Fantasie Faculty Chamber Concert on Jan. 26.

Show & Shine featuring vintage snowmobiles on Jan. 26

The local club started hosting their Vintage Show & Shine after Sewell and her husband attended McBride’s Annual Bung Bung Vintage Ride and she thought a smaller version in Prince George might hold some appeal.

About 150 people attended their first event last year and the hope is more people will come out to this one.

“It poured rain last year the night before so I think it deterred a lot of people from coming out,” Sewell said.

“We had set up a little racetrack for the kids last year and volunteers had spray painted lines to designate the area and when it rained the night before it turned it into a skating rink. So a lot of people came out to get a feel for what the event was so I hope this year it’s going to be an even bigger event and I’m hoping the weather will cooperate.”

The clubhouse at 12000 Scott Road has full amenities including a full commercial kitchen so during the event a concession will be available provided by the Buckhorn Recreation Commission.

“This is all volunteer-based so it’s really nice when we get support,” Sewell

There’s a 10-member board and about 194 members of the Prince George Snowmobile Club right now.

During the event there’s a vintage ride on the Schlitt trail that is a loop that takes about 45 minutes to do.

“We have a groomer that makes the trails all nice and smooth so the old machines don’t have to work so hard,”

Sewell said. “It’s nice for the kids, too, who are on the 120s that do the loop and that’s the smallest machine you can buy. It’s a nice little ride and if you want you can come out and do it, too.”

The Show & Shine is at noon with awards and prizes given out at 4 p.m.

Categories include best vintage sled, best vintage mountain mod, and mod is short for modified, which means the sled has been changed from its original stock version, Sewell explained.

“I have a custom tunnel and you can put different handlebars on, different skis, there’s all kinds of things you can do to trick them out and make them look different – you can even have a different engine,” Sewell said.

There’s even a prize for best vintage mountain attire so everyone can join in the fun.

During the event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. there is a firepit and social so people can chat and there’s a 50/50 draw, too.

“We’re all pretty avid snowmobilers and we’re just doing our best to encourage community awareness and involvement,” Sewell said.

“We invite everyone to come out for the event. We’ve got dealers coming out and the Clubhouse is open and it’s warm and you can grab a hot chocolate. We’ve even had seniors come out because everyone is always looking for things to do in Prince George.”

For more information visit www.facebook.com/PGSnowmobileClub.

PRINCE GEORGE SNOWMOBILE CLUB PHOTO

The second annual Vintage Show & Shine hosted by the Prince George Snowmobile Club is set for Sunday, Jan. 26, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Prince George owners love their new Cybertrucks

One of them used its self-driving feature on a long Christmas trip to Edmonton

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

You may have spotted one or two of the highly noticeable Tesla Cybertrucks cruising around Prince George recently.

These electric vehicles, which go for around $137,990 and up, have been the topics of conversation all over the world for better or worse.

Two local longtime Tesla supporters, Matt Petkau and Jeremy Henderson, both decided to take the plunge, with each buying one after it was unveiled close to five years ago.

“So my wife and I in 2019 I told her, look, I want a new truck or a new Escalade,” Petkau explained. “She said, I’m okay with you buying a new vehicle, but it has to be a Tesla. So I said, well, here’s the deal. I don’t want a car. So she responded, well, if Tesla comes out with a truck, you can buy it. So I said, deal. So when it got announced, I looked at it and I was like, ah, no, I’m not ordering that. And then the next day ... I ordered it. It took me one day to get over the look of it. November of 2024 is when the first delivery started in Canada. And we were in some of the first deliveries.”

The PG Cybertruck owners are acquaintances and have shared their love of their new vehicles. Henderson said he and his family are out of the ‘internal combustion engine family’ and got the truck for its capacity to haul items and go down roads that the Tesla Model Y could not.

Both owners are extremely happy with all the features and extras, most notably the cold-rolled stainless steel, the 15 speakers and nine cameras, the front and rear storage capacity (you can run a dishwasher off the plugs in the back) and the self-driving features, which Petkau noted are extremely useful on road trips.

“It takes all the stress out of driving,” said Petkau, “I had it in Edmonton for

ABOVE: Matt and Robin Petkau join Jeremy Henderson outside The Citizen’s offices last week for a photo of their new electric vehicles.

RIGHT: First announced five years ago, the Tesla trucks became available to their new owners late last year.

BELOW: Matt Petkau walks The Citizen through the vehicle’s features, which include exterior plugs, cameras and a self-driving mode.

three days of Christmas. Four hours into the trip, I decided I was tired of driving and I put it on autopilot. And the only time I drove while I was in Edmonton was to pull it into parking stalls, that was it.”

Both owners have found that they are often the centre of attention from passersby and other motorists. They both have had their share of questions, pictures, and the occasional middle finger.

“When we picked it up and left Surrey from Day 1 ... It was nonstop people bringing out their phones to take pictures or videos or asking about it,” said Henderson. “Was it a kit car? Can I sit in it? What brand is it? All that kind of stuff So literally nonstop all the way home. Then in Prince George just driving around doing the day-to-day. Superstore, Save-On, Costco, Pine Centre Mall. It’s the same kind of reaction, right? All these little questions.”

Both owners so far have no complaints about driving in Prince George and note that the trucks handle well during winter conditions.

CITIZEN STAFF PHOTOS

Wrestling action at Shas Ti Kelly Road tournament

LEFT: College Heights Secondary School wrestler Loic Gordon lifts Prince George Secondary School wrestler Corbin Ronahan while he tries to take him to the mat in their 71-72kg match.

BELOW LEFT: Trey Lougheed of Valleyview Secondary School grapples with Owen Smith of Lakes District Secondary School during their 56-59kg match.

BELOW RIGHT: Hayden Devaud of Shas Ti Kelly Road Secondary School tries to turn Payden Ismay of Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Secondary School during their 5357kg match.

COMMUNITY

ABOVE: Sophia Dorman of Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Secondary School pushes her weight into Nechako Valley Secondary School wrestler Holiday Ward driving her shoulders into the mat during their 46-48kg match.

BELOW LEFT: Lucas Thomson of NVSS drives forward as he tries to flip Ben Caroll of South Kamloops Secondary School on to his back during their 60-61kg match.

RIGHT: Isadore Muise-Bissett of Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Secondary School tries to pin the shoulders of Shas Ti Kelly Road Secondary School wrestler Luca Coe during their 56-59kg match.

CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHUCK NISBETT

Teams from Kamloops and Haida Gwai competed against teams from Prince George and area schools in the 43rd annual Shas Ti Kelly Road Wrestling Tournament Saturday. Wrestlers from grades 6-12, 32 female and 81 male, took part in the one-day tournament. Nechako Valley Secondary School won the team

standings, with the highest points total from female and male athletes at 112. Second was Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née Secondary School at 46 points, and tied for third was Shas Ti Kelly Road and Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Secondary School. Athletes will participate in Zone Championships next month.

Tapestry Singers hosting dinner and silent auction

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

Tapestry Singers is hosting the group’s silent auction and dinner fundraiser on Saturday, Jan. 25 to support the Tapestry Senior Singers as they attend the Kamloops Performing Arts Festival this year and next year’s Canadian Rocky Mountain Festival in Banff.

Tapestry Singers is a performance group whose mission is to create a joyful and beautiful sound, to strive for choral excellence while fostering a lifelong love of music and music making.

The Tapestry Singers have been in the Prince George community for 18 years.

The senior component of the Tapestry Singers are students in Grades seven to 12 while some are attending college and university.

Several of the senior singers have been members of Tapestry for more than nine years and although it’s mostly a treble choir, the group does include some changed voices as well.

Tapestry Singers are active in the Prince George community, singing at sporting and civic events, performing and collaborating with local choirs and musicians. Tapestry’s Senior Singers are

consistently recommended as provincial delegates to Performing Arts B.C, Carolyn Deurksen, founder of the group, said in an email.

Members of the Tapestry Singers have travelled to music festivals in Edmonton (non-adjudicated festival), Whistler (Gold), Seattle (Gold), Sun Peaks (Gold), and The Canadian Rocky Music Festival in Banff, Alberta (non-adjudicated festival). Most recently,

Tapestry’s Senior Singers travelled to the Whistler Cantando Music Festival, where they received a gold level standing for their performance, Deurksen added.

The upcoming fundraiser will be held at the Columbus Community Centre, 7201 St. Lawrence Ave, with doors and auction open at 5 p.m., tapestry singers first set at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 6:30 p.m., featuring beef dip and

vegetarian lasagne, Caesar salad and vegetable platter and for dessert Swiss Cream Tarts and traditional Milanais cookies.

There is a silent auction featuring 80 items, Swiss chocolate door prizes and a cash bar. Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased by emailing carolynduerksen@gmail.com.

For more information about the choir visit pgtapestry.ca/.

New executive director for railway and forestry museum

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The new executive director of the Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum was born and educated in France.

Baptiste Marcere was born and educated in France, earning himself a master’s degree in environmental sciences.

He has been living in Canada for 15 years and he and his wife have been in Prince George for almost a year. Marcere steps into the role Katherine Carlson recently left after 11 years as she moves to another non-profit as the executive office of the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association of Northern BC.

Marcere has extensive experience in the museum sector, serving as executive director for La Maison Gabrielle-Roy in Winnipeg and the North Peace Cultural Centre in Fort St. John.

