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The City of Prince George is kicking off the summer season in style by bringing back a popular event that should hit the high notes.

Concert In the Park is returning to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park on June 28th

The free concert will include the following acts:

• Aquiles Tarumba at 1 p.m. 

• Aquiles Tarumba is the solo project of Aquiles Pérez Merlos. This project was born in 2019, in the city of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. His music is characterized by having a sound with warm and embracing melodies and harmonies, fearlessly going from folk to jazz; from alternative rock to pop.  Aquiles Tarumba has a long musical career and has worked on many projects, the most notable being Expedición Humboldt, a band that he founded and with which he has played in many venues, festivals and cities across Mexico, such as the Marvin Festival, the Lunario del Auditorio Nacional, the Youth Week in CDMX, SofarSounds, among others.   

• The Verdants at 2 p.m. 

• The Verdants are an indie/folk rock band based in Prince George, B.C.  The band has a nostalgic yet forward moving sound that pulses with that happy sad energy reminiscent of late 90’s or early 2000’s indie rock.   

• Andrew Judah at 3 p.m. 

• Andrew Judah is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, songwriter and recording artist from B.C.  Fearless and meticulous, Andrew Judah’s diverse sound is strung together by a love of evolving cinematic orchestrations and bittersweet melodies. Piecing together what others might dismiss as incompatible sounds, he has found a way to employ familiar, organic instruments with warped analog textures. The arrangements are playful and exploratory, with subtle rhythmic complexities. Controlled chaos. All of this diversity in sound is held together by a single thread, Andrew’s voice. 

The City invites food truck owners to take part by applying via the city’s website by June 13 at 5 p.m.  

A second Concert in the Park is planned for August. 

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The Federal Jobs minister is urging Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to kickstart negotiations with mediators.

Patty Hajdu is asking both parties to seek negotiating terms for an arbitration process and to have the union table its response to the last offer made by the corporation.

She added that while arbitration is not the preferred path to an agreement for either side, each will have priorities it wants recognized.

The union’s 55-thousand workers (including about 200 in the PG area) have been in a legal strike position for roughly two weeks but, so far, have only instituted a ban on overtime.

The corporation added the arbitration process could take as long as a year adding to its already-precarious financial position.

Arbitration is not the preferred path to an agreement for either side, and each will have priorities it wants recognized. And for that reason, attempts to negotiate a settlement must continue. Canadians expect the parties to resolve this dispute one way or another.

— Patty Hajdu (@PattyHajdu) June 4, 2025

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The Regional District of Nanaimo will hold an alternate approval process (AAP) to determine if it should approve a land exchange in French Creek.  

The RDN is proposing to exchange a 0.55-hectare portion of Lee Road Community Park for a 1.51-hectare piece of a nearby property recently purchased to support expansion of the French Creek Pollution Control Centre. 

“The land exchange plan includes dedicating community parkland along French Creek to support a public trail and ecological corridor, while removing a portion of land in the Lee Road Community Park to allow for the expansion of the FCPCC,” reads a news release from the RDN. “The properties to be exchanged are of equal value and therefore there is no land value cost for the exchange. The Lee Road Community Park property is currently zoned to permit the proposed uses.” 

The release notes the exchange would increase the total parkland by about one hectare, and it would allow for expansion of the public trail in the park. 

The exchange will require both an AAP and an Official Community Plan amendment. 

Residents in electoral area G can participate in the AAP from June 5 to July 7. Anyone opposed to the exchange can submit a response form. 

There will be a public hearing on the OCP amendment on June 26, and the RDN board will make a final decision on July 22. 

The hearing will be at St. Columba Presbyterian Church in Parksville at 6:30 p.m. There will be an information session before it, starting at 3 p.m. 

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The cities of Trail, Nelson, and Castlegar have joined forces in a call for a regional strategy to address the urgent and growing challenges of mental health, addictions, and homelessness. 

Councils in all three communities endorsed a resolution in May in response to the increasing local need for detox, rehabilitation, and supportive housing services.  

It calls on the province to expand treatment services, increase funding for housing and shelter infrastructure, and support specialized policing and crisis response teams. 

Trail Mayor Colleen Jones says the idea of regional collaboration emerged in 2024 during Selkirk College’s Bridging Rural Homelessness and Wellbeing Summit, where mayors from all three communities recognized the need for a localized solution. 

“We had some really good discussions about the homeless individuals in all three of our communities, and we decided that we needed to get more government involved because we are in rural B.C., and we do not get the same support and services that urban B.C. is receiving at this time,” said Jones. 

She explains that those suffering from mental health and addiction issues are often forced to relocate to access care, but emphasizes how the supportive housing piece for after they return from rehab or detox is limited locally. 

“We don’t have that in this area, so there’s a greater chance that people will fall off the system and end up back on the streets, unable to get help again for a while, which we see as one of the biggest issues locally right now.” 

While Castlegar does have a detox facility, Jones says the supportive housing piece is critical for reintegration, noting that there are only nine beds available in Castlegar – often forcing individuals to relocate to larger urban centres for treatment. 

“When you bring rural people out of their communities and take them down to urban B.C., there goes their family support and what they know of their community. Then they’re in a situation where not only do they have to learn how to live without drugs and work with their mental illness, but they also have to figure out how to fit into that new community.” 

Although the Union of BC Municipalities has historically supported similar province-wide initiatives, this resolution reflects a distinctly regional approach. 

Jones says it emphasizes the need for localized, community-led solutions and urges the province and federal government to provide targeted funding through mechanisms such as the Provincial Policing and Public Safety Fund and the federal Reaching Home program. 

“We need more help for individuals struggling with mental health and addiction, and more support for those in our communities who are homeless. We need help with public safety in our communities, more RCMP recruitment, more people on the street who can assist these individuals. There need to be more wraparound services.” 

A localized solution Jones would like to see implemented involves a regional centre that features detox, rehab, and supportive housing, in addition to life skills training to reintegrate people back into society. 

“Those are the most important steps that we need at this time. As for localized mental health support, we need something a little more aggressive than what we have now. It’s a long-term illness. It’s not something that just takes six weeks to fix and then it’s over. A regional centre is where this could all happen.” 

The Union of BC Municipalities has received the resolution, which will be brought forward by Mayor Jones at September’s UBCM Convention. 

That said, she assures her advocacy on the issue will – and has – continued at all levels of government. 

“As a municipal elected official, my goal is to advocate at every level of government that I can for my community. I’ve spoken about this at the municipal, regional, provincial and federal levels.

I’m hoping that somebody will recognize the work that’s being done here to show what the situation really is. All we want is to sit down and talk about this regional proposal, and we’re willing to work with anyone.” 

You can read the resolution by clicking here.  

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The College of the Rockies is launching its summer youth program in Cranbrook and Fernie with its hands-on STEAM Camps.

Marie Bullock, YXC MakerSpace Coordinator, says students at the STEAM Camp can learn practical, technical skills in an engaging, supportive environment.

“It’s building foundational skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and math. There are all kinds of career paths that can come out of there,” said Bullock.

“It’s exciting for local youth to be exposed to these kinds of skills in Fernie and Cranbrook. If they want to stay local or leave when they graduate high school, these skills will be pretty valuable as well.”

There are three different STEM Camps on offer for various age groups, and you can find more details about each one below.

LEGO Mindstorms – Children aged eight to 13

Students will get an opportunity to play with LEGO and learn robotics through team-based challenges, taught by robotics experts.

“This will teach kids how to code and build robots, then program them with their coding,” said Bullock.

“The program emphasizes teamwork, inclusion, impact, fun, discovery and innovation.”

The camp will be hosted at the Fernie College of the Rockies Campus from July 7 to 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Registration costs $300, and the deadline to apply is July 3.

Build-it Bootcamp: Layers and Lasers – Teens aged 12 to 16

YXC Makerspace in the Ground Floor Coworking Space will partner with the College of the Rockies to host Build-it Bootcamp.

“This will teach students design thinking and design programs. They will also learn how to create that design,” said Bullock.

“They’ll learn how to bring it from the abstract 2D world into the 3D world with technology, whether it’s a 3D printer or laser cutter/engraver.”

Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptop and mouse.

The Build-it Bootcamp will run daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from July 14 to 18.

Registration costs $300 and will be open until July 10

5-Day Outdoor Adventure program – Children aged five to 10 years old

The Outdoor Adventure program at the Cranbrook campus will teach children about the natural world and its ecosystems.

“Led by experienced Wildsight educators, these nature-based camps help children connect with the outdoors, spark a love for science, and build confidence and creativity through exploration and play,” said the College of the Rockies.

Camps will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with one running from July 28 to August 1 and the other running from August 11 to 15.

Each camp costs $280, and registration is open until July 24 for the first session and August 7 for the second.

You can apply for financial relief for all course fees by contacting Paul Tiege at [email protected].

You can register your children for these courses here.

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The City of Williams Lake City Council held a special Council Meeting to receive a report from City Staff and reflect on a letter from the Provincial Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General that brings more police resources to Williams Lake.

At the May 27 Council Meeting, the City Council asked City Staff to ‘investigate options’ to gain resources, or declare a State of Local Emergency (SoLE) in Williams Lake to address ‘growing concerns of public safety.’

In the time between meetings, Williams Lake City Staff wrote a detailed report that ‘acknowledges the considerable complexity of this matter,’ and that Council is looking for a ‘timely response.’

City Staff’s report details the reasons for declaring a SoLE, what a municipality can and cannot do, as well as considerations and concerns a declaration of a SoLE has on agencies within the municipality.

In the end, City Staff wrote that while the City of Williams Lake, and City Council can declare a SoLE, Staff report that all the agencies they talked with when making this report said ‘that declaring a SoLE is not required.’ Staff also wrote in the report that the local emergency response stakeholders Staff asked ‘stressed’ that the challenges the community of Williams Lake faces, and the declaration of a SoLE, ‘require more than temporary measures’ and that a SoLE would not solve the issues. The stakeholders saying instead ‘coordinated systemic reforms are needed.’

Amongst the responses from the fallout of May 27’s meeting, Williams Lake City Staff and Council received a letter from Karin MacMillan, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

The letter from MacMillan says that she has ‘reviewed the challenges’ to the community, and based on the information, has sent additional policing and programs to Williams Lake. The Chief of Staff says the Provincial Director of Police Services has directed that the ‘immediate supplement’ to local RCMP’s crime efforts be bolstered.

The RCMP has committed to sending the Cariboo–Chilcotin Crime Reduction Unit has been deployed to Williams Lake. Chief of Staff MacMillan writes that the Crime Reduction Unit has been instructed by RCMP senior leadership to ‘assess the situation and develop operational plans as required.’

Additionally, the Ministry has contacted the RCMP offices responsible to the SITE and C–STEP programs to reach out to the Wiliams Lake RCMP and ‘offer advice and support’ should the Williams Lake detachment submit a report to receive additional targeted policing funding through the programs.