Marcere said he has a passion for both the industry and the museum itself as he has lots of ideas and plans for 2025.

One event he is particularly looking forward to is Winterfest on Feb. 15. There are plans to set up a train for attendees to explore although the details aren’t finalized.

He is also looking to boost engagement among students at the University of Northern BC and the College of New Caledonia with trade programs to get them more involved in the museum and

the outdoors.

Marcere plans to increase progress on the restoration of museum items this year.

“I know we do have some challenges with protecting our items, protecting the cars, protecting the trains,” he said. “So we’ll have to find a different way of restoring and presenting the best items to the public.”

Marcere also is looking to engage and communicate with local First Nations communities as well.

“I would also love to contact and to have better, and more profound communication with First Nations and Lheidli T’enneh in particular,” he said. Learn more about the museum at pgrfm.bc.ca.

PHILOMENA HUGHES PHOTO

The Tapestry Senior Singers host a silent auction and dinner fundraiser to support the choir’s travel to performing arts festivals.

CITIZEN STAFF

The Central B.C. Forestry and Railway Museum in Prince George features many vintage trains in its collection.

Musician makes her hometown debut in Prince George

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Katie Mavis is a Prince George born and raised musician with big dreams and a lot of talent to back them up.

She recently performed her hometown debut at CrossRoads Brewing & Distillery to a packed house on Jan. 3 and was very well received.

“It was so much fun. It was just a super attentive crowd,” Mavis said. “I’ve played in bars before and people are cheering their beers and you’re background music usually but everyone who came out that night was there for me, which was a crazy feeling… I got the chance to banter and people would laugh at the jokes and catch the beats and listen to the songs and it felt like, oh my god, I’m playing at a concert this is crazy!... it was super fun and it was a full house, which was crazy!”

Mavis’s music is filled with poetic musings, love, and everything in between.

Her music has been described as ‘dreamy’ with lots of folk influence.

Mavis has a complicated relationship with her hometown of Prince George but has grown to appreciate it since setting off on her own.

“I had an interesting childhood, my youth was tough and complicated,” Mavis said.

“So I grew to not enjoy Prince George as much. I think that I associated it with some harder times in my life. However, I lived in Toronto for a year and I live in Boston now, and I feel like moving

to the East Coast has given me such a huge appreciation that I got the opportunity to grow up on the West Coast. I love British Columbia now more than ever, I’m so grateful every time I drive around. We’re in this beautiful valley and there’s all these trees and it’s just beautiful every time of the year. I’m so grateful that I get to come home now and come back to PG.”

Mavis draws a lot of inspiration from acoustic-folk artists like Hozier. She especially values music that feels “real” and deals with larger poetic concepts. She also is a fan of music that mixes poetry and pop hooks.

She is also a longtime Taylor Swift fan. She was inspired at a young age to become a singer after seeing the artist

live on her 1989 tour. She hopes one day to inspire people and draw huge crowds just like Swift.

Mavis is no stranger to success either, as she is currently attending Berklee College of Music, one of the top-rated musical schools in North America.

“It’s a crazy opportunity to be there,” Mavis said. “I’m studying under the most insane professors who have taught the coolest people in the world, and every day I’m so grateful that I get to be involved, and it’s just a super cool opportunity… and it’s insane that I get to be there.”

Mavis was awarded the Berklee World Tour Scholarship immediately after her initial audition and has since been awarded the Songwriting Merit

Scholarship.

In the near future Mavis plans to focus on her education and on releasing more music, as well as working toward releasing a music video for her new single.

Her long-term plan after graduation in May is to move to Nashville or L.A and pursue her dreams, as well as find work in her field.

Mavis also has great appreciation for the help that she has received along the way, especially her mother as she stated that none of this would have been possible without her help.

Her recently debuted single ‘Lover Body Mother’ can be found on Apple Music and YouTube, as well more of her discography can be found on Soundcloud.

United Way Tree of Lights campaign raises nearly $30K

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

The sixth annual United Way Tree of Lights campaign raised $29,521 to support Prince George programs offering nutritious meals, after-school care and wildfire recovery, among others.

“This is a community tradition and having the community be able to come together for this and support us is

everything,” said United Way spokesperson Sarah Armstrong. “We’re so thrilled to have this money go back into the community because of the support that we’ve seen from so many businesses and individuals and sponsors.”

The United Way is currently deciding where the funding is needed the most.

“We’re looking to help anyone in need,” said Armstrong. “That is our biggest push. We look to find what areas

have the most need and what needs the most support in our community. That is where we will direct the funding. We have a lot of grant streams for food security, as well as our food hub that will be coming to town. So I’m hoping that we can help support our local seniors. We’re happy to help however and wherever we can. The biggest thing is that we want to find what needs the most support.”

Last year the nearly $30,000 raised was partially used to bring the United Way BC School’s Out program to Prince George.

The United Way plans to bring a food hub to Prince George. This hub will ensure community members have access to food and wellness programming, along with other supports such as mental health and employment services.

Katie Mavis is a Boston-based musician who is originally from Prince George.

One scratch later and she’s off to Ireland

Jane Wallace of Prince George plans to visit family in Ireland after winning $75,000 on a BCLC’s Bingo Multiplier Scratch & Win ticket. She bought the ticket at the Save-OnFoods in the Hart and was at home making dinner when she decided to scratch her ticket between stirs, BCLC reports. She saw the tally but, thinking she may have made a mistake, took the ticket to a store across the street to have it double-checked. In addition to the trip to Ireland, Wallace plans to treat herself to a comfy new La-Z-Boy chair for her living room.

Prince George gyms see a New Year’s resolution rush

MATTHEW HILLIER Citizen Staff

Christmas is full of a lot of things: Food, family, presents, chocolates and much more.

Unfortunately, it isn’t usually associated with lots of exercise.

That’s where the New Year comes in.

According to Forbes Health and Statistics surveys, the second- and third-most common resolutions are to exercise more and eat healthier respectively.

Many locals in Prince George seem to be following in the footsteps of millions of others and are looking to improve their health this New Year.

Gyms in Prince George have noticed a rapid and significant increase in memberships and visitor rates with many being swamped almost every day with traffic.

These following gyms have noticed significant increases in new visitors and members over the New Year:

• Golds Gym has seen two new membership sign-ups per day and a significant increase in visitors since the New Year.

• Anytime Fitness has seen a 25 per cent increase in foot traffic and six new membership sign-ups a day.

Juan Mendez gets in a workout with free weights during a quiet afternoon at Gold’s Gym Wednesday.

• Orange Theory has seen an increase in sign-ups of about 300 per cent in the past 10 days with 1-4 new people signing up every day.

• Prince George Family YMCA has seen a 10 per cent increase in both foot traffic and signups.

• The Fitness Collective saw a 10 per cent increase in memberships, with a 15 per cent increase in visitors

A surge of visitors and new members of gym goers is a welcome sight for many in the industry, said YMCA centre manager Shannon Johnson.

“What we try to do here when we see this influx, we try to engage people in the activities and the programs that we have to offer here so that it is easy to see the value of their membership,” Johnson said.

“So over the last couple of years, we have noticed more people are taking an interest in their health and wellness and that they value their gym membership as part of their lifestyle in helping them achieve their goals, their health and wellness goals.”

This new surge of visitors as noted by several gyms usually lasts around 3-4 months, with global statistics showing that approximately 80 per cent of new gymgoers quitting around 4-5 months after their initial signup.

Community is also an important part of keeping gymgoers resolute, Johnson, said, noting that many making good on their New Year resolutions often stay because of engagement and involvement with the community at the YMCA.

BCLC PHOTO

Jan. 16, 1973: Reg Nash, manager of the Queensway Motel, pumps out his flooded courtyard after warm temperatures and a clogged storm drain left him with an unwanted wading pool. CITIZEN FILE

Jan. 17, 1989: They don’t make them like they used to, as one flatbed truck driver discovered at 15th and Central Monday. When he went through the intersection, he left his back wheels behind, Luckily, he wasn’t travelling at highway speed, so damage was kept to a minimum. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY DAVE

16, 1962: Meteorologists Walt Maruk and Eric Paget check over a completed surface weather map from Vancouver that was reproduced by a newly installed

machine. The weather

that the

– a forerunner to fax machines – will help Prince George residents receive more recent and up-to-date weather condition changes.

Jan.

facsimile

office maintains

machine

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY DAVE MILNE

MILNE

Jan. 16, 2008: A rare white moose was spotted in the 300 block of Burden Street. This one was carved out of snow with the antlers added. CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Healthy North

Respiratory Illness Season

It’s respiratory illness season. You can play an important role in supporting the health care system in the north by getting vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19, staying home when sick, and following public health guidance. For full details about immunizations for ages five years and up, as well as info on the flu shot, visit Northernhealth.ca/health-topics/covid-19-and-fluimmunization-clinics. Remember to stay home if you’re sick. You could spread sickness to others, especially if you have a fever, cough, vomiting, or diarrhea. Learn more at HealthyHabitsBC.ca.

Healthy Eating

The start of a new year often brings resolutions to “eat healthier” (which is often code for trying to lose weight). Northern Health Dietitian Emilia offers some ideas for a different approach! This year, consider ditching the diet and rekindling a positive relationship with food. Read to learn more: Stories. northernhealth.ca/stories/ditch-diet-rekindle-positiverelationship-food.