Mayor Surinderpal Rathor said he saw the arrival of more policing from the Ministry “a step in the right direction,” and put forward the motion to wait and receive a report from City Staff on what the Crime Reduction Unit advises to council.

“I have no issue asking the Council at this point in time, based on the Ministry’s email, to lets wait,” says Mayor Rathor. “This is a big step forward, a step in the right direction. Let’s wait and see what the more policing has to say when they see the situation of the town.”

Each of the Councillors took turns speaking on their thoughts and concerns with declaring a SoLE and receiving the Ministry’s Chief of Staff’s letter.

Councillor Joan Flaspholer stood her ground, repeating she remains “flat out against” declaring a SoLE. Flaspohler reiterated the Staff report that a SoLE was unnecessary. She also spoke that she understood the reasons for investigating the options for public safety. She cautions though, that declaring a SoLE has rules and reasons for their declarations, saying “they are not to be taken lightly, and it is not a tool.”

Having put forward the motion to declare a State of Local Emergency, Councillor Scott Nelson was pleased with getting more policing sent to Williams Lake. However, he was still adamant that the City declare a SoLE.

“We’ve heard what the Council, what the province, and police want, we need to listen to what the public wants— and they don’t want to live in fear,” Nelson said. “That’s not old news, because we have seen the excalation that has taken place inside this community.”

He reiterated his stance that “drastic and unprecidented measures” were needed in this situation for public safety. Nelson saying that many people are living in fear while living in Williams Lake. Nelson also mentioned that in the Staff report, Staff indicated that many of the emergency response stakeholders are at their resources limit. He argued that declaring a SoLE would bring more resources to the stakeholders to take action.

Councillor Nelson also had concerns about the costs associated with the additional policing. Nelson said that part of declaring a SoLE to have an inject of police into the Williams Lake community would have the province “front the bill” for police. Nelson asked whether the police that are being sent up to Williams Lake are also covered by the province.

Councillor Jazmyn Lyons agreed to not declaring a SoLE as well. However, Councillor Lyons did say her reasoning for agreeing to declare one in May 27’s meeting, was to get a response from the province, and she is happy to have received the letter via email from Chief of Staff, MacMillan.

“We are seeing those resources coming out way,” Lyons said. “That’s what I wanted to see happen.”

Councillor Michael Moses, also opposed of declaring a SoLE. Moses said the council has “looked at this from every direction, but those from the equity–deserving groups.” Moses saying that consultation from the 2SIALGBTQ+ communities have not been consulted. Nor did the Staff report consult with local First Nations on the impacts a SoLE would have on their communities, as the Indigenous also make up a large portion of the unhoused communities in Williams Lake.

“We would have been making decisions for equity–deserving groups, where the input we are receiving are against the actions we would be doing.” Moses said.

Moses also pointed out that declaring a SoLE required “meaningful consultations” with First Nations is mandated before and after declaring a SoLE. He reminded the Council that Xatsull Chief Rhonda Phillips wrote a letter to the Williams Lake Council on May 27, advising that no curfew or SoLE be put in place. Moses cautioning the repercussions from “hearing feedback” and going against it, is not meaningful consultation.

“It’s time that we take time to consider how this will affect the people that you are targetting,” Moses addressed the Council. “If we preceed with this against the will of the First Nations and other margainlized peoples in our community, then I want you to be wary of this path of discrimination that this Council will be choosing, and the repercussions of it.”

After the discussions, the City Council approved receiving the report from City Staff and the letter from the Chief of Staff of the Ministry. There was an amendment put forward by Mayor Rathor that no additional steps to declare a SoLE be taken until after the Crime Reduction Unit has arrived in Williams Lake, and a report from City Staff can be done on what the Crime Reduction Unit can do in the community as soon as possible.

The motion with the amendment was carried, with Councillor Nelson the sole opposer of not declaring a State of Local Emergency immediately.

Mayor Rathor was hopeful at the end of the meeting, that the Cariboo–Chilcotin Crime Reduction Unit, would be in Williams Lake soon, and “work can get start getting done immediately.”

The post Williams Lake City Council Postpone Declaring SoLE with Fresh Inject of Police appeared first on My Cariboo Now.

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Sports by Hartley Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

WHL:

The Prince George Cougars have signed their top two picks in last month’s Prospects Draft to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

Forward Cohen Baker, from Kamloops, was selected in round one, 17th overall while defenseman Anderson Reschny, from Macklin, Saskatchewan was picked in round two, 40th overall.

Baker racked up 64 points (34 goals) and 80 penalty minutes in 33 games with Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Prep program in the 2024-25 season.

Reschny had 38 points (9 goals) in 36 games with the OHA Edmonton U15 Prep team.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

We have signed 2025 first-round pick Cohen Baker to a @TheWHL Scholarship and Development Agreement!https://t.co/Wb9ZHUDoKz@WHLProspects • #ForTheNorth

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) June 3, 2025

RESCHNY SIGNS.

We are excited to announce the signing of 2025 second round pick Anderson Reschny to a @TheWHL Scholarship & Development Agreement.https://t.co/7UfSdkldl3@WHLProspects • #ForTheNorth

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) June 3, 2025

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School District 57 unveiled the refurbished carving that welcomes visitors to the District Office in Prince George this afternoon. (Tuesday)

The project was led by Peter George, the original artist of the sign.

“The sign has been here for 22 years, but it was clear to me last fall that it could use a refurbishment,” said School District 57 Superintendent Jameel Aziz.

“To find out the artist was still available and willing to do the work for us, involve kids in the carving and the sanding and the painting, this has been a real community project led by of course, Mr. George. To see the finished product today is just a really positive day for our school district.”

According to George, the carving was finished on Monday after eight months of work with his daughter Hailey.

“As a father I’m really pleased she wanted to take part and learn, so much so I gave her her starting kit of carving tools,” he said.

“She was a really good student, along with my other daughter, Stephanie, when she came back from school for a couple of days, she came down and carved as well, both of them were a huge part of this.”

The sign features hand prints from Peter, Hailey and Stephanie.

For Hailey, she said it was an emotional day for her.

“I will be able to look at this sign for the rest of my life and see my dad’s handprint, my handprint, and my sister’s handprint on it,” she said.

“For me, that gives me so much pride, not just pride, but Indigenous pride.”

She added she would love for it to continue to be a family legacy.

“If I have children of my own, they will definitely be participating in learning everything that my dad taught to me,” she said.

“If it’s my sister’s children, I would just like all the children to be involved, they don’t even have to be involved.”

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100 Mile House RCMP continue to ask for the public’s assistance in locating a South Cariboo woman who has been missing almost 4 months.

Police said Jennifer Provencal was last seen on February 5th and they are concerned for her health and well-being.

If you have seen her or know where she may be to contact 100 Mile House RCMP

250-395-2456.

Jennifer Provencal is described as:

a 51-year-old Caucasian woman

5 foot 7 inches tall weighing 170 pounds

She has brown hair and brown eyes

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B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne says 18 new involuntary care beds in Maple Ridge are the first of their kind in B.C.

Speaking in Maple Ridge Tuesday, Osborne said the Allouette Homes are for people with complex mental health issues who meet the criteria for involuntary care under the Mental Health Act. That includes people with severe and persistent mental-health disorders, often combined with addictions and brain injuries, that are at risk of harming themselves or others.

The facility was part of an announcement last September that also included 10 beds at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre. Those beds opened earlier this Spring.

Osborne stressed the new beds in Maple Ridge are for those who are not currently in the correctional system. She said the Allouette Homes are intended to provide care in a “safe, home-like setting.”

The homes will be operated in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health and the nonprofit Connective Support Society.

VCH vice president Bonnie Wilson says it’s a secure facility, meaning the doors and gates remain locked and residents are accompanied if they need to go into the community for any reason, such as medical appointments.

Wilson says the people coming into the facility have already exhausted other options, from living with family or group homes to different areas of the healthcare system. She says it is a unique opportunity to be able to provide people with “long-term, supported, safe and secure care” outside of a hospital setting.

Dr. Daniel Vigo, B.C.’s chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders, said clients will be able to live at the facilities for an indefinite amount of time to get the treatment they need. He said for some that could mean lifetime care, while others could be able to progress to a point that they no longer qualify for involuntary care under the Mental Health Act and would have the option of moving out of the facility.

The health ministry said in a release the first six residents will be transferred into the facility early this month.

The province announced in September it set a three-year goal to introduce more than 400 additional mental-health beds at hospitals in B.C. that would also provide involuntary care under the act. Vigo says his office is working with local health authorities to identify how many tertiary beds each region needs for people with serious and persistent mental illness.

The province said as of April there were a total of 2,100 mental health beds across B.C. that can provide involuntary care.

The announcement comes as the B.C. Supreme Court begins proceedings related to a challenge of the Mental Health Act’s “deemed consent” provisions, which apply to patients under voluntary care. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities has said the provision violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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Cowichan Valley Search and Rescue is working together with the Duncan Daybreak Rotary Club to raise as much as $2.5 million to build a new facility for equipment and training. 

Search Manager and Training Officer Mitch Wright says the current building is no longer adequate. 

He says they operate out of a two bay facility at the CVRD’s Bings Creek Recycling Centre and where they park four large vehicles inside, another vehicle that sits outside, off-road vehicles, that are stored separately and have to be loaded onto a trailer before each search gets underway, a boat for rescues on rivers. 

Wright says they need a larger building with three to four pull-through bays to hold all of the equipment and be ready to roll immediately to get where they are needed as quickly as possible. 

He says they also need a larger classroom space for training and a room for drying wet equipment after a rescue. 

Cowichan SAR responds to 50-60 callouts annually and experienced its busiest year in 2024 with 79 calls. 

It says the push for the new facility was years in the making, but is moving forward following a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Cowichan Valley Regional District to provide land for a new home 

We’ve been working toward this moment for a long time and it’s exciting to finally be here,” says CSAR past-president Jamie Tudway-Cains, adding they now plan to build public awareness and ramp up fundraising. 

“We know this project is sorely needed for our group, but also know we have to raise a lot of money to complete it – that is where we’ll lean on Rotary for its support and expertise.” 

Rotary Club of Duncan Daybreak members began meeting informally with CSAR more than a year ago, and are gathering support from other Rotary clubs around the valley and beyond. 

Arnie May, Duncan Daybreak president, says there’s a lot of excitement and energy for this project. 

“Our neighbouring clubs are on board, and we had the Rotary District governor up recently for a tour as well, so we’re getting the word out far and wide to build support.” 

Cowichan SAR has a $280,000 fund ear-marked for the project and will seek matching grants from upper levels of government. The Rotary club also has the ability to apply for matching grants from Rotary International.

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Cowichan Valley Search and Rescue is working together with the Duncan Daybreak Rotary Club to raise as much as $2.5 million to build a new facility for equipment and training. 

Search Manager and Training Officer Mitch Wright says the current building is no longer adequate. 

He says they operate out of a two bay facility at the CVRD’s Bings Creek Recycling Centre and where they park four large vehicles inside, another vehicle that sits outside, off-road vehicles, that are stored separately and have to be loaded onto a trailer before each search gets underway, a boat for rescues on rivers. 

Wright says they need a larger building with three to four pull-through bays to hold all of the equipment and be ready to roll immediately to get where they are needed as quickly as possible. 

He says they also need a larger classroom space for training and a room for drying wet equipment after a rescue. 

Cowichan SAR responds to 50-60 callouts annually and experienced its busiest year in 2024 with 79 calls. 

It says the push for the new facility was years in the making, but is moving forward following a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Cowichan Valley Regional District to provide land for a new home 

We’ve been working toward this moment for a long time and it’s exciting to finally be here,” says CSAR past-president Jamie Tudway-Cains, adding they now plan to build public awareness and ramp up fundraising. 

“We know this project is sorely needed for our group, but also know we have to raise a lot of money to complete it – that is where we’ll lean on Rotary for its support and expertise.” 

Rotary Club of Duncan Daybreak members began meeting informally with CSAR more than a year ago, and are gathering support from other Rotary clubs around the valley and beyond. 

Arnie May, Duncan Daybreak president, says there’s a lot of excitement and energy for this project. 

“Our neighbouring clubs are on board, and we had the Rotary District governor up recently for a tour as well, so we’re getting the word out far and wide to build support.” 

Cowichan SAR has a $280,000 fund ear-marked for the project and will seek matching grants from upper levels of government. The Rotary club also has the ability to apply for matching grants from Rotary International.

The post Cowichan Search and Rescue teams with Rotary Club to fundraise for new facility appeared first on My Cowichan Valley Now.

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The City of Kimberley is looking for input from residents on its Draft 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements.

“The report outlines the City’s key accomplishments, financial performance, progress on strategic priorities during 2024, and it shapes several goals and objectives for the coming years,” said the City of Kimberley.

Mayor Don McCormick says the city began to make meaningful progress on its housing shortage in 2024.

“As with many communities across the province, housing has been a big challenge, but 2024 was the year that, I believe, we have turned the corner,” said McCormick.

“Over the last two years, we have added somewhere in the neighbourhood of 200 to 250 new residences.”

The report also details what is to come for Kimberley over the next few years.

So far in 2025, the City has focused on catching up with infrastructure projects.

“With City Hall, the Fire Hall, the Civic Centre and the Curling Rink, if you take a look at the facilities the city owns, most of them are in need of repair or replacement – dire need in some cases,” said McCormick.

“We haven’t really looked at anything to look at that in the infrastructure renewal front. That’s going to be one of our biggest challenges in 2025: getting the inventory, getting the assessments and figuring out how we move forward with our facility assets.”

Residents are encouraged to review the draft and provide their thoughts and comments on the document.

The City says resident feedback will help ensure the municipal government stays on top of the public’s priorities and makes any necessary changes to align with those values.

You can find the Draft 2024 Annual Report online or you can pick up a paper copy from City Hall.

You can submit feedback online or by emailing [email protected] before Monday, June 23.

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Every year Conservation Officer Service receives calls from well-intentioned people trying to rescue fawns they believe are orphaned.

But interfering can cause more harm than good.

The CO’s remind the public to please not disturb fawns they may see alone outside as they are very likely not abandoned.

They said it’s common for does to leave their fawns for hours at a time while they forage for food and moving one can result in it not be able to reunite with it’s mother greatly reducing its chances of survival.

If you are concerned a fawn is injured or abandoned, do not touch it and call the RAPP line

1-877-952-7277.

Taking a fawn into your care is also illegal under the Wildlife Act and you can be fined for unlawful possession of live wildlife.

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A structure fire on Denman Island claimed the life of one person today.

At 3:00 a.m. this morning, Denman Island Fire Rescue received a call for a structure fire on Thomas Road.

The duty officer arrived first, followed by Pumper 55 and Rescue 53, and 22 firefighters arriving at the scene.

Fire Rescue says three tankers supplied water.

“The fire was contained and suppressed with approximately 5000 gallons of water,” said Denman Island Fire Rescue.

When the flames were extinguished, they found one person had died in the fire.

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Over the coming weeks,  a contractor will be eradicating noxious weeds around Fernie.

City staff say the weeds pose a threat to wildlife, the environment and recreational areas.

Survey work to find treatment areas is beginning this week.

On the ground treatment is expected to start on June 17.

All priority areas will be signed 48 hours in advance to adhere to the city’s pesticide use control bylaw.

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The City of Cranbrook has amended the five year financial plan to up the Rails to Trails slope remediation project value from $10,000 to $92,000.

While the project budget is increasing, only the original $10,000 is of tax payer dollars.

The rest is grant funding with $52,000 from the RDEK and a possible $30,000 from the Trans Canada Trail Grant.

Back in 2019, the city conducted a preliminary geotechnical assessment along NorthStar Rails to Trails, which found five areas for remediation.

City staff say the Trans Canada Trail Grant still needs to be finalized, but they have received favorable feedback.

The city will be putting out tenders for the project, but if it exceeds the project budget or the Trans Canada Trail Grant is unsuccessful the money will be held until 2026.

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A Prince George goaltender will be trading in her winter boots for the Arizona sunshine.

Today (Tuesday), Payton Planetta of the Northern Capitals U18 Female AAA hockey team committed to the Arizona Wildcats.

Last year, Planetta posted a 10-8-0 record with a 3.21 goals against average.

Planetta played 63 games for the Capitals over three seasons.

In its first season in the American Colligiate Hockey Association, Arizona went 6-12-3-1.

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An above-normal summer is on the horizon for the majority of BC including the Prince George-area according to Environment Canada.

Meteorologist, Bobby Sekohn told Vista Radio there are still some variables that need to be ironed out in order for that prediction to bear fruit.

“Now, how that shakes out will really have to follow on a week to week basis whether that is going to be extended heat periods or be just a little bit above normal. That part we don’t know.”

In May, the mean temperature was 9.8 degrees, a half a degree lower than the monthly high of 10.3.

PG tallied 46-millimetres of rain, while the normal mark is 45.

In addition, sunny skies and warmer temperatures will be the focus of the short-term weather forecast in the PG-area.

Daytime highs are expected to bounce between 19 and 26 degrees over the next week.

Sekohn added the warm spell won’t long any longer than roughly a week.

“It doesn’t last too, too long. As we get into next week we will see temperatures drop back down pretty close to normal. It is going to be an up and down period generally speaking with no long extended stretch of hot weather.”

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Temperatures held just below normal through May in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District.

According to Environment Canada, the mean temperature recorded was 9.2 degrees, about 0.8 degrees below normal.

Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon said there wasn’t much precipitation despite several rainy days.

“In Smithers, we only got 11 millimetres of precipitation compared to the normal of 39,” he said.

Some rain is expected on Thursday before daytime highs climb to the mid 20s by the weekend.

“That’s going to be a nice hot weekend but then things will come a little bit closer to normal by Monday,” Sekhon added.

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Campbell River plans to take its fight over repeat offenders to higher levels of government.

City council plans to send letters to Victoria and Ottawa asking for greater accountability from prosecutors and changes to legislation to deal with “prolific and priority” offenders.

The discussion came Tuesday as the city set out its priorities for local RCMP, which includes downtown safety.

Councillor Sean Smyth spoke about one frustrated citizen who lost her son to drugs.

“She was talking about all the people that she knew who were drug dealers in town and that had been prolific offenders and, basically, it was a conversation of frustration that these people are always walking around free and the RCMP know who they are,” Smyth said.

Councillor Tanille Johnston says police are unable to act because current laws make the burden of proof extremely high.

“The burden of proof was just so amazingly high that I was shocked so I think if there is room to change that, it’s mind blowing that hundreds of people can know the exact same information about each other but the RCMP can’t act on it,” Johnston said.

Council noted the topic has recently been on the radar at the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Councillor Ron Kerr says it has to be addressed at higher levels. “This is a collateral result of all these crazy safe drug and legalization of drugs that have been brought in by the senior governments…everybody below them is not legally required to change,” Kerr said.

The letter will come to a future city council meeting for final approval as well as an advocacy strategy.

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Mr. PG celebrated his recent 65th birthday by bringing a bit of extra joy to some of the young patients in the pediatric ward at UHNBC.

Thanks to an anonymous donor, the Exploration Place donated a selection of Mr. PG plush toys and train-themed gift bundles to the ward.

“Mr. PG has always represented the heart of Prince George,” said the anonymous donor.

“I wanted to celebrate his 65th birthday in a way that would bring joy to local kids and families, especially those going through a tough time. Supporting this donation felt like the perfect way to do that.”

Included in the gift bundles is a Mr. PG plush toy, train bag, engineer hat, wooden whistle, Mr. PG thumb puppet, and a child’s ticket for a ride on the Little Prince Steam Engine in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.

“We’re so grateful to our donor for making this donation possible and marking this milestone with kindness and care for local families,” said Exploration Place Executive Director Alyssa Leier.

“On behalf of UHNBC, our dedicated staff, and, most importantly, the children and families in our pediatrics ward, we extend our deepest gratitude to the Donor and the Exploration Place. Your generosity will touch countless lives, bringing hope, comfort, and joy to our young patients,” said Sarah Christensen on behalf of UHNBC.

“The iconic Mr. PG stuffy and train bags will undoubtedly be a huge hit with the kids, creating moments of happiness during their hospital stay.”

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A two-day fishing event is being held in Vanderhoof over the Father’s Day weekend.

It will run at the Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Centre on June 14th and 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Event activities include fishing clinics, fly-tying clinics, free rod and tackle loans and stream clean-up projects as well as fishing derbies.

“More British Columbians are planning summer adventures at home and looking to discover amazing experiences in the province,” said Stacy Webb, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.

Through the weekend, salt and freshwater fishing license requirements are waved to eliminate the financial barrier to participating.

Fishing derbies are also being hosted in Telkwa and Kitimat that Sunday.

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The qathet Regional District is reminding you to get vaccinated for COVID or other illnesses this week.

A vaccination clinic is set to run on Lasqueti Island, with residents still able to book for either a COVID-19 booster or general immunization.

The qathet Regional District says for the boosters, they’re recommended for adults 65 and older, Indigenous adults 55 and older, and children that are very vulnerable.

You can book for COVID boosters by calling 1-833-838-2323 or by going online, while other vaccine appointments can be done by calling 250-240-5712. The district adds you can drop-in to get vaccinated.

The clinic is located on the Island’s Judith Fisher Centre, running on June 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and on June 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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BC interior relators are calling to loosen restrictions on short-term vacation rentals, following a report released this week, arguing the current regulations are harming the tourism sector and reducing temporary workforce housing.

The Association of Interior REALTORS® says the report conducts a qualitative study of provincial short-term rental rules focusing on the challenges these rules and regulations have created for communities across the interior of BC.

“Since the inception of the new regulations on short-term rentals we’ve been hearing of issues in every corner of our Association,” says Kadin Rainville, Association of Interior REALTORS® President.