Community comes together to tackle water woes

It happened at Stuart Lake Hospital with just a week to go before the move to a new health-care facility

EMILY PRESTMO

Northern Health

An issue with the fire suppression system at Stuart Lake Hospital resulted in a flood on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

With just a week left before the move to the new Fort St. James Hospital and Health Centre, hospital staff and the community came together in an extraordinary display of support.

Despite the presence of water throughout much of the building, no patients or residents needed to be moved out of the facility, thanks to the quick efforts of the Fort St. James Volunteer Fire Department, the BC Ambulance crew, hospital staff, and patient family members. Patients were relocated from their rooms to dry areas within the hospital, ensuring their safety and comfort.

The Fort St. James Volunteer Fire Department and BC Emergency Health Services crew arrived promptly and, after the problem was resolved, stayed to help mop up the water, impressing everyone with their speed and dedication. Family members of patients even

Members of the Fort St. James Volunteer Fire Department worked diligently to clear the water after a pipe burst at Stuart Lake Hospital.

joined the mopping effort, and off-duty staff members came in to support changing beds and cleaning floors.

Megan Hunter, health services administrator for Omineca, praised the community’s efforts: “The way the town

came together in a time of need was truly amazing,” she said.

“Thanks to the volunteers and quick response from everyone involved, we avoided an emergency move to the new hospital. This incident shows why we need the new facility so much, and the move on Jan. 14 couldn’t come at a better time.”

Stuart Lake Hospital did experience a temporary emergency department service interruption as a result of the incident, but services were able to resume on Wednesday morning thanks to the speedy cleanup from Tuesday afternoon’s mishap.

The new Fort St. James Hospital and Health Centre is not quite ready for patients, and the community’s efforts made sure the planned move can happen safely and on schedule. This event highlighted the unity of the Fort St. James community, demonstrating the strength of small towns in times of crisis.

Stuart Lake General Hospital moved to its new location on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and the Fort St. James Health Centre will follow on Jan. 20.

When should you go to the UHNBC emergency room?

NORTHERN HEALTH

The UHNBC emergency department tends to patients who have experienced a sudden and/or unusual change in their health; including (but not limited to) breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or pain, broken bones, chest pain, suspected overdoses, and eye injuries.

It is important to note that wait times can fluctuate based on the severity of patient needs, including potentially complex cases requiring an increased level of care.

Our emergency departments work on a triage system, which means each person is provided an assessment and seen by a physician based on their needs.

Patients who believe their condition has changed while waiting should speak with a triage nurse immediately. Triage nurses also regularly check in with

patients who are waiting to see if their condition has changed.

The PG UPCC is not an emergency room and cannot treat patients with serious illnesses or injuries such as broken bones, chest pain or head injuries.

A visit to the UPCC is appropriate if you have an illness or injury that needs to be looked at within 12 to 24 hours but isn’t an emergency.

When visiting the Prince George Urgent and Primary Care Centre, please bring valid ID including your Personal Health Number.

Please note that masks are currently mandated at all Northern Health facilities, including the hospital, clinics and long-term care homes.

Find more information on our webpage: https://www.northernhealth.ca/.../ prince-george-urgent

Wait times at the University Hospital of Northern BC’s emergency room can vary.

Ditch the diet: Rekindle a positive relationship with food

EMILIA MOULECHKOVA Northern Health

The start of a new year often brings resolutions to “eat healthier” (which is often code for trying to lose weight). With the latest weight-loss diets hitting the media, it’s easy to get swept up in it all.

About 90 per cent of dieters will quit their new “healthy eating” regimens by February.

If you’ve been on a diet, chances are you know that they’re near impossible to stick to.

Dieting, with its strict food rules, and “good” and “bad” food lists, can lead to feelings of deprivation, anxiety, and shame.

In addition to these feelings, many things people do for the sake of weight loss can harm their physical or mental health as well.

Healthy eating should be flexible and make you feel good. This year, consider ditching the diet to rekindle a positive relationship with food.

Here are a few ideas to get started:

Nourish yourself with enough food

Aim to eat regularly and listen to your body’s signals of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. Busy schedules and barriers to food access can make this more difficult.

Don’t let the idea of “perfect eating”

The start of a new year often brings resolutions to “eat healthier” (which is often code for trying to lose weight).

get in the way of nourishing your body with foods that are accessible to you.

Add on, don’t take away

When thinking about nutrition, think about what foods you can add to your meals, rather than foods to cut out. Enjoy a variety of food from the three

food groups (vegetables and fruit, grains, and proteins) from Canada’s food guide to meet your nutrition needs.

Unsubscribe from diet talk

Avoid commenting on bodies or placing moral value on food choices (e.g., “I’m so bad for eating __!”). Plan for

ways to respond to diet talk if it comes up.

Try phrases like “I’m not participating in dieting anymore and I feel so much happier!” or “Let’s not talk about bodies.”

Take back your money and time

Be critical of messages telling us that our bodies are the “problem”, and they need to be “fixed” by buying the latest product, pill, or diet plan. The dieting industry is interested in your wallet, not your well-being.

Focus on health, not weight

Health is not measured by a number on a scale.

Health means different things to different people and can exist in diverse bodies.

Focus on taking care of your body, mind, and soul in ways that make you feel good.

If you’re setting health goals, reflect on what you truly value when it comes to your physical, social, and mental well-being.

Rejecting dieting in a culture that’s obsessed with weight loss isn’t easy. This is especially true in the New Year when weight-focused messages are louder than ever.

Remember, you deserve kindness, self-compassion, and patience as you navigate this process of unlearning.

Take steps to boost your mental health before Blue Monday

NORTHERN HEALTH

Blue Monday (Jan. 20), often dubbed the most depressing day of the year, is actually a myth.

However, experiencing a low mood during the winter months is very realespecially after the holiday break! Here are some tips and resources to help boost your mood and support your mental health and wellness:

• Stay active! Physical activity can boost your mood and energy.

• Connect with others. Social connections are vital. Reach out

to friends and family, or join a virtual community event.

• Seek professional help. If you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to seek help with Northern Health’s Mental Health and Substance Use services or connect with your health care provider.

• Practice self-care. Simple activities like reading, cooking, or moving your body can make a big difference.

For more information, visit www.northernhealth.ca/health.../ mental-wellness

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

While Prince George is starting to see a little more daylight each day, winter isn’t over yet. ‘Blue Monday,’ coming up Jan. 20, is often called ‘the most depressing day of the year.’

Local Sports

Owner donates drag strip to NITRO non-profit

The quarter-mile track has also been used for snowmobile races, fishing derbies and mud bogs

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Brent Marshall wants drag racing to continue to thrive in northern BC.

Having grown up in Houston, 3½ hours west of the city, Marshall’s love of fast cars and racing were well established in 2012 when he bought Prince George Motorsport Park.

Now living in West Kelowna, where he operates his own software company and works as a commercial real estate broker, Marshall has decided to donate his ownership of the quarter-mile drag strip to the not-for-profit Northern Interior Timed Racing Organization (NITRO) society to guarantee drivers will always have a place to race.

“The intent was always to make sure that that track was safe and secure for the people of Prince George, spectators, participants, and we get people coming from Western Canada and the U.S. coming to use that and we want to make sure it’s always there, it’s always available,” said Marshall.

“I’m donating it to the community of Prince George and the NITRO society so it can stay there and people know it’s there in perpetuity.”

In the first four years he was the sole owner of the track, now known as NITRO Motorsports Park, Marshall made significant improvements. He built washroom, shower and laundry facilities, stocked a man-made pond with trout to encourage kids to learn how to fish, created a beach area and playground and secured a $300,000 sponsorship from Rolling Mix Concrete and IDL Projects to repave a 720-foot concrete front section of the strip to improve the staging area.

Marshall said the property was recently appraised at $2 million. He estimates the replacement value of securing the land and building a new quarter-mile

A racer launches off the starting line at NITRO Motorsports Park during a Summit ET Bracket Racing event at the Prince George quarter-mile drag strip.

track would be in excess of $10 million. He says it’s considered “one of the nicest drag racing facilities in Canada.

“You could never build one, it’s so expensive, you need so much land,” he said. “If the track shut down we’d never see quarter-mile racing again.”

In December 2015, Marshall formed a partnership with three other local investors – Rod Belsham, John Paolucci and Doug Shaw – who each agreed to pay $50,000 for a 25 per cent share of the facility, which was then renamed NITRO Motorsports Park.

The ownership group worked out a deal to sell the property back to the club for $600,000, which Marshall says was less than half the $1.5 million he had invested in the facility and the club agreed to a 15-year mortgage to eventually become owners of the property.

But there were a few speed bumps along the way that rocked that plan.

In April 2023, the three other shareholders filed a BC Supreme Court petition against Marshall after he hired a contractor to log the forested area that

borders the drag strip “without unanimous consent of the directors.”

That logging happened in 2022 and 2023 and the timber was sold to Canfor with Marshall retaining the proceeds. According to Marshall, the money ($140,000) was to be used to fund repaving of the return lane for drag racers, after the pavement had become root-bound and was getting too rough for vehicles.

The case was settled out of court and earlier this year Marshall bought the other three shareholders out for $225,000.