Currently, short-term vacation rentals like VRBO and Airbnb are allowed only on the property of a homeowner’s principal residence.

The report makes 4 recommendations to policymakers to unlock more flexibility in the current short-term rental rules:

1) Return zoning autonomy to local governments and allow them to designate tourism zones that are exempt from the province’s principal residence requirement

2) Enable flexibility near essential worksites and healthcare centers by creating exemption zones around these sites

3) Align regulations with seasonal tourism needs by allowing community opt-outs to take effect immediately upon approval

4) Allow strata hotel and fractional ownership properties to operate as intended by providing them a full exemption without additional requirements

“We understand the impetus behind the legislation, we have critical housing issues in this province. That said, we need to make sure policy is balancing these housing issues with economic well-being of interior communities. Our recommendations are really asking for a little more flexibility in the rules to allow for that balance,” adds Rainville.

With this report the Association of Interior REALTORS® hopes to bring these issues to light ahead of the peak summer tourist season.

“As we head into a summer where geopolitical tensions are expected to drive up domestic tourism, we thought now is the right time to present this research, have a conversation, and try to make these short-term rental policies work better for everyone,” concludes Rainville.

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A family was lucky to escape with minor injuries after a single motor vehicle incident in the 2600 block of Casino Road, in Trail, on Sunday, June 1.

Around 7:15pm, police attended the scene but were unable to locate the 31-year-old Casino woman and her three children involved.

After RCMP Police Dog Services conducted a short search, police later learnt from a third party that the woman and her children had been driven home after the crash.

The woman was found at home uninjured, however, one child was ejected from the vehicle and the other two suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash.

The ejected child was hospitalized overnight and is expected to make a full recovery.

The officer observed that the woman’s ability to operate a motor vehicle may have been impaired by alcohol. A demand was read to the woman who provide a sample of his breath which resulted in a fail.

The 31-year-old Trail woman was issued a 24-hour Immediate Driving Prohibition and 90-day Administrative Driving Prohibition (IRP) under Section 215 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act and the Ministry of Children and Families were notified about the incident.

The matter remains under investigation.

“Trail RCMP, and BC Highway Patrol, is committed to investigating motor vehicle crashes and impaired driving to keep our roads safer. Expect us to see out in summer on your local roads and highways,” said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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A 46-year-old man has been apprehended after approaching two teenagers in the 4300 block of Red Mountain Road, in Rossland, just after 5pm on Saturday, May 31.

The teenager recounted the man, who had had face covered, was driving a silver 2010 Acura MDX SUV when he allegedly stopped and asked them to enter his vehicle.

The man said he wanted their phone numbers and to play video games with them at his residence.

The teenagers rebuffed the man’s unsolicited invitation who then left the scene, they then recounted the story to a parent who contacted the Trail RCMP.

The man was described as Caucasian, approximately 50-years-old with grey hair. He was wearing sunglasses, a baseball hat, and a colourful bandana over his face.

Police obtained video surveillance footage of the man and his vehicle and were able to locate them while on patrol.

The officer detained the man and his vehicle roadside.

After investigating, the officer apprehended the man under the Mental Health Act and took him to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital for a medical assessment.

The matter remains under investigation.

“Trail RCMP wants the public to be aware of this incident and to contact the police immediately if it occurs again,” said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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To conserve water, Powell River is now under Stage one water restrictions.

On social media on Monday, the City announced the restrictions are in effect, with the goal of encouraging residents to save up on water.

Under these restrictions, properties with odd-numbered addresses can water their lawns at any time on odd-numbered days, while those with even-numbered addresses can only water their lawns on even-numbered days.

The city says while sprinkling on lawns, trees, shrubs, and gardens are restricted. Those with underground sprinkling systems controlled by a time clock are excused as long as they sprinkle between midnight and 7:00 a.m.

For outdoor vehicle washing, you can only wash with a hose equipped with a spring-loaded shut off.

For bike and motorcycle tracks, you can only hose for health and safety reasons.

To learn more about the restrictions, click here.

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Fort Nelson is dealing with no shortage of wildfire activity once again as drought conditions in the northeast portion of BC continue to persist.

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Mayor Rob Fraser told Vista Radio they are keeping a close eye on a trio of blazes that are along the Highway 97 and 77 corridors.

“The Alaska Highway to the south has a fire burning to it, in the Buckinghorse area there is a fire that is potentially blocking the highway to the north and Highway 77 still has remnants of the Patry (Creek) fire from last year, it is burning up along the 77.”

Access to the Alaska Highway (Highway 97) due to the Summit Lake wildfire was shut down but has since re-opened to single-lane alternating.

An Evacuation Alert in relation to the 26-hundred hectare blaze for the Tetsa River area was issued.

In addition, the Buckinghorse River wildfire eight kilometres west of Highway 97 is burning out of control and is roughly 44-hundred hectares in size.

He added the surrounding community is on edge following last year’s events.

“Last year, I think impacted every resident in our region and this fire season has got people nervous. It brings back those old memories and thoughts. The nervousness that people had and people are stressed they are packing their bags.”

Fraser mentioned seeing people evacuated in places like Flin Flon, La Ronge and Jasper (dating back to last year) is a tough thing to watch.

“We feel for those folks out there. We know exactly what that feels like and it brings back memories of that stress people went through in our community who were away from their homes. We pray for those folks everyday and that we don’t see what happened in Jasper.”

Currently, there are 76 active fires in BC including two blazes of note.

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Louise Kerr of Prince George has already made her first purchase with her $500,000 Lotto Max win.

She won the prize in the May 9th draw, splitting a Maxmillions prize with another player in Atlantic Canada.

“I was at my kitchen table, checking my tickets,” Kerr said.

“I just didn’t believe it! I double checked the numbers.”

Kerr was using the BCLC Lotto! App to check her tickets.

Kerr said the first thing on her bucket list is a new lawn tractor, and she’s already ordered it.

She also plans to complete some repairs at home.

“I can hire people to do it. This just frees you up,” she said.

She added it feels unreal to win the lottery.

Kerr’s winning ticket was purchased at the Hart Drug Mart on Dagg Road.

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The province will begin issuing trespass notices for multiple docks near the Moyie Lake Access starting sometime this week.

“Over the years, a number of trespass docks have been placed along the shoreline of Moyie Lake Access. Following a 30-day notice period, the Province will seize any remaining illegal docks,” said RDEK recreation and control services supervisor Jamie Davies.

“We are hoping to get the message out so that owners of the docks in question become aware, and so that the wider community understands where these notices are being issued and why. This enforcement by the Province only affects docks adjacent to Moyie Lake Access.”

The Moyie Lake access is considered an Electoral Area C park under the RDEK.

The foreshore is regulated by the province and the construction, placement and use of private moorage requires B.C. government authorization.

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Residents in the Columbia Valley will have improved protection from wildfires thanks to a new piece of equipment in the Columbia Valley Rural Fire & Rescue Services Departments’ (CVRFRSD) arsenal.

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) used a $250,000 grant from the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) to purchase a new Type 2 Structure Protection Unit (SPU) trailer for the CVRFRSD.

“Our firefighters have the training. Now is the time for more equipment to help defend our communities,” said Jon Tames, Deputy Fire Chief.

“The Structure Protection Unit will enable our firefighters across the Columbia Valley to have the additional resources needed to address the interface and wildfire threats to our communities.”

CBT officials say the SPU is equipped with pumps, hoses, sprinklers and attachments to help minimize wildfire damage to homes and other buildings.

“With this SPU Trailer, an average of 35 structures can be protected from the threat of a wildland urban interface fire,” said the RDEK.

“This meaningful resource would not have been possible without funding from the Columbia Basin Trust through a Small Community Wildfire Readiness Support grant.”

The new equipment will be shared across the CVRFRSD, which includes fire departments of Edgewater, Fairmont Hot Springs, Panorama and Windermere.

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Six new projects have been approved funding from the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund (NKDF) to kick off the new funding cycle.

“NKDF is proud to support diverse projects that reflect the values of our communities,” said Cindy Shelford, NKDF Chair.

$25,000 will go to the Lakes District Senior Citizen Housing Association for their Senior Housing Development Initiative project.

The Omineca Ski Club was awarded $31,000 for a new 1,200 square foot wax cabin and rental shop.

$44,000 for the Marianne Louise Memorial Hall Rehabilitation project was given to the Stellat’en First Nation.

The Fraser Lake Elementary and Secondary School will be getting a new farm from $27,500 going to the Nechako Healthy Community Alliance.

New signs incorporating the Dakelh language for the Village of Fraser Lake are being funded with an $18,750 grant.

A Watershed Workforce event will be running in Vanderhoof August 9th and 10th from a $5,000 grant to the Rivershed Society of BC.

The next deadline for grant applications is July 31st with requests under $7,500 accepted continuously.

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Ladysmith has moved to stage two watering restrictions and is asking residents to do their part to conserve water as dry summer conditions begin to settle in. 

The Town has been under stage 1 water restrictions since the beginning of May and moved to the second stage as of June 2. 

“We urge all residents to follow these water restrictions. These measures are in place to ensure we use water wisely during the hotter months. By watering only on designated days and during cooler times, we can significantly reduce waste and help ensure a reliable water supply for the whole community,” says Nicholas Pescod, the Town’s communications and engagement specialist. 

Outdoor watering is not permitted between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to reduce water loss from evaporation. 

Lawn sprinkling is allowed for two hours per designated day – Wednesdays for even-numbered addresses and Sundays for odd-numbered addresses. 

Residents are also expected to avoid washing driveways, houses and sidewalks. 

The restrictions are for the Town of Ladysmith, Stz’uminus First Nation, and the Diamond Improvement District. 

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The Prince George Cougars inked their 2025 First Round selection to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

The Cougars announced forward Cohen Baker signed on the dotted line today. (Tuesday)

“Cohen Baker competes as hard as anyone in this draft class,” said Director of Scouting Bob Simmonds.

“He’s a powerful skater with game-breaking ability. Simply put, he makes things happen.”

The product of Kamloops tallied 64 points in 33 games with the Burnaby Winter Club U15 Prep team this past season, good enough for eighth in league scoring.

Baker was the 17th overall selection in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft.

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Residents will get up-to-date information on the Comox Valley through a new E-newsletter.

The Comox Valley Regional District has announced they’re launching a montly e-newsletter that looks to provide accurate information on what is happening in your community, including projects and services.

The newsletter’s goal is to encourage more respectful communication in the region.

District board chair Will Cole-Hamilton says they not only want to support trusted sources of information but also provide more chances to directly communicate with you.

“Unfortunately, certain social media platforms have become outlets for misinformation and disrespectful commentary, so we are moving in another direction,” said Cole-Hamilton.

The district says the e-newsletter is part of several changes to communication, which includes discontinuing paid advertising on Meta products, restricting all comments on Meta products, and closing their Twitter account.

Instead of Twitter, the district will launch an account on BlueSky @comoxvalleyrd.

To sign up to the newsletter, click here.

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“We will never give up.”

That’s the vow of Christine Moore as the search for her son Christopher Newton continues.

The 33-year-old was last seen in Nelson in August of last year and Moore says the family has been walking an emotional tightrope ever since.

“We’re trying to stay on that rope and not pull to one side which is, loss, and too much to the other side which is hope,” she explained.

“No one prepares you for the pain of a lost or missing loved one,” Christine added.

“We’ve had panic attacks, moments of  excitement, thinking that this lead is going to go and turn out to be positive, to absolute distress on where are we going next,” described Moore.

She expected both support and criticism from the family’s aggressive social media campaign.

Moore hopes her responses sheds light on society’s most vulnerable.

“So, that people can walk by an unhoused person and actually, maybe, look at them as a human,” she stated.

“I’ve experienced tremendous pain in witnessing and hearing with my own ears some of the vilification that has been done to my son,” she added.

“When hate is disguised as concern the public begins to believe that punishment is care and cruelty becomes a community value and then people like my son, they disappear.”

Moore says Christopher is an accomplished arborist who left Alberta for B-C, believing the longer spring and summer seasons would mean a better business opportunity and he fell in love with Nelson.

“I remember him telling us, oh, the trees and the opportunity, he really thought that there would be an opportunity to start his business, but it didn’t take off and unfortunately his mental illness really got in the way of a lot of things he tried to accomplish.”

Christopher was diagnosed with schizophrenia and Christine says his distrust in others escalated to electronics with Chris getting rid of his cellphone.

He would phone her from “The Hub” until it closed, where Chris embraced his relationship with staff.

However, the death of his grandmother and the taking down of the encampment where he lived were triggers of Chris’ increasing feeling of worthlessness.

“We had to encourage him that it’s not a failure, just always encouraging him, unfortunately he was struggling a lot with his mental health and self medicating through drugs as we just tried to give him the best support we could,” said Christine, who described her son as a gentle caring young man.

“My son was not dangerous or violent, and again, when cruelty becomes a community value and by narrative, situations like this happen,” she reiterated, hoping that attitudes will change.

“I think it’s important for people to understand when you’re looking at a missing poster that here is always a story behind the individual who is missing, to really break down those barriers of stigma when you’re looking at the unhoused population,”

Moore and family members have followed up on possible sightings of Christopher, including a heart wrenching and unsuccessful visit to Vancouver, where they received hugs and support from those living day-by-day on the street.

The family urges anyone who thinks they see Chris to report any tip.

“Don’t second guess yourself, if you see somebody you think is our son, please remember the date, time, location, what he was wearing and call that in to your local police detachment,” she said, adding that tips can also be called into Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-tips.

The family remains committed to finding the young man known as “dancing Chris”.

“We will continue the search and continue the fight for our son to bring him home, while hoping to dispel the negative narrative that comes along with somebody in a vulnerable situation like my son.”

Emails can be sent to [email protected] and posts can be made to the Missing Person-Chris Newton Facebook page.

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The Cariboo region saw a little bit of everything temperature wise in May.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Lisa Erven said we started and ended the month with a decent amount of warmth.

“In early May we had daytime temperatures reaching the mid to upper 20’s. Then towards the end of the month Quesnel reached 32 degrees, but in between that, the Cariboo had about a 2 week period where daytime highs were sitting in the mid teens. With all that said, the region’s temperatures for the month of May were normal with the heat balancing out the cooler temperatures.”

When it came to precipitation, Erven said the trend was opposite.

“It was dryer to start under the ridge and the heat then we had a good two week period where there was lots of cloud cover, showers, some heavier downpours in certain areas and that led to either slightly wetter or solidly wetter than normal conditions. For Quesnel, 124 per cent of the normal May precipitation fell, and for Williams Lake 139 per cent of the normal month precipitation.”

A ridge of high pressure is on it’s way to the Cariboo this weekend.

Erven said peak temperatures are coming for Saturday and Sunday getting into the higher 20’s which will be 5 to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year.

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The prescribed burn planned for the area of Grassy Mountain could begin today (June 3). 

The burn will cover up to 22.6 hectares of land located about 12.5 km northwest of Salmo. 

Southeast Fire Centre Information Officer Alex Robinson says the BC Wildfire Service hopes to begin main ignitions today, pending site conditions. 

“Prescribed fires are carefully planned and implemented according to a burn plan that requires specific weather and moisture conditions to align for a perfect burn window. We are hoping to begin main ignitions for the Grassy Mountain area today.” 

Smoke may be visible from Castlegar and Salmo, as well as to motorists travelling along Highway 3, particularly at higher elevations. 

Key goals of the burn include long-term fire hazard abatement through reducing fuel loading, aiding in the survival of newly planted seedlings, increasing long-term nutrient cycling and biodiversity, and wildfire mitigation. 

Although the Southeast Fire Centre has been under a Category 3 open burning prohibition since May 30, Robinson notes that prescribed burning is still permitted when conditions are suitable. 

“Category 3 open burning is currently prohibited. Despite this, coastal and prescribed burning can continue when conditions are suitable. These projects are implemented to achieve very specific land stewardship objectives. 

To achieve fire behaviour that meets those objectives, practitioners need to wait for the right weather and site conditions, which can occur during a Category 3 prohibition like we are experiencing now.” 

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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Campers are starting to count down the days for the re-opening of the Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park.

Arrivals for the seven back country campgrounds on the trail open on June 26th. Camping reservations for the site began in April.

BC Park is hosting a community celebration at the site two days later (June 28th)

It was closed in June 2021 due to flooding caused by heavy rain, washing away parts of the trail and causing significant damage to infrastructure, such as bridges, picnic tables and tent pads.

The trail was rebuilt in three phases, with portions reopening year-over-year staring in 2023, and a total restoration cost of around $5 million.

The trail opened for winter recreation, and from now until June 25th, the trail will be open for first come, first served camping at Kinney Lake and Whitehorn campgrounds.

Reservations are required to stay at campgrounds along the trail until September 29th.

– with files from Zachary Barrowcliff, MyPGNow.com staff

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Police were feeling the heat when responding to reports about a 40-year-old Trail man in possession of a gun and knife near the intersection of Lily Street and Highway Drive, in Trail on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 8:56 p.m.

Officers located the man and discovered he was in possession of a gun and knife shaped lighter.

The man left the area after accepting a ride with the police.

“The man realized he was playing with fire when he carried such poorly chosen shaped objects. In the end, he really only burned himself,” says Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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Sixty-three juvenile white sturgeon will be released into the Nechako River in Vanderhoof.

Roughly 800 elementary school children from across the Nechako area will attend Riverside Park for the Friday release.

Each student will also get the opportunity to release a salmon fry courtesy of the Spruce City Wildlife Association.

In addition, ten educational booths hosted by organisations such as Rio Tinto, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council and UNBC among others are expected to be on site.

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The legacy of the late Amanda Asay, one of Prince George’s best-ever athletes will write another chapter this summer.

Asay is one of six people who will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday in Stratford Ontario, 60 kilometres west of London.

She is being joined by former Toronto Blue Jays player Jose Bautista, ex-MLB pitcher Erik Bedard and Canadian Junior National Team head coach Greg Hamilton.

In addition, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League legend Arleene Noga and Gerry Snyder, the Montreal city councillor who played a crucial role in bringing Major League Baseball to Canada will also be inducted posthumously.

Last May, Asay was one of five athletes being welcomed into the BC Sports Hall of Fame which included Justin Morneau (Baseball), Ryan Cochrane (Swimming), Cassie Sharpe (Freestyle Skiing) and, Richard Zokol (Golf).

In April of 2024, Asay was also inducted into the PG Sports Hall of Fame.

Asay passed away in January of 2022 following a skiing accident in Nelson.

At the time of her passing, she was the longest-serving member of Baseball Canada Women’s National Team program.

We’re proud and honoured to share the news that longtime Women’s National Team star Amanda Asay will be inducted, posthumously, into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June!

Love you, ACE pic.twitter.com/YdxS6QXhhf

— Baseball Canada Women’s National Team (@BaseballCANWNT) February 12, 2025

Asay, who was part of the national team since 2005 as a pitcher and first baseman, last wore the Maple Leaf at the Women’s National Team Showcase in Trois-Rivières, Québec during the Summer of 2022.

In addition, she was part of national teams that captured five WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup medals and played a key role in Canada’s silver medal performance at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto.

Asay, one of the most talented athletes that has called Prince George home, played hockey and softball for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island for three seasons (2006-2009) while earning a Bachelor’s in Science.

She continued her studies at the University of British Columbia where she attained a master’s in science and Ph.D. in forestry while playing two seasons for the Thunderbirds hockey team.

In 2019, Asay pitched a complete game for Canada during a women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in Mexico.

The revered multi-sport athlete also suited up for the Northern Penguins of the South Coast Women’s Hockey League that same year – lighting the lamp three times in a two-game series against the Ridge Meadow Moose.

Asay was a two-time winner of Baseball Canada’s female player of the year award (2006, 2016).

In 2017, Baseball America ranked her seventh overall in the world among all female baseball players, the only Canadian named to the list.

In March of 2022, the Prince George Community Foundation launched the Dr. Amanda Asay Memorial Award.

Two awards will be given on an annual basis, one will be allocated to a student attending a post-secondary school from SD 57 in PG while the other will be from School District 8 in Nelson.

Preference is given to female athletes who participate in hockey, ringette, baseball, or softball.

Congratulations to Amanda Asay (d. 2022) for being inducted in the Athlete Category! One of Canada’s greatest female baseball players, winning 5-medals at the Women’s Baseball World Cup. At the time of her tragic death she was the longest-serving member of @BaseballCANWNT pic.twitter.com/Q3EiMKHoFz

— BC Sports Hall of Fame (@BCSportsHall) October 25, 2023

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The Sunshine Coast Regional District is outlining progress on major projects with its first quarter reports for the year. 

Highlights include recognizing 12 new neighbourhoods under the FireSmart Canada Recognized Neighbourhood program and fire risk mitigation projects that removed about 70,000 pounds of debris from parks. 

The report includes progress on new and renovated public spaces. Construction has begun on a new community space at Connor Park, with completion expected in the middle of next year. 

The Sechelt Aquatic Centre is getting heat pumps installed as part of a $250,000 project to reduce emissions. Renovation at Hopkins Landing dock will resume later this year after permitting delays. 

Design work is ongoing for the Langdale Wellfield project. The SCRD says an alternate approval process is expected late this year, with potential for construction to start next year. 

The third phase of a project to install water meters in Sechelt is nearly complete, and the district says 3,500 have been installed. A budget increase was approved to facilitate installing meters that require deep excavation. The project is laying the groundwork for volumetric billing by 2027.

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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

MLB:

Jared Young of Prince George went 0-for-3 as the DH for the New York Mets before he was replaced in the 8th inning in the Mets 4-3 Monday win in 10 innings over the LA Dodgers.

The 29-year-old Young is batting .176 (by going 3-for-17) since he was recalled on Friday, May 23rd from their Syracuse Triple A farm club.