“Brent secured a new mortgage with the BC Bank and we now make those mortgage payments, so we had to pay the $250,000 that was left on the mortgage plus the $225,000 that he had to pay the shareholders,” said NITRO president Foji Dhansaw.

“Realistically we owed $450,000 before the fight and now we owe $475,000 after the fight. “He’s calling it a donation, but at the end of the day we’re making the mortgage payments. So now the

mortgage is under his name but it’s not really a donation. It’s a commitment that it will always be a race track.”

Dhansaw said the logging profits were placed into the club’s bank account and the club agreed to give $100,000 of that back to Marshall, to be applied to the mortgage, which is now down to $375,000, with the club retaining $40,000 of the logging profits to cover its operating costs.

Although the mortgage is under Marshall’s name, Dhansaw says the NITRO club pays the insurance and taxes on the property.

“Our goal is to start fundraising and start paying that thing off,” said Dhansaw, who figures the club will be mortgage-free in about 10 years.

Dhansaw says the other three partners of the ownership group deserve recognition for what they did to keep the drag strip operating by donating to the club, especially in the nine years since Marshall left the city.

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Non-profit track could be available for other uses

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He said Marshall offered to help him get sponsors to keep the track operating but Dhansaw told him there was not much interest from the local business community to invest in a property that was privately owned.

“Why would I want to put money into somebody’s facility to make Brent Marshall’s property go up in value, so I said, ‘you need to make something that says that you are no longer involved, and it’s the club’s, so we can actually go out and get sponsors,’” said Dhansaw.

“That’s why we did what we did. I really want to give the other three credit for what they did to get us here too. Brent is doing the right thing and I also want to make sure the other three don’t still carry a tarnished name because a lot of the community think they did something wrong. They didn’t, they did nothing wrong.”

The quarter-mile drag strip is sanctioned by the International Drag Racing Association and has also been used for snowmobile races, mud bogs and fishing derbies.

Marshall says he’s had people inquire about developing an oval track for vintage motorcycles and he’s hoping other community groups will reach out to the not-for-profit NITRO society with ideas for other uses. Marshall is asking local companies to get involved in sponsoring the club and its activities to help pay from track improvements.

Marshall has long been a promoter of charitable causes that help local people, especially those living in rural and remote communities.

He’s involved with August Luxury Motorcars, an exotic sports car dealership in Kelowna in the Okanagan Dream Rally fundraiser which puts kids in the passenger seats of Lamborghinis and Ferraris.

Held every two years, the event has raised more than $3.3 million for Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver, Kelowna General Hospital Foundation and JoeAnna’s House, which provides accommodation for families of patients being treated at KGH.

Marshall started his hospital fundraising efforts when he lived in Prince George while he was dealer principal of Northland Dodge. He created a program

in which $100 from each vehicle sold at the dealership was donated to charity. That resulted in a $1.2 million donation in 2011 for the children’s wing/outdoor play area at University Hospital of Northern BC. Marshall was also behind a fundraising drive that built the cancer ward family room at UHNBC.

As REMAX Centre City Realty franchise owner, Marshall convinced realtors to donate a portion of their commissions to raise $120,000 for the All-Wheels Adventure Park in Blackburn.

Marshall’s software company creates websites for automotive and RV dealers. He also started a commercial real estate

company involved in business and commercial sales in the province, and one of his listings is the Victoria Medical Building in Prince George. He will donate 50 per cent of commissions to a charity determined by the seller.

“That allowed us to donate $1 million last year,” Marshall said.

“Twenty years ago in Prince George you had a lot of those drivers (of charitable causes) and my big one is to try to encourage others to make (donations) part of their business model. If you do a small amount over time it will add up to huge things.”

Marshall, a former volunteer firefighter, was involved in the community HEROS effort to push the provincial government for policy changes to enhance northern BC’s pre-hospital care system and give Prince George a dedicated medical helicopter service. He has since started an ambulance service, Advanced Life Services. It allows people to go online to reserve a retrofitted ambulance with a nurse on board, if needed, to transfer a patient to an out-of-town hospital. He has two ambulances nearly ready and an eventual fleet of six that will bring them anywhere in the province where they are needed.

“I had a good friend in Houston whose father passed away while waiting for transport down to the Okanagan,” said Marshall. “That shouldn’t happen in this day and age. I want to place one of the units in Prince George and one in the Okanagan, areas that are underserved.” He plans to have the service operating as soon as he has the medical equipment to outfit the ambulances.

HANDOUT PHOTO

David Robertson, left, stands next to Brent Marshall, who made the trip from Kelowna to allow Robertson to drive Marshall’s McLaren sports car at 300 kph on the closed runway at Red Deer Airport in September. It was a wish come true for Robertson, a Prince George native, who has since died of cancer.

Blizzard’s Pareesa Jones tests her engine on home ice

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

As the only skater in the 22-women’s field who carried the tag as a hometowner, the only pressure Pareesa Jones felt to put on respectable showing came from within her own mind.

She knew she wouldn’t be part of the medal hunt at the two-day Canadian Junior Open short track speed skating championship, not with some of the fastest 16-19-year-old skaters digging their blades into the Kin 1 ice.

It wasn’t medal moments she was after, but the chance to test her engine racing an elite group of athletes on home ice was a once-in-a-lifetime event that produced at least one surprising result for Jones.

On Sunday the 18-year-old Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club racer posted a second-place result in the 1,000m bottom final.

Jones fell off the pace about five laps into the nine-lap race and just when it looked like she might end up fifth in the five-skater race, with two laps to go three skaters hit the deck and crashed into the end mats, which immediately shot Jones into second place. With Mia Labelle of Quebec comfortably ahead, Jones kept her legs moving on a steady cruise to the finish.

“I knew it was going to be a hard race and I stayed with them for a little bit and then that crash took them out and I was able to go ahead and it was great,” said Jones, a UNBC student and aspiring math teacher.

“It was a good thing I wasn’t with them at that moment. This whole weekend was amazing. I knew it was going to be the hardest thing I ever did and it was just amazing to be with all these fast people, meet new people and compete against all these provinces.”

While her final 1,000 race will stand out as a highlight, her high-water mark came at the end of the 500m event on Saturday. Jones fell in the preliminaries, made some improvements in her second race and in the third go-round

George Blizzard skater Pareesa Jones

put down her most satisfying race of the weekend.

“I just hammered on all the things I was told to focus on,” said Jones. “It was a very good technical race.

“I learned a lot of tactics, like pulling the passes, staying in the train, we don’t really have those opportunities here to train tactics.”

Jones said she might attend a couple regional races in Calgary to keep her in race mode for her next big event, the BC short track provincial championships March 8-9 in Prince George.

Jones went on to win a silver medal in the women’s 3,000m relay, teaming up with Labelle, Calla Haaheim, Maeva Provencher to complete the race in 4:53.791.

Lea Boucher, Gabrielle Oetemo, Justine Joly and Julianne Lazarri won gold (4:51.791) and bronze went to Kierana Laut, Zitlalli Gravel, Rachael Butt and Rebecca Mersier (4:57.170).

In the men’s relay, Charles Fournier, Andy Mihala, Kai Barnnett and Gabriel Padbury won gold (4:12.949); Justin Bessette, Emile Fortin, Xavier-Mathis Bolf and Justin Lacasse took silver (4:13.073) and Thomas Brault, Maxime Pigeon, Charles-Etienne Morin and Nigel Emblin captured bronze (4:13.652).

Haaheim clinches third gold medal

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

Good thing the skaters at the Canadian Junior Open short tracks speed skating championships were wearing transponders around their ankles linked to a computerized timing system.

It took all the guesswork out of determining the order of finish in Sunday’s women’s 1,000-metre final at Kin 1.

Calla Haaheim knew she won the race but her margin of victory was just onetenth of a second and it was even closer in the race for silver, ultimately won by Lea Boucher of Quebec over third-place Abbighael Jeune of Quebec.

Haaheim completed the Prince George trifecta, winning all three individual events in her return to her home province at the Junior Open.

The 17-year-old Kelowna skater, who trains in Calgary with the Olympic Oval program won a cat-and-mouse game in the battle for gold in the 1,000. Somehow she avoided contact in extremely close quarters while making her moves on Jeune, the early leader, and Boucher, who gave up the lead on the final lap.

Haaheim posted a winning time of 1:41.383, Boucher finished in 1:41.483 and Jeune was in at 1:41.556.

It was all-Quebec final in the men’s 1,000 and Justin Bessette solidified his first-place cumulative standing with another gold medal to add to his Junior Open collection after winning gold in the 500m and silver in the 1,500m on Saturday.

Knowing he’d already locked up a topthree spot in the cumulative standings needed to qualify for the Canada Cup final in Calgary in March, Bessette’s strategy to play it cool in the early going of the 1,000, final then turn on the jets to create some distance between himself and the rest of the pack for the last three laps worked to a tee.

“It was a big race because two boys had a chance to finish in the top-three so I decided to go first and control the race to get out of the traffic,” said Bessette.

“I didn’t want to battle with them and lose energy so I decided to go in front and give everything I had left. It was a good weekend for me, I finished in the top-three and I also will be doing the Canada Cup in Sherbrooke. “

CITIZEN

Prince

trails Julianne Lazzari in her 500m bottom final race Saturday at Kin 1.

McNeil’s hat trick fuels Spruce Kings’ weekend sweep

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

For Prince George Spruce Kings head coach Brad Tesink, weekend sweeps on home ice have been as rare as flying camels.

Not once since he joined the Spruce Kings’ staff for the start of the 2023-24 season had the team given him backto-back wins to ease his coaching mind - until they did it Saturday night.

Their 7-4 win over the visiting Alberni Valley Bulldogs, coming less than 24 hours after the Spruce Kings bit the Bulldogs 4-3 in overtime Friday, was sweet vindication for the long-suffering coach and his players, who worked like dogs all game to complete the sweep.

“It took a village to win those two games this weekend,” said Tesink. “Obviously for us, with the little bit of transition our roster’s been in as of late we’ve had guys come in and step into big roles and we’ve had guys that have elevated their game and we saw this weekend it didn’t matter who was on the receiving end of these good moments it was a full team effort.”

Tesink took over as head coach Nov. 25 after the Spruce Kings fired Alex Evin and he’s had plenty of adversity to deal with since then with a revolving door of starting goaltenders, three key forward departures to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and a team struggling to find a winning formula.

But their two wins against Alberni Valley (19-12-2-0), the fourth-place team in the BCHL Coastal Conference, gives the Spruce Kings hope they’ve turned the corner. Tesink and his associate coach Taylor Harnett are starting to turn things around in a positive way and it’s certainly not too late for the Kings (12-17-3-1) to mount a playoff push and they want to keep it going.

“Obviously positives came out of this weekend, unfortunately it’s the all-star break,” said Tesink. “It’s probably the wrong time for the all-star break but for our team it’s finding a way to get ourselves healthy and adding pieces as we go.”

Brogan McNeil led the way for Prince

Bulldogs forward Dryden Kuramoto tries to stop Spruce Kings forward Ryan Wachtel Saturday at Kopar Memorial Arena.

George with his first career BCHL hat trick. Playing on a line with Brock Cummings (three assists) and newcomer Nick Metelkin (two assists), they had plenty of jam all game and were justly rewarded for it.

“We needed those points to get into a playoff spot, I think those two wins are going to give us a better chance and I just love the way we’re working right now,” said McNeil.

“We love Brad and since the coaching change we’ve just been building. He’s an awesome coach and it’s good for him, good for the team. I think there’s a lot more to see from us, guys are buzzing.”

The 18-year-old from North Delta got the ball caps were flying from the stands as Kings fans in the Indigenous Night crowd of 1,624 at Kopar Memorial Arena cheered his third goal of the night. Cummings led a 2-on-1 rush on the penalty kill and fed the puck to a wide-open McNeil and he buried it low to the far side behind goalie Colin Winn for his 11th goal of the season.

The Bulldogs got that one back just 25 seconds later while still on the power play. A shot from Zeke Nicholson bounced off the body of defenceman Kenyon McIsaac while parked just off the post and the 18-year-old Prince George minor hockey product had his fourth goal of the season to make it a 5-3

in the period McNeil took a goalmouth pass from Cummings and let fly a quick snapper that gave the Kings the lead they would never relinquish.

Metelkin, who signed with the Kings earlier in the week from the NAHL Odessa Jackalopes, scored his first BCHL goal Friday. In the rematch he set up McNeil’s second goal, 51 seconds into the second period, chipping the puck into the slot from the side of the net to McNeil and he snapped it in for his 10th of the season.

game.

Tensions rose another notch for Kings fans when Bulldogs forward Jacob Terpstra lifted a wrister in over the shoulder of Kings goalie Dylan Johnson to cut the deficit to one.

But Will Moore had an answer for that 51 seconds later with the insurance policy the Spruce Kings needed to seal the victory. He corralled a bouncy rebound after linemate Nicolas Papineau nailed the crossbar and scored to restore the two-goal lead. Papineau then capped the scoring into an empty net.

“It’s great to get the hattie but it’s whatever, I just put my body on the line, I just love the team and the group of guys we’ve got,” said McNeil who’s had three two-goal games this season prior to Saturday.

“That’s a good building block for our team, we’re short a couple guys right and we just stuck together as a squad, everyone was rolling. We were talking on the bench (after the Bulldogs reduced the gap to 5-4), we gotta get back into it, we can’t let them claw back and we just kind of grinded it out and we buried one.”

Terpstra drew first blood for the Bulldogs, scoring his 12th of the season three minutes after the opening puck drop. Kings centre Brady Anes found the net in behind Winn at 14:57 and late

Then it was Kings defenceman Isaac Holt’s turn to join the red-light brigade when he scored his first career BCHL goal, 4:07 into the second. Holt, a hulking six-foot-five, 220-pound defenceman from Pembroke, Ont., led the rush into the Bulldogs’ zone and let rip a slapper from the right face-off dot that fooled Winn. Holt signed a college commitment to NCAA Division 1 Robert Morris University for next season and joined the Spruce Kings in a trade from the Vernon Vipers nine games into the season.

The Bulldogs outshot Prince George 30-29.

McIsaac and his 20-year-old brother Brady, who was selected this year as a BCHL all star, were born and raised in Prince George and this was their homecoming, playing in the same rink their father Brent played in when he was a Spruce Kings defenceman in 2000-2001, and the brothers were obviously hoping for a better outcome than just one out of a possible four points.

“It was just a tough weekend for us, we’ve been battling a little adversity ourselves, we lost both last weekend at home and we came up here hoping for a good result, said Kenyon, who, like his brother, is a former Cariboo Cougar.

“We had a tough game yesterday, scratched through and got to overtime and today just wasn’t our result as well. It’s definitely cool coming back home here, all my family’s here and it was a good opportunity to be able to play in my hometown. It’s a cool experience playing with Brady, we live together down in Port Alberni and he’s having a breakout season for himself, looking for a scholarship.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Twin 6-3 losses for Cougars on weekend road trip

Team heading to Washington next

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

There was no blaze of glory waiting in Kamloops for the Prince George Cougars.

Misery would be a better way to describe the fate the Cougars suffered Saturday when they took on the Kamloops Blazers in the second game of a weekend WHL road trip.

Nathan Behm led the Blazers with two goals and an assist, Tommie Lafreniere collected three assists and goalie Dylan Ernst blocked 40 of 43 shots to nail down a 6-3 victory over the Cats.

The 6-3 outcome was identical to that the Cougars suffered Friday night when they lost to the Kelowna Rockets. Not what you would expect from the first-place team in the BC Division taking on divisional opponents.

Penalties plagued the Cougars (24-123-2) and the Blazers (15-21-2-1) scored three of their six goals on power play chances.

Saturday’s loss, combined with the Victoria Royals’ 6-2 win over the Tri-City Americans left the Cougars and Royals tied in points, each with 53.

Arseni Anisimov, the Cougar’s 17-yearold Russian import defenceman, was first to get on the scoresheet, blasting in his second of the season on a feed from Lee Shurgot.

The Blazers tied it on a 5-on-3 power play. Czechian native Matteo Koci connected with a point shot that got through the equipment of Josh Ravensbergen.

Late in the period, Blazers centre Jordan Keller took the puck from Koci and buried his 21st of the season into the Cougars’ net to give the home side the lead.

The teams were playing 4-on-4 eight minutes into the second period when Behm took advantage of the extra ice and got free for his 22nd of the year which made it a 3-1 count.

The Cougars’ penalty troubles continued in the third period and once again they got burned. Borya Vallis was in the box a minute into a double-minor penalty for high-sticking when Koehn Ziemmer got caught tripping, and it did not take long in the two-man advantage for the Blazers to cash in.

Emmitt Finney had a tap-in for his 23rd of the season to make it a 4-1 game at 11:16 of the third and the teams were playing 5-on-4 when Max Sullivan connected for his fifth goal.

Ziemmer ended a nine-game scoring drought late in the game, scoring on a Cougars’ power play with six minutes on the clock but Behm provided the dagger not long after that.

Valis scored a shorthanded goal with 1:29 left and that’s as close as it got.

The Cougars outshot the Blazers 43-37 and had an edge in scoring chances but the scoreboard was all that mattered to Blazers fans in a crowd of 3,747 at Sandman Centre.

The Cougars boarded the bus back to Prince George right after the game and they won’t get a lot of practice time to work out the bugs, heading into a tough weekend on the road.

They visit the Spokane Chiefs on Friday, then head to Everett to take on

the league-leading Silvertips. Spokane defeated Don Nachbaur’s Wenatchee Wild 12-2 Saturday in Wenatchee. Chiefs right winger Andrew

Cristall, in his second game since the trade that brought him from Kelowna, added a seven-point game with three goals and four assists.

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Cougars defenceman Arseni Anisimov, seen here in action in October, opened the team’s scoring Saturday in Kamloops.

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

The UNBC Thunderbirds rank well down the Canada West men’s basketball standings from the lofty position the UBC Thunderbirds currently hold.

Ranked second in the Pacific Division, UBC (8-3) widened the gap between themselves and the visiting UNBC Timberwolves, winning their fourth straight, an 88-59 triumph over the TWolves (1-9) Saturday in Vancouver.

But it sure wasn’t easy for UBC, taking on a TWolves team that had just nine available players.

Just like they did last season in the opening round of the playoffs, when UNBC eliminated the T-birds on their way to a Canada West bronze medal, the TWolves put up a tremendous fight and trailed by only three at the half.