#

The (31-28) Toronto Blue Jays put a five game winning streak on the line when they
continue a 7-game homestand tonight (Tuesday 4:07 PT) against the (36-23) Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies have lost their last four.

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

WHL:

The Regina Pats have signed forward Logan Henry of Prince George to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

The 15-year-old Henry was selected in the first round (23rd overall) in last month’s WHL Prospects Draft after recording 51 points (32G-19A) in 31 games with Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Prep program in the 2024-25 season.

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Good news for parents an students, Fruitvale Elementary School will re-open tomorrow, Tuesday, June 3, after a fire broke out in the gymnasium last week.

School District 20 Superintendent Katherine Shearer shares in a statement the cause of the fire appears to be an electrical issue in a light structure, with a full investigation underway by Technical Safety BC and BC Schools Protection Branch- Risk Management.

“Once the process is completed, we will review the findings to determine any next steps.” said the release.

Air quality testing was conducted today and have approved within the acceptable limits.

The gym will not be accessible as SD20 Operations and the restoration team team up to completed the work required.

“We appreciate the safe and efficient response from SD20 staff, students, and the local fire departments.” said Superintendent Shearer.

“Thank you as well to the SD20 Operations and Maintenance team for quickly coordinating air quality testing and restoration services  to ensure the safety of student and staff, and to allow us to have the school quickly re-opened.”

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A woman was rescued after falling in Pipers Lagoon Park this past weekend.

On Sunday at 3:00 p.m., Nanaimo Fire Rescue got a report of a woman between her 40s and 50s falling 40 to 50 feet from the top of the cliffs on the northeast corner of the park’s main beach.

The Fire department’s high angle rescue team, BC Ambulance and RCMP were sent to the scene, where according to Assistant Chief of operations Troy Libbus, they found her conscious, but very injured at the bottom of the cliffs.

“At that time, we determined that the rope rescue team wasn’t needed, but we needed personnel and equipment to get her out, get her to the ambulance, which would take her to air ambulance,” said Libbus.

He says once air ambulance was dispatched, the team was able to get the woman out of the site, and she has been taken to the hospital.

The woman suffered multiple fractures, and after the fall, she went unconscious, with Libbus adding when fire rescue got to her, she was conscious again.

He encourages residents to always be careful around rock enclosures when hiking, and to either let someone know where you are hiking or have a hiking partner with you.

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Edgewood’s Universal Ostrich Farm has been fined $20,000 by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) for failing to cooperate with its avian flu measures.

According to a May 30 statement on CFIA’s website, the farm owners have not cooperated with measures set out under the Health of Animals Act.

This includes failing to report the initial case of the illness and deaths, and failure to adhere to quarantine orders.

CFIA also accuses the farm of failing to undertake appropriate biosecurity risk mitigation, such as limiting wild bird access to the ostriches, controlling water flow from the quarantine zone to other parts of the farm, and improving fencing.

The actions, according to the agency, “significantly increase the risk of disease transmission and reflect a disregard for regulatory compliance and animal health standards.”

It claims the farm has not substantiated arguments of scientific research, saying CFIA has yet to receive any evidence of scientific research being done at the infected premises.

The agency has also accused Universal Ostrich of preventing CFIA from carrying out the cull order of its flock of 400, which was upheld in court last month.

“The farm owners and supporters have been at the farm in an apparent attempt to prevent the CFIA from carrying out its operations at the infected premises. This has delayed a timely and appropriate response to the HPAI-infected premises, resulting in ongoing health risks to animals and humans.”

Because the flock has had multiple confirmed cases of avian flu, and due to the ongoing risk to animal and human health, CFIA still plans to proceed with the humane cull of the flock, with veterinary oversight.

However, the agency has yet to reveal when it will occur.

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Vancouver Island University’s Cowichan Trades Centre will be moving to Nanaimo after it was deemed the leased building would require millions in retrofitting.  

The building, which was leased until June 2026, was leased from the School District and VIU says due to their current financial situation it’s just not feasible to make repairs to keep the program.  

“Significant and costly upgrades, totalling in the millions, are required to continue its use,” the university says. “In our current financial context, we’re unable to make these investments.” 

The three trades programs will be relocated to Nanaimo starting in the fall of 2026 and acting president and vice-chancellor Emily Huner says this is a huge loss for the Cowichan campus but they’re going to continue to support a smooth transition. 

“Cowichan campus will become the home of a new centralized Continuing Education unit that will coordinate and expand VIU’s non-credit and lifelong learning offerings across the region,” she says. “This new unit will enable a more strategic, unified approach to community work and workforce programming and allow us to better respond to local needs.” 

VIU says they’re not going to cancel the three trades programs (refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, carpentry, and hairdressing,) they’ll just be relocated where existing infrastructure will allow the university to absorb students without disruptions. 

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A business advocacy group says WorkSafeBC should return some of its nearly $2-billion surplus to small businesses in British Columbia.

WorkSafeBC manages the province’s workers’ compensation system, covering costs related to work injuries or illnesses. It is funded through employer premiums and investment returns on those premiums. The agency ended last year with a funding level of 141 per cent, significantly above its target of 130 per cent, amounting to a surplus just under $2 billion.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) estimates a B.C. small business with five employees could receive a rebate of about $3,800 from the agency’s 2024 surplus.

“Returning a portion of this surplus to WorkSafeBC ratepayers would help small businesses fight back against U.S. tariffs and make ends meet,” said Ryan Mitton, CFIB’s director of legislative affairs for B.C.

The provincial Crown corporation said its surplus helps maintain low premium rates for employers, noting that its funding level and surplus have declined over recent years. WorkSafeBC had a $3.5-billion surplus in 2021, which has steadily decreased since.

“The current WorkSafeBC rate-setting approach already includes mechanisms to return surplus funds to employers when the funding level exceeds its target,” the agency said in a statement.

“What CFIB does not understand is that if the surplus were fully rebated to employers, WorkSafeBC would not be able to keep rates below costs. After a full rebate of the surplus, rates would immediately become volatile year-over-year and would need to steadily increase in subsequent years to match costs.”

The agency says the average employer premium rate for 2025 is $1.55 per $100 of payroll, while the actual system cost is $1.78, with the annual difference funded by the surplus.

CFIB notes that B.C., along with Quebec and Nova Scotia, is one of only three provinces without policies to routinely return surplus funds to employers.

“WorkSafe, to date, has not been eager to listen to the voice of small business on this issue,” said Mitton. “I hope they listen to other provinces that see this as a good, common-sense policy to help small businesses.”

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Cranbrook RCMP are looking for a woman believed to be responsible for assaulting a child in the Walmart parking lot.

Police officials say at about 5 p.m. on Monday, May 26, a woman left Walmart with two young children, one of whom was a boy aged five to seven years old.

“The suspect grabbed the young boy, punched him, screamed at him and then hit him in the head with a 4-litre jug of milk with enough force that it broke the container,” said Cranbrook RCMP.

Police say the suspect is a Caucasian woman who is possibly in her 30s. She had long, dark hair tied in a ponytail and was last seen in light color jean shorts with a black sleeveless shirt or tank top and sandals.

The boy had short, dark hair and was last seen wearing a white shirt with dark colored long sleeves, dark pants and sandals.

The woman was also with a girl believed to be three to five years old with short, light-coloured hair, who was wearing a light shirt with light pants and sandals.

The suspect drove away in a dark coloured, newer SUV.

Cranbrook RCMP launched an investigation into the incident, but have not been able to identify the woman or children yet.

“If you have any information about the incident, please contact the Cranbrook RCMP non-emergency line at 250-489-3471 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477,” said Cranbrook RCMP.

“If you think a child or youth (under 19 years of age) is being abused or neglected, call 1-800-663-9122 at any time of the day or night.”

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Trail and Greater District RCMP officers are on the look out for two men allegedly shooting firearms in the 2600 block of McLeod Avenue, in Rossland.

On Friday, May 30, at 2:33 p.m. officers responded to the alleged reports and found one man who appeared to be carrying a black assault rifle and may have discharged the rifle toward a private property.

The other man appeared to be in possession of a black handgun.

The first man is described at Caucasian, late 20s/early 30s, medium build, and was wearing a blue long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots.

The second man is described at Caucasian, late 20s/earlier 30, heavy build, with dark brown hair, and was wearing sunglasses, a red t-shirt, black pants, and brown boots.

The matter remains under investigation.

If you know the identity of these two men, or have any information about this incident, please call 250-364-2566 to speak to an investigation.

“Trail RCMP has concerns about the weapons being fired on a rural property without the necessary mindfulness on where the bullets were landing. We would like to identify both individuals to continue on with the investigation, determine the exact nature of the incident, and if a criminal offense has occurred,” said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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A 65-year-old Trail man has died in a single vehicle motor incident after suffering a medical emergency which rendered him unconscious while behind the wheel.

On Friday, May 30, at 3:39 a.m. police, Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue, and EHS attended the scene in the 1900 block of Highway 3B, where the man was found unconscious inside his vehicle after it left the highway and crashed into a dirt bank.

The vehicle sustained minor damage, however, KBRFR had to extract the unconscious man from his vehicle.

EHS transported the man to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital for immediate medical intervention.

Despite efforts to save the man’s life, he was pronounced deceased an hour later while in hospital.

“I would like to recognize the great teamwork and efforts of the first responders and hospital staff to try to save the man’s life. Our condolences go out to his family in this difficult time.” Said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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A community vaccination clinic against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), will be held this Saturday (June 7) in 100 Mile House.

Interior Health (IH) said it will be by appointment only for children 12 years and under and will be held at the South Cariboo Health Centre on Cedar Avenue.

IH Medical Health Officer, Dr. Sanaz Vaseghi said there is no confirmed case of measles in the Interior at this time, however, cases have been confirmed in other parts of BC and Canada.

“We recognize people from the Interior are travelling to other places in the province and country. To protect people in our region, Interior Health is holding measles immunization clinics across the region over the next six weeks.”

Dr. Vaseghi noted these clinic are intended to raise immunization rates, recognizing two doses of measles vaccine are almost 100 per cent effective in preventing this serious illness and last a lifetime.

“Immunizations are the best defence against measles and other infectious diseases. Interior Health encourages individuals of all ages to check their immunization records to see if they are protected against measles, and to get immunized if they are not,” Dr. Vaseghi added.

To book an appointment for this Saturday’s community vaccination clinic in the South Cariboo, call 250-395-7676.

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First Responders from the Prince George RCMP, PG Fire Rescue, and BC Emergency Health Services teamed up with School District 57 to give several students a taste of what it’s like to be a first responder.

The “Adventures with First Responders Day” took place on May 3rd.

“The aim of this program is to expose students to three of the First Responder organizations that operate in Prince George, to show them what the work is like and what options are open to them post-graduation,” said Prince George RCMP Media Relations Officer Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

The students rotated through three stations throughout the day, learning about some of the more dynamic aspects of First Responder careers, including:

• Donning fire rescue gear and using high-pressure hoses,
• Stopping a traumatic bleed,
• Administering an airway,
• Arrest and handcuff procedures.

“We are always looking for ways that we can support our students in making career decisions and exploring options that are outside of the standard curriculum,” said School District 57 Career Program Coordinator Steven Foster.

“We look forward to partnering with these organizations to provide this program again in the future.”

The Yellowhead Rotary Club of Prince George sponsored the event.

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BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee pulled the pin on being part of a delegation during a 10-day trade mission to Asia that was being led by Premier David Eby.

Teegee made the decision to withdraw after controversial Bill’s 14 and 15 were force-fed through the legislature last week.

He told Vista Radio, Indigenous rights and title as well as the proper consultation with First Nations needs to be upheld on major projects, something that was not done by the NDP.

“Nothing short of amendments, major amendments or a full repeal of the legislation. Any discussion over the development of this legislation that will allow for First Nations to make decisions on their territories needs to occur.”

He added projects that have full Indigenous support won’t be a problem, it’s the ones that have opposition or a cause for pause that need be thought out a bit more.

“The expansion of Mount Polley, which the Hasila First Nation are very concerned about and I consider the disaster of 10 years ago of the breach of the tailings pond I think need to be better scrutinised.”

“This is one of those situations where really the relationship and the commitment to reconciliation is put into question. I am quite disappointed I cannot attend but I think its important to uphold our rights and title as First Nations.”

The trade mission will start in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, before continuing to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Seoul, South Korea.

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A stellar season for the Nelson Volleyball 17U Club has come to an end, with the club finishing among the best in BC.

A month after winning the Division Two Provincial Championships in Richmond, the team of West Kootenay teens competed in the 200-team Seattle Evergreen Classic May 24-26, finishing in the middle of the pack of 28 teams in their division.

Nelson played eight close games with teams from US cities including Tacoma, Coeur d’Alene and Seattle.

Coach Sara Smith says the Nelson Club has come a long ways, languishing in Division Five only two seasons ago, but now amongst the best teams in BC.

“The arc of the team was perfect,” says Smith.

“They peaked in provincials, they came together and excelled at just the right time.”

The Richmond finals were the culmination of the Volleyball BC Super Series, with tournaments in Langley and Vernon as well.

“All the girls came in as athletes but left as real team mates,” says NVC captain Gianna Davidson, “we learned how to play as one, not just for ourselves.”

Davidson is one of four Grade 12s leaving the team, along with New Denver’s Ria Kosling, Nelson’s Paityn Lake and Crawford Bay’s Georgia Shuel.

Graduating player, and NVC alumni Kara Strong, who moved to join the Fraser Valley’s legendary Rain City club in January, was selected to the National U17 All Star Team, making her one of the top six 17U players in Canada. Strong went on to lead Rain City to a national club championship.

Smith, a former college player and mom of three who returned to club and school coaching for the last six seasons, says NVC has a promising year ahead.

“We’ve got a lot of girls coming up for next year and we’re going to field a 18U team,” says Smith, “we’ll see if we can break into the top 12 teams in the province.”

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Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis says he is disappointed by the B.C. government’s passing of Bills 14 and 15, despite widespread opposition.

The BC NDP invoked closure on the bills, which means they were pushed through to a vote, regardless of where the discussions were.

“For Bills 14 and 15 (both of which I participated in directly asking questions during debates), we weren’t halfway through discussing the details. I have been sounding the alarm on this proposed legislation,” said McInnis.

“An authoritarian move, for authoritarian legislation. This is by no means my opinion alone.”

Bill 14, the Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act, allows the province to speed up renewable energy projects, while Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, gives the BC government power to fast-track approval for projects deemed provincially significant.

McInnis says his party cannot back Bills 14 and 15, despite the BC Conservatives typically in favour of resource development.

“Generally speaking, we support expediting major infrastructure and resource projects across British Columbia, but this bill fails to address several concerns around eliminating all red tape for all projects and proper consultation with First Nations,” said McInnis.

“They’re allowing the Premier and the cabinet to hand-pick projects at their sole discretion that they see as provincially significant. That’s not how this is supposed to work.”

While the Conservatives are supporters of more development and fewer regulations, McInnis feels Bills 14 and 15 will sidestep important aspects of project approval.

“The problem is, you can’t rush the very serious process of drafting law that provides fairness and clarity, no matter what government is in power,” said McInnis.

“Furthermore, let’s remove more red tape to further encourage competitive bids on major projects in all sectors of our economy, not just a few favourites hand-picked by the government.”

The bills have received widespread opposition, ranging from environmental organizations, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the Union of BC Municipalities, the BC Conservative Party and the BC Green Party.

“When we’re talking about spending billions of dollars in taxpayer money, we need to get local governments, First Nations and opposition involved in the conversation,” said McInnis.

“Bill 15 eliminates that process altogether.”

McInnis says the Conservatives and Greens both pointed out several significant concerns with both bills during debates.

“Agricultural land within the ALR can be severed and divided in the name of clean energy projects; only a specific number of projects chosen by the government will be able to bypass Environmental Assessments. Everyone else will have to wait for long permitting times, creating an unbalanced playing field,” said McInnis regarding Bill 14.

“Cutting swaths of land for power generation lines will be done on First Nations’ land. They have not been consulted properly in the process; grazing land, guide outfitting territory, and private property will have no guardrails in place to stop encroachment adjacent to this land for clean energy projects.”

Bill 15 also received criticism from both parties.

“There are no mechanisms in place to ensure a balance between urban and rural projects of ‘provincial significance ‘; the Minister [of Infrastructure Bowinn Ma] admits failures in their own consultation frameworks with First Nations because she thought ‘interest would be low,’” said McInnis.

“Former NDP executives and staff members who are now very powerful lobbyists will have a strong insider voice in ensuring their projects of interest get moved to the front of the line. This admission was put on the record in debate.”

McInnis says the Conservatives and Greens worked together on several amendments to the bills, but this did not pay off.

“I genuinely enjoyed working collaboratively with both Green MLA’s on finding constructive ways to modify the legislation. All amendments were voted down by the NDP,” said McInnis.

Both bills were made to be confidence votes, meaning a failure to pass the Legislature would trigger an election.

The vote narrowly passed with a count of 47-46, as the Speaker of the House, Raj Chouhan, must vote in the instance of a tied ballot.

“[May 29] was not a good day for democracy in B.C. This government will be ramming through half-baked projects with very little oversight,” said McInnis.

“I will continue to advocate for our communities, but also for good governance practices moving forward.”

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A High Streamflow Advisory has been issued for the West Kootenay region. 

The BC River Forecast Centre says the advisory follows seasonally warm temperatures and elevated snowmelt brought by a high-pressure system that affected most of the province last week.

As a result, rivers across the region have risen sharply in recent days due to warmer temperatures and increased snowmelt runoff. 

Areas of particular concern include tributaries of the Fraser River upstream of Prince George, the North Thompson, Upper Columbia, and West Kootenay. 

The High Streamflow Advisory means river levels are expected to rise rapidly, although no major flooding is anticipated. 

However, minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible. 

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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A Duncan student has swept the competition after receiving top honors at the 2025 BC Student Film Festival.  

Schools from across the province gathered at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver where students competed in 14 genres and categories with four Duncan students being recognized for their work.  

According to Queen Margaret’s School (QMS), two poets and a film maker were recognized during a celebration at Vancouver Island on the weekend with a sold-out crowd, and out of a record number of entries 15 finalists were chosen, and the school took home the top two awards. 

Jason Cheng was named for Best Documentary of 2025, which followed a renowned Indigenous artist, John Qap’u’luq Marston, on his journey to rediscover and revive the near-lost art of whole-log canoe carving.  

Cheng says researching and publishing the film was a unique experience, one his honoured to have participated in.  

“I’m deeply grateful to John [Marston] and his family for their generosity with their time and space,” he says. “It allowed me to delve deeply into the craft of canoe making and uncover the rich Coast Salish history embodied in his work.” 

Along with Cheng receiving his award, three other QMS students were also recognized for their work including Alex Wayne-Winterhalt (Grade 12) who won first place for spoken word poem, and Saylor Bazylinkski (Grade 8) for her poem and Charlotte Irving for her recent second place win in the BC Youth Poetry Competiton and Film Festival. 

Bazylinkski and Irving split a prize of $2,500, and Wayne-Winterhalt was presented with a cheque for $5,000.  

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A Duncan student has swept the competition after receiving top honors at the 2025 BC Student Film Festival.  

Schools from across the province gathered at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver where students competed in 14 genres and categories with four Duncan students being recognized for their work.  

According to Queen Margaret’s School (QMS), two poets and a film maker were recognized during a celebration at Vancouver Island on the weekend with a sold-out crowd, and out of a record number of entries 15 finalists were chosen, and the school took home the top two awards. 

Jason Cheng was named for Best Documentary of 2025, which followed a renowned Indigenous artist, John Qap’u’luq Marston, on his journey to rediscover and revive the near-lost art of whole-log canoe carving.  

Cheng says researching and publishing the film was a unique experience, one his honoured to have participated in.  

“I’m deeply grateful to John [Marston] and his family for their generosity with their time and space,” he says. “It allowed me to delve deeply into the craft of canoe making and uncover the rich Coast Salish history embodied in his work.” 

Along with Cheng receiving his award, three other QMS students were also recognized for their work including Alex Wayne-Winterhalt (Grade 12) who won first place for spoken word poem, and Saylor Bazylinkski (Grade 8) for her poem and Charlotte Irving for her recent second place win in the BC Youth Poetry Competiton and Film Festival. 

Bazylinkski and Irving split a prize of $2,500, and Wayne-Winterhalt was presented with a cheque for $5,000.  

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A Duncan student has swept the competition after receiving top honors at the 2025 BC Student Film Festival.  

Schools from across the province gathered at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver where students competed in 14 genres and categories with four Duncan students being recognized for their work.  

According to Queen Margaret’s School (QMS), two poets and a film maker were recognized during a celebration at Vancouver Island on the weekend with a sold-out crowd, and out of a record number of entries 15 finalists were chosen, and the school took home the top two awards. 

Jason Cheng was named for Best Documentary of 2025, which followed a renowned Indigenous artist, John Qap’u’luq Marston, on his journey to rediscover and revive the near-lost art of whole-log canoe carving.  

Cheng says researching and publishing the film was a unique experience, one his honoured to have participated in.  

“I’m deeply grateful to John [Marston] and his family for their generosity with their time and space,” he says. “It allowed me to delve deeply into the craft of canoe making and uncover the rich Coast Salish history embodied in his work.” 

Along with Cheng receiving his award, three other QMS students were also recognized for their work including Alex Wayne-Winterhalt (Grade 12) who won first place for spoken word poem, and Saylor Bazylinkski (Grade 8) for her poem and Charlotte Irving for her recent second place win in the BC Youth Poetry Competiton and Film Festival. 

Bazylinkski and Irving split a prize of $2,500, and Wayne-Winterhalt was presented with a cheque for $5,000.  