But UBC went on a tear in the third quarter, outscoring the TWolves 27-4 to take control.

Adam Olsen led the UBC attack, scoring 18 points, and he also had six rebounds. UBC guard Nikola Guzina also reached double figures with 15 points and rookie Victor Radocaj had 14 points.

For UNBC, Isaiah Bias collected a career-high 19 points, shooting seven-for-12 from the field, and Chris Ainsley hit for 13 points.

A tough first quarter for UNBC saw

UBC

UBC jump out to a convincing 27-12 lead. Nine of UBC’s first 20 points on the night came from Olsen, who hit back-toback triples.

The first quarter offense UNBC was spread out as Ainsley, Wesley Ainu’u, Milan Pasquale, Danilo Gonzalez, Ben White and Evgeny Baukin all found the scoresheet.

Given UNBC’s short bench and travel, they could have easily folded up shop early, but instead they answered with

a second quarter effort that saw them outscore the T-Birds 25-13.

Bias and Baukin each notched seven points in the second, but had help from the likes of White and Ainsley.

Ainsley and Baukin each finished the first half with eight points apiece, and Ainsley, who no doubt had friends and family in the stands, was especially efficient shooting three-of-four from the field. With time winding down in the quarter, Ainsley hit an especially

League-leading UBC shows no mercy against TWolves T-birds shake UNBC squad with third-quarter push

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

The UBC Thunderbirds have gotten into the habit of raiding the nests of their Canada West women’s basketball opponents.

The conference leaders flexed their might Saturday night in Vancouver against the UNBC Timberwolves and walked off with a decisive 97-47 victory to improve to 11-1 this season. Mona Berlitz led all UBC players with 26 points while adding seven rebounds. Jessica Clarke (16) and Olivia Weekes (12) also hit double-digits on the scoreboard.

For UNBC, second-year star Viktoriia Filatova once again did the heavy lifting as she paced her squad with 18 points. She shot 3-of-6 from deep and finished the night 7-for-12 from the field. Bella Mesquita (9) and Claire Huang (7) also contributed points for the TWolves. UBC went on a 13-4 run to start the game. Mona Berlitz had two field goals while Weekes, Daly, Sara Toneguzzi and Jessica Clarke each had one. The first buckets of the night for the visitors came via Sveta Boykova and

difficult jumper in close, in traffic to pull UNBC within five.

Baukin and Ainsley each had eight through 20, and Baukin led all players with 10 first-half rebounds.

Olsen tacked on two more for UBC in the second and led all scorers at half with 11 points, while Tobi Akinkunmi led the way with five second-quarter points.

Guzina and Olsen came out early in the third and delivered tough makes for UBC, pushing their lead back to seven early. The T-Birds rode that early momentum to a convincing 27-4 third quarter performance. All four of the points in the third for UNBC came from Ainsley, while UBC’s offense was spread around nicely with seven different players recording field goals.

Bias helped stake the TWolves out to a 14-6 run to begin the fourth. The first-year guard nailed securing 12 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, shooting a perfect four-for-four from the field in the final 10.

Wesley Ainu’u chipped in with four points in the fourth as UNBC finished with 18 fourth quarter points. UBC though countered with 21 – with four apiece coming from Radocaj, Toni Maric and Guzina.

The TWolves meet the defending-champion Victoria Vikes in their next game Thursday. Jan. 6, 8 p.m. at the Northern Sport Centre.

Amrit Manak. UNBC chipped away at the deficit and pulled to within 13-10 score thanks to a buzzer-beating jumper from Boykova, and a slick and-one finish from Filatova.

The T-birds countered with an 14-4 run of their own on their way to a 27-14 lead through 10. UBC roared off to a similar 13-4 run to start the second as Clarke potted a pair of buckets. Strong defense and depth persisted and helped power UBC to a 52-18 advantage, before Filatova responded with eight unanswered points by way of back-to-back threes

and a mid-range jumper.

Mesquita added a triple of her own with 17 seconds left, lifting UNBC to an 11-1 run to end the quarter.

Claire Huang recorded UNBC’s first five points in the final 10 in what would end up being a 17-11 fourth-quarter edge for the hosts. Filatova potted four of the six remaining points in the final quarter for UNBC.Filatova potted four of the six remaining points in the final quarter for UNBC.

The TWolves (3-7) host the Victoria Vikes Thursday, Jan., 16 at 6 p.m. at Brownridge Court.

RICH LAM/UBC ATHLETICS

T-birds guard Brendan Sullivan collides with UNBC Timberwolves guard Isaiah Bias during their Canada West men’s basketball game Saturday in Vancouver.

Life Events

August 3, 1953 - December 30, 2024 Dempsey passed away at UNBC Hospital He was predeceased by his parents Abe and Verna. Siblings Lawrence, Peter, Elia, Louis, and Audrey

He is survived by his daughters Ida, Robin, Cristina and numerous grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Siblings Ron, Gordon, Marlene, Wayne, sister-in-law Debbie

Celebration of life February 8, at 11A M Gateway Church 2055 20th Ave

Lloyd Cyril Cooke

June 8, 1929 - January 6, 2024

On January 6th our dear Uncle Lloyd passed in his sleep, as we promised, in his home. Lloyd was a wonderful caring husband, brother, Uncle and friend. He will be missed by all. His nephews and nieces have many lasting memories running around on their beautiful lawn playing tag, kick the can and hide n seek, were our favorites! Also we’ll never forget Auntie and Uncles bountiful garden.

Every child has a special place in their memory, the memories at 3342 Underhill are mine and will never be forgotten. I will never forget you Uncle Lloyd. Love, your son Curtis.

Survived by brothers Earl and Barry, sister Charmaine and the many nieces, nephews and their families.

Special thank you to our amazing cousin Gwen for her love and support. XOXO

Sincerely, the Cooke Boys

Patricia May Johnson

November 12, 1932 - May 23, 2024

Thomas Arthur Johnson

February 10, 1934 - December 12, 2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of both Patricia May (Nov. 12, 1932 – May 23, 2024) and Thomas Arthur Johnson (Feb. 10, 1934 – Dec. 12, 2024).

Pat passed away peacefully in Comox, BC at the age of 91. Tom passed away just a few short months later in Courtenay, BC at the age of 90.

Both Pat and Tom are survived by their grandchildren, Janna Johnson (Stefan) and Andrew Johnson (Angelique), and their great-granddaughter Paris. Tom is survived by his nieces and nephews and their children. Pat is survived by her sisters Jeanette, Katherine and Margaret and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Pat and Tom were predeceased by their sons, Stephen and Derek (Melany). Tom was the baby in his family and was predeceased by his parents Henry and Isabella Johnson (nee McPhee) and siblings Henry, Edith, Pauline, Florence and Frederick. Pat was predeceased by her parents Stephen and Edith MacDonald (nee Wood).

Pat was born in Nelson, BC and then moved with her family to the Lower Mainland. She told stories of growing up in the Kootenays fishing and picking fruit with her sisters. When their dad died while she was still a teenager, Pat, as the oldest sister, went to work to help her mum support the family.

Tom was born in New Westminster, BC and moved several times with his family as he was growing up in the Lower Mainland, Lumby, Vernon and Ladysmith.

teenager with a “borrowed” drivers license! He loved telling tall tales of his time working in the logging industry out on the west coast of Vancouver Island, remote coastal inlets on mainland BC and up north.

Pat and Tom met in Prince George, BC (Pat was working in the UI office and Tom was a client!) and were married June 21, 1958. They were together from that day on, partners in life and love. They owned and ran a successful gas station service and repair business together in Prince George, brought up their two boys and got involved in the community. They loved getting out in their river boat with friends, fishing, hunting and enjoying the outdoors. They were always the first ones to offer help to friends or family in need, including becoming foster parents. They had a practical strength and generosity.

Pat and Tom retired in their mid-50s to Royston, BC and began 25 years of adventuring in their RV, exploring North America from Arizona to Alaska, the backroads of Vancouver Island and east to Newfoundland. They’d come back with stories, photos (very meticulously organized by Pat!) and news of many new friends that they’d made along the way. We will always remember Tom’s sense of humour and Pat’s warm hugs. They will both be very greatly missed.

A celebration of life is being planned for Spring 2025, TBA. For anyone wishing to honour their memory, donations may be made to the BC Alzheimer Society.

Dempsey Quinn

Brent Langan

February 21, 1983 - November 23, 2024

Celebration of Life will be held Saturday February 8th, 2025 at 11am. House of Ancestors

355 Vancouver St., Prince George, B.C.

Remembering Jessica

January 3, 1995 - March 13, 2023 Maytheangelssingyou abirthdayserenadeinHeaven

In Loving Memory

Tate Garlick

June 19, 1973 - January 18, 2023

Our Son, Brother, and Dad. Missed every day. Tears come but so does the laughter. When we recall how funny you could be, we laugh again. So many photos tell your story and they will live on.

Your voice on our answering machine keeps you close.

Your famous sounding like a sheep call, “Eeehh, give me a call”, remains.

Love Dad and Mom (Carlyle and Tina Garlick) Brother Matt, sister Cori (Jeff Piche)

Marlene Helen Arndt

November 1, 1940 – January 1, 2025

It is with the greatest sorrow that we announce the passing of our beautiful mother, grandmother (Nana), great grandmother – Marlene.