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A section of Lower Patricia Boulevard is closed due to flooding.

According to the City of Prince George, the affected area is between 2nd Avenue and 4th Avenue, and between 4th Avenue and Windsor Street.

According to the City, the road will be closed until further notice, and emergency vehicles will not have access.

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The City of Courtenay plans to borrow $1.245 million for the 6th Street Bridge Project.

In a meeting on May 21, City council gave three readings to a Loan Authorization Bylaw asking to borrow $1.245 million for the project this year, a decrease from the $4.3 million originally planned.

The project will improve walking, cycling, and accessibility across the Courtenay River, including from the bottom of 6th Street to Simms Millennium Park.

The city says the project’s cost has gone up from $6.9 million to $11.2 million this year.

“The total estimated cost of the project remains $11.1 million, but a revised funding plan has reduced the amount of new debt while keeping the project on schedule,” said the city of Courtenay.

With the bylaw approved, the funding breakdown looks like this:

• $1.245 million in new borrowing this year
• $2.5 million borrowed from 2024
• $2.5 million from Infrastructure Canada’s Active Transportation Fund
• $1 million from the original Growing Communities Fund
• $1.555 million reallocated from the Growing Communities Fund
• $1 million in unspent funds from 2024
• $500,000 from the Canada Community-Building Fund
• $800,000 from City reserves.

Construction of the bridge looks to start this fall and wrap up by the summer of next year.

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Premier David Eby says his government is in contact with officials in northeastern British Columbia, where an out-of-control wildfire has prompted evacuations.

The Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation order on May 29 due to the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, directing residents to a reception centre in Dawson Creek. The order includes Kelly Lake, a community of about 75 people located approximately seven kilometres from the Alberta border.

Officials said Monday that most residents in the evacuation zone have left. The district has also issued an evacuation alert for nearby areas, advising residents to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

Eby commented on the situation in Vancouver on Saturday, just before departing on a 10-day trade mission to Asia.

“It’s awful for those community members who have been displaced from their homes, and we’ll provide them with all the support they need,” he said.

Eby noted that B.C. firefighters are also assisting with wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where thousands of people have been forced from their homes.

The Kelly Lake Cree Nation said in a May 31 Facebook post that all its community members are safe. It said most have relocated to Dawson Creek, while “others have selflessly chosen to stay behind to look after our beloved community, which is truly heartwarming.”

The B.C. Wildfire Service reported Monday that the Kiskatinaw River wildfire had grown to just over 3,900 hectares. Strong winds over the weekend fanned the flames and pushed the fire eastward, and dry, windy conditions could pose further challenges for firefighters.

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A new way to request municipal services has been launched in Houston.

Their new online Service Request Portal was announced on Friday and will help residents submit service requests and inquiries to the district.

According to the municipality, the service allows residents to track progress, communicate with staff, and save time.

The services that can be requested are:

• Animal Control
• Burning Complaints
• Bylaw Complaints
• Cemetery General Inquiry
• Fire Code Complaint/Inquiry
• Garbage Inquiry
• General Inquiry
• Parks General Inquiry
• Property Tax
• Road General Inquiry
• Sidewalk General Inquiry
• Vandalism Report
• Wastewater & Water General Inquiry
• Winter Snow Inquiry

A link to the form can be found on Houston’s website.

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A traffic stop by the Burns Lake Crime Reduction Unit on Friday ended with an arrest with cash and drugs being seized.

The driver was known to police and was pulled over for a motor vehicle act offence.

Mounties said drugs were in plain view and prompting an arrest of both the driver and the passenger.

30 grams of suspected crack cocaine, cocaine, over $500 in cash, cell phone and evidence of drug trafficking were found in the vehicle.

A search warrant for the suspect’s home was also obtained by police, leading to the seizure of:

• approximately 300 grams of suspected crack cocaine
• Cocaine
• Psilocybin
• various prescription pills
• illegal cigarettes
• 15 tabs of LSD
• edged and blunt edged weapons
• and over $10,000 cash

The suspect was released without process pending further investigation.

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A Prince George hockey product took his first step into major junior hockey.

Today (Monday), the Regina Pats signed forward Logan Henry to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

“We are very pleased that Logan and his family have committed to the Pats and the WHL by signing his WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement,” Regina Pats VP, Hockey Operations and GM Alan Millar said.

“Logan is an exciting young player, who combines a very good skillset with a hard, power forward game. We’re excited about his future with our hockey club.”

Henry was selected 23rd overall in last month’s WHL Prospects Draft after recording 51 points (32G-19A) in 31 games with Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Prep program last season.

The 15-year-old picked up 10 points (4G-6A) in five games at the John Reid Memorial tournament.

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Two adults and two young children escaped with minor injuries when a tree fell on their vehicle with them inside near Hosmer.

Elk Valley RCMP responded to the accident along Highway 3 on Saturday, May 31.

Police say windy conditions caused a large tree to fall onto a passing vehicle with a family of four inside.

Community members stepped up to help the family, direct traffic and lend a hand with removing the tree from the road.

“One local couple even went so far as to transport the family’s belongings to a local hotel before covering their hotel bill,” said Police officials.

“Elk Valley RCMP want to voice our appreciation for the assistance, compassion, and hospitality shown by our community members during this incident.”

The Elk Valley RCMP say the passengers were shaken up by the incident, but they were able to get out of the vehicle with minor injuries before being treated by BC Emergency Health Services.

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A missing 85-year-old Sparwood man was found with an ankle injury along a forest service road when he was reported missing on Saturday, May 31.

Elk Valley RCMP say the man was reported as missing shortly after 9 p.m. on Saturday, after he was supposed to meet with a friend.

The man was travelling to a remote cabin in the area and planned to return in time for dinner, but he did not arrive.

Elk Valley RCMP say officers did some initial investigating with the help of Crowsnest Pass RCMP, with home checks, financial checks and cellphone pings to try finding the man, with no success.

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Sunday, police received a report from a pair of witnesses who found the missing man’s truck near Phillips Peak along Weigert Creek Forest Service Road.

The man’s truck became stuck, and he left the vehicle on foot, but he injured his ankle and was forced to spend the night outside in somewhat difficult conditions.

RCMP called for help from Search and Rescue teams in Elkford and Sparwood, along with the BC Ambulance Service.

SAR teams were able to quickly locate the man and take him to the hospital for evaluation and treatment.

“Elk Valley Regional RCMP wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to our SAR volunteers who donate their time helping with these events in our communities,” said Elk Valley RCMP officials.

The RCMP says it’s important to be prepared for emergencies, even if you are heading out for a relatively short amount of time.

“Police would like to remind everyone headed out in the back country to let someone know what your travel plans and destinations are, to carry appropriate equipment for self-care (including clothing, food and water) and to carry a device capable of communicating with your point of contact or emergency services while on your ‘off the grid’ journey,” said Elk Valley RCMP.

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You can enjoy some activities and games from Lift Community Services through a fair next weekend.

Called the Lift Community Fair, it’s a free event where people of all ages can take part in activities from Lift’s programs and services, including homelessness prevention, bond, and literacy outreach.

After last year’s event saw hundreds of people attend, Lift Executive Director Kim Markel says they knew they wanted to bring it back this year.

“It was a fun day, and we heard from a lot of people who were pleasantly surprised to learn about the full range of programming we offer,” said Markel.

Markel says it’s been a tough year for them with cuts to their Immigration Services program and the loss of their housing shelter, adding they hope the fair can bring people together and spread joy.

The fair will include live music from the Beach Crashers band, hot dogs, a bouncy castle, and a barbecue lunch.

The event will take place at Willingdon Beach on June 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

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The province says everyone is still responsible for paying provincial taxes, which is why they’re urging everyone to use a non-mail payment to avoid late fees and penalties during a postal disruption. 

Canada Post union workers have been able to strike for the past 10 days but so far have only implemented a ban on overtime, and the province says if a disruption starts people are still able to access all government services through ETaxBC.  

“ETaxBC is an online service that allows people to file tax returns, make payments, and more,” they say. “Anyone who is expecting a printed return or invoice close to the due date should contact the Ministry of Finance to make other arrangements.” 

Several programs won’t be affected should a strike start, including the Homeowner Grant, BC Family Benefit, rural property tax increase, municipal property tax increase, as well as tax deferments, and transfer tax. 

Payments are to be received by July 2 to avoid penalties and interest.  

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June 1st marks the beginning of the Town of Creston’s Stage 1 water conservation measures, meaning watering of lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs only between the hours of 7 pm – 10 am.

Please note that these water conservation measures go into effect every year from June 1 to September 30, regardless of seasonal weather patterns.

Watering using drip irrigation, a watering can and/or hand held hose which eliminates over-spray, is permitted at any time. For a complete description of the Town of Creston water conservation measures visit: https://www.creston.ca/water-restrictions.

Please contact the Town at 250-428-2214 with any questions.

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The owners of the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood are considering moving their 400 birds to the U-S.

But their daughter Katie Pasitney says it would only be as a last resort to prevent the cull ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who would also have to approve the move across the border.

U-S officials including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have proposed alternatives to save the ostriches.

Another member of the Trump Administration is offering to move the herd to his ranch in Florida.

According to the New York Post, Dr. Mehmet Oz said his 900-acre property could be a refuge for the birds to studied, feeling their possible herd immunity after surviving an Avian Flu outbreak should be probed.

The story also quoted the former U-S network TV personality as stressing the importance of scientific evaluation over bureaucratic decisions.

Billionaire John Catsimatidis is also part of the “save the ostriches” campaign in the United States.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials say the cull is still going ahead because of the potential for the herd to spread the infection, but haven’t said when it will take place.

Opponents of the cull have been gathering at the Edgewood farm over the past few weeks.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay refused to take the carcasses in their landfill unless the matter was studied further.

The cull order was upheld recently by a Federal Court judge, but the owners have vowed to continue their legal battle.

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An investigation is continuing after North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP responded to a collision at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Cowichan Valley Highway (Highway 18).  

A blue Dodge motorhome and a blue Jeep Wrangler collided with each other after the driver of the motorhome, who was travelling northbound, made a left-hand turn on Highway 18 causing the driver of the southbound Wrangler to hit it.  

Police say there were no serious injuries in the crash, but they’re continuing to look at evidence. 

“The driver of the Jeep was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and both the driver and passenger of the motorhome were also transported for non-life-threatening injuries,” they say. 

The incident occurred on May. 28 just after 9 p.m. 

They say criminality is not suspected, but anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the detachment at 250-748-5522. 

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The Boundary region will be looking for a new company to take care of animal control.

Grand Forks Mayor Everett Baker says Commissionaires won’t be providing animal services in the regional district after this month.

Baker, who is chairman of Boundary Services Committee, says “a position was reached” with the company and they provided notice of their withdrawal.

“Following our reviews and ongoing considerations for a new contract with the Commissionaires, we have reached a position where they have provided notice and will withdrawal from animal services with the RDKB