Mom passed away peacefully at the Prince George Hospice House with all of her children surrounding her, sending her on her final journey with all of our love.

Mom is predeceased by husband Gordie, her parents Peter and Emelia Getzinger, brother Albert, sister Marie, daughter in law Carolyn and granddaughter Chelsey.

She is lovingly survived by her children, Kelly (Clint), Todd (Jen), Robin (Dale), Tyrone (Cathy), and Crystal Her grandchildren, Cassandra, Eric, Danny (Lukas), Cameron, Chantelle, Courtney (Geoff), Kayla (Ryley), Sara (Aaron), and Jessica. Her great grandchildren, Finley, Adrianna, Bowen, Kennedy, Kaiden, Kallah, Emmett, Liam, Natalie, and Bradley.

Mom will always be remembered for the love and devotion to her family and friends, her many hours of volunteer work to the Hart community over the years, and her love of gardening and her flowers.

Pray with God Sing with Jesus Dance with the Angels Forever rest with our Love

Funeral Service will be held on January 18, 2025 at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow. (will be announced)

Service

Hartland Baptist Church 6599 Driftwood Rd.

Luncheon

Hart Pioneer Centre

6986 John Hart Hwy.

Betty Faye Monroe (Chidlow) September 6, 1937 - December 19, 2024

It is with profound sadness that the family announces the passing of Betty Faye Monroe ( nee Chidlow) on December 19 /2024 surrounded by her family.

Betty leaves to mourn her children Linda (John) Cutler, Russell (Gemma) Groves, Allan (Linda) Groves Cathy (Grant) Baker and Laurie Groves. She is also survived by her sister Wendy (Wilson) Andre

Grandchildren Mandy Johnson, Kevin Cutler, Kyle (Karly ) Groves, Pamela (Brad) Schafer, Kayleen (Dan) Matte, Randi (Brandon) Guay , Steven Baker , Amber Baker and Megan Groves.

Great- Grandchildren Gage and Seren Johnson, Jack and Camlin Cutler, Chase and Knox Groves, Quinn and Eli Schafer, Elaina , Waylan and Cora Matte, Alexander and Riley Guay.

Betty was born in Chilliwack , B.C. on September 6/1937 to Eric and Joan Chidlow. Betty married Gordon Groves in January of 1955 and started her family. Despite having five young children she found time to be a lady of The Royal Purple and was a member of The Horticultural Society. Unfortunately Betty and Gordon divorced, and she met and married Vern Monroe. They moved to a remote area of Prince George, Punchaw where they pursued Vern’s life long dream of building and running a cattle ranch which they named High Meadows Ranch. Betty was very involved in the ranching community. She was at one time President of The Punchaw Cattlemen’s Association as well as many other duties. In Punchaw Betty made many lifetime friends with attending parties, brandings and a ladies group they affectionately called “Stitch and Bitch”.

In the fall of 1989 Vern and Betty retried from ranching and moved to Mud River. While living there, Betty pursued her dream of opening her own Silk Flower shop which she named “B’s Flower Basket. She also displayed her goods at The Crafter’s Corner and the Prince George Exibition where she won many awards.

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to the Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society.

Shortly after Vern’s passing in December 2012 Betty decided to move to town. She enjoyed her town life and made many more close friends who would often come for coffee as all were welcome, the pot was always on!

When her health declined due to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s she moved to Simon Fraser Lodge where she was until her passing.

A Celebration of Life will be held on January 25, 2025 11:00 - 1:00 at the Bon Voyage on Hwy. 16 West.

In Lieu of flowers the family asks you make donations in Betty’s name to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Dorothy (Dot) Range

April 23, 1931 - December 19, 2024

Not missing Ted anymore. Now dancing together In the glow of headlights On a gravel road. A wonderful lady. Will be missed.

Hark when the night is falling Hear-hear the pipes are calling Loudly and proudly calling Down through the glen Where-where the hills are sleeping Now feel the blood a-leaping High as the spirits of the old island men

Eve Lindelauf

Eve Lindelauf was born on London, England in 1932 and endured the Blitz bombing of the city. She and Dutch husband, Gil, chose to emigrate to Canada because the boat ticket to Australia was too expensive.

Mom was a champion gardener who won many first place ribbons and trophies for her flowers, year after year, in the Fall Fair. She retired from submitting her plants for judging to “give someone else a chance to win”.

Eve is loved and missed by her children, Peter, and Shirley, and her grandchildren, Brianne, Kris & Alex, and Perrin & Dylan, and by her great-grandchildren, Tomas & Anna, Graeme & Sam, Rupert & Abby, and Jasper.

Thanks for everything from all of us, Mom.

D’Arcey

James Zatorski

J September 15, 1953 – December 31, 2024

On December 31, 2024, 6:30am, D’Arcey passed away peacefully with his daughter Ashley by his side in Hospice.

D’Arcey lived a good life, who was loved by many. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone, if you needed help, call him and he would be there. One thing he did famously was always sticking his foot in his mouth and say something that he wished he could take back, lol....

He loved his dog Blue, loved cars, and most of all his children and grandchildren and his extended family. He loved to tease, he was so much like his dad Peter.

D’Arcey worked in the bush doing many different jobs. How do you describe what a person is about, without writing a book. His life’s journey was incredible as is everyone’s story.

This quote from Maya Angelou – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”, and that’s what D’Arcey was all about. D’Arcey will be remembered as a kind, loving person and what more can you ask...

D’Arcey is survived by his loving children, Jezelle, (Justin), Ashley (Mario, sons Parker and Mason), son Jamison (Kaiya, daughter Madison).

His sister, Darlene (Neil McIntosh), sons Blake (Laurie, sons Jacob, Konnor) & Kyle (Neysa, son Kade).

His brother Garrette (Brenda), son Patrick (Desiree, daughters Isabelle, Khloe).

Sister Felicia, (Karey Keller), daughters Rena (Terry Teegee, children Rylie and Rowan), Elizabeth (Robert Derksen, children Gideon, McKinley, Ellis), Jennifer (daughter Emma), son Kalan (Veronica, children Kyler, Kaysen, Psalm, and Krew).

Sister Janice Shannon (Wayne, children Warren/ Roxanne, Clayton Pountney).

D’Arcey is predeceased by his parents, Peter Zatorski, Mary Zatorski (nee Quaw), sister Glynice

David Riemer

April 3, 1932 - December 16, 2024

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of a wonderful, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend. Dad passed away December 16 with his youngest son, Ken, holding his hand. His passing came as a shock to us all. Our father always defied his age, was always doing things unexpected of someone in their nineties. One of his favorite sayings, when one of us would complain about aches and pains or an illness, was “I feel sorry for you old people”. In the past year he was able to fish, hunt and collect firewood with his sons, pastimes he couldn’t get enough of and cherished deeply. Although we grieve his passing we know he left on his own terms and that he has joined our mom in heaven.

Dad was born near Gronlid, Saskatchewan, the youngest of 4 boys, to Agnes and Cornelius Reimer. In Saskatchewan he farmed, built roads, was a welder, pipefitter and built a refinery. In 1954 he followed his brothers to BC. He did mechanical work and skidding in Vanderhoof and worked at a lumber mill and in construction in Prince George. He bought his own backhoe in 1959 and ran it until he retired in 1999.

A close friend introduced dad to our mom, Evelyn Vance and it was love at first sight. They were married in 1957, settled in Peden Hill next to his in-laws and raised a family of 5. Our humble father would always say that mom raised us and did all the real work. We know otherwise, they were great partners. When dad wasn’t at work building, deactivating, repairing roads, bridges and culverts, he was busy with us kids: camping, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and trading stories around a campfire.

Dad was incredibly knowledgeable in so many areas of life and had skills and abilities that would surprise everyone. He was a mechanic, pipefitter, plumber, electrician, machinist, fabricator, blacksmith, road builder, did his own appliance repair and operated light and heavy equipment. Dad could dream up solutions for rigging this or fixing that, solve any problem or rebuild equipment that he felt was poorly built. There wasn’t much that he couldn’t repair or improve upon. Our dad was a kind, humble and generous person with lifelong friendships that he treasured.

Predeceased by our mom Evelyn, his parents, his brothers and his daughter-in-law Louise.

Left to cherish his memory: His children, Len (Darlene), Mike, Don, Sue (Fausto) and Ken (Noelia). Grandchildren, Jeremy (Shawna), Jessica, Lindsey (Brian), Ashley (Arlo) and Brettany (Dane). Great-Grandchildren, Charlie, Johnny, Jack, Walker, Rose and Brooks

No service by request

Classifieds

Whereas the following are indebted to Ace Auto Wrecking Ltd., dba NC Ron’s Towing, for towing and storage of personal property, and ought to have been paid, and are still unpaid, notice is hereby given that the said properties will be sold to pay the outstanding debt, plus costs of seizure, advertising and sale, two weeks from the date of this notice on the 30th day of January, 2025, at 1360 Foley Cres, Prince George, BC

Unknown 2004 Volkswagen Jetta 3VWVH29M74M027616 5,149.70

Jesse Briault 2004 Volkswagen Passat WVWPD63B14P244594 4,220.97

Tennille Jean Milkovich 1996 Harley Davidson 1HD4CAM10TY201970 3,990.30

Wynona Louie 2008 Chevrolet Malibu 1G1ZG57B98F166820 3,851.46

Marie Morin 2016 Dodge Journey 3C4PDCCGXGT230073 3,790.92

Evangeline MacMillan 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 1D7HU18N62S666712 3,678.03

Victor Edwards 1996 Honda Accord 1HGCD5634TA809582 3,317.02

Easy Road Auto Inc 2011 Chevrolet Malibu 1G1ZD5EU9BF370800 3,184.55

Juston Doherty 1999 Ford F250 2FTPX28L9XCB06647 3,302.41

Quentin Comeau 2008 Jeep Compass 1J8FF47W58D575167 3,311.13

Greta Woods 2019 Jeep Cherokee 1C4PJLABXKD429137 3,274.12

Brandy Gross 2005 GMC Jimmy 1GKCT18X85K119037 3,134.21

Darcy Tomah 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 3GNEK12T75G296237 3,058.39

Julian Wich 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 1D7HU18DX4J160087 2,929.41

Jesse Boake 2008 Mazda Mazda 3 JM1BK34F581113872 2,761.00

Annie Brown 2002 Ford F250 1FTNX21L82EA54450 2,906.17

Marina Connors 1993 Lincoln Mark 8 1LNLM91V9PY625150 2,742.04

Kappil Contracting on Deman 1998 Toyota Sienna 4T3ZF19C2WU088966 2,425.68

Highest or any bid not necessarily accepted. Viewing and bids may be submitted to 1360 Foley Cres, Prince George, BC. (250) 564-8444.

Newly Updated • ECE run • Licenced Daycare. From 36 months to kindergarten. Great Government subsidy: Parents pay only $387/month full-time.

4247 Estavilla Dr., Hart Hwy. babyducksearlylearning@outlook.com check out our facebook page

Booking deadline: Friday noon Approval deadline: Monday at noon

In accordance with the Forest Range and Practices Act, Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor) invites the public to review its Forest Operations Maps (FOM ID: 2103, 2104) in the Prince George Natural Resource District. The FOM describes areas proposed for Cutting Permit and Road Permit development within the next three years starting on February 16th, 2025, and ending on January 17th, 2028. We welcome your comments and feedback during the one-month review period starting January 17th, 2025, and ending February 16th, 2024.

The map is accessible for review and comment submission online at: https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/ projects#publicNotices.

Alternatively, in-person review and comments can be completed at the following location during regular office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM):

5162 Northwood Pulpmill Road, P.O. Box 9000, Prince George BC V2L 4W2

Comments may also be submitted by mail to the above address or submitted via phone or email at: 1-250-962-3512; pg.fom.comment@canfor.com

* On Jan. 27, 1906, Norwegian speed skater Rudolf Gundersen set an impressive world record in a 500-meter speed skating event in Davos, Switzerland, completing the distance in just 44.8 seconds.

* On Jan. 28, 1917, a maid named Carmelita Torres objected to the chemical delousing frequently given to Mexicans crossing into the U.S. by initially refusing to leave the trolley carrying her and other immigrant workers, then hurling whatever she and her fellow riders could find at American authorities in what became known as the Bath Riots, which lasted through the following day.

* On Jan. 29, 1958, one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages began in Las Vegas, Nevada, when actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward tied the knot. The union lasted until Newman’s death from lung cancer in 2008, at the age of 83.

* On Jan. 30, 1835, Andrew Jackson experienced the dubious distinction of being the first American president to be the victim of an assassination attempt. He clubbed the attacker, Richard Lawrence, several times with his cane and escaped angry but unscathed, thanks to both of Lawrence’s guns misfiring, and Lawrence spent the rest of his days in a mental institution.

* On Jan. 31, 1945, Private Eddie Slovik was shot and killed by a 12-man firing squad in eastern France, making him the first American soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion.

* On Feb. 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up while entering Earth’s atmosphere over Texas, killing all seven crew members. Strangely, worms used in a study by the crew, that were stored in a canister aboard the shuttle, did survive.

• On Nov. 11, 1831, Nat Turner, an American slave and educated minister who believed that he’d been chosen by God to lead his people into freedom, was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia, for leading a revolt with 75 followers through Southampton County, killing about 60 white people.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Shutting people out to avoid distractions, even under a deadline, can cause hurt feelings. Instead, return calls and messages, and explain why you need a zone of privacy for now.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Although your keen Bull’s eyes can usually discern what’s fact from what’s faux, an upcoming decision will need really solid data before you can risk a commitment.

• On Nov. 12, 1969, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed the extent of the U.S. Army’s charges against 1st Lt. William L. Calley at My Lai, Vietnam, in a cable picked up by more than 30 newspapers, saying that “The Army says he [Calley] deliberately murdered at least 109 Vietnamese civilians during a searchand-destroy mission in March 1968, in a Viet Cong stronghold known as ‘Pinkville.’”

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) As your confidence grows, you should be able to work toward your goals with more enthusiasm. Open your mind to suggestions; some of them might even work for you.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Reconnecting with someone from your past stirs up an old sense of adventure. But before you do anything else, be sure to get answers to any lingering questions.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Some people might resent the way you plan to resolve a difficult situation. But your commitment to making tough but fair decisions soon wins you their respect and support.

• On Nov. 13, 1979, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaped over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine for a memorable slam dunk that shattered the fiberglass backboard. His equally memorable comment on the move, which was not his last and the sound of which spectators likened to a bomb going off: “It wasn’t really a safe thing to do, but it was a Darryl Dawkins thing to do.”

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

Mixed signals could be causing a vexing workplace problem. Before you choose to leave a project, ask for a meeting where you can get things out in the open.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

Your good intentions could backfire if you’re not careful with other people’s feelings. Try using persuasion, not pressure, to get others to see your side of the situation.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your dedication to finishing the task at hand is laudable. But be careful not to overdo the midnight oil bit. Instead, take time for relaxation with someone very special.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Although your intuition will help you make some tough choices during the first half of the month, you’ll need more facts to back up your actions later on.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) All your hard work and research in the workplace finally pays off as you’d hoped it would. Ignore comments from jealous types who are out to get the Goat riled up.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) An unfair decision creates unnecessary problems, but avoid anger and move carefully as you work this out. Expect to get support from an unlikely source.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A fuzzy financial vista persists until the end of the month, when things begin to clear up. You’ll also gain a better perspective on how to handle some pesky personal problems.

• On Nov. 14, 1882, outlaw Frank “Buckskin” Leslie shot and killed Billy “The Kid” Claiborne, who had publicly challenged him, in Tombstone, Arizona.

• On Nov. 15, 1984, Baby Fae, a month old infant who received the world’s first baboon heart transplant, died at California’s Loma Linda University 20 days after the operation. Three other people had received animal heart transplants, but none survived longer than a few days.

• On Nov. 16, 2001, British author J.K. Rowling’s most famous and beloved creation, the bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe in his first major role), made his silver-screen debut in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which went on to become one of the highestgrossing movies in history.

Homes & Living

The ease and benefits of owning a hot tub

Owning a hot tub is a luxurious experience that many people associate with high expenses, but this perception is often not entirely accurate. In reality, hot tubs offer a multitude of benefits that can justify their cost, and with a range of options available, they might be more affordable than you assume.

First and foremost, hot tubs provide significant health benefits. Immersing oneself in warm, bubbling water can alleviate stress and tension, promoting relaxation and mental well-being. The soothing heat and buoyancy of the water help ease muscle pain, arthritis, and joint stiffness, making hot tubs a popular choice for individuals seeking relief from chronic pain or recovering from injuries. The hydrotherapy benefits extend to improving circulation, which can aid in faster recovery times and boost metabolism.

Moreover, hot tubs can enhance your social life. They serve as a focal

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point for gatherings, offering a relaxing environment where friends and family can unwind and connect. Whether it’s a summer barbecue or a winter get-together, a hot tub adds a unique element to social events, encouraging face-to-face interaction in an increasingly digital world.

In terms of mental health, the calming effects of a soak in the hot tub are well-documented. The combination of warm water, serene surroundings, and the gentle massage from jets can significantly reduce stress and improve sleep quality. This tranquility can extend beyond the confines of the hot tub, helping individuals manage stressors in their daily lives more effectively.

Financial concerns are often the main barrier for many when considering the purchase of a hot tub. However, the market offers a wide array of models catering to different budgets. Entry-level hot tubs are available at prices that are

surprisingly accessible. Additionally, the long-term benefits can outweigh the initial cost. With advances in technology, modern hot tubs are more energyefficient than ever, reducing ongoing utility bills. Many models feature insulation and energy-saving modes that keep operating costs low.

Moreover, investing in a hot tub can potentially increase your property’s value. A well-maintained hot tub can be an attractive feature for prospective buyers, serving as a unique selling point that enhances your home’s appeal in the real estate market.

Financing options can also make hot tubs more affordable. Many manufacturers and dealers offer payment plans that allow you to spread the cost over several months or years. Such flexibility makes it easier for individuals and families to manage the expense without sacrificing other financial priorities.

While some may view hot tubs as a luxury item, the numerous health and social benefits they offer make them a worthwhile investment. With a range of affordable options and financing plans available, owning a hot tub is more attainable than you might think, providing a daily retreat that can enhance your quality of life in countless ways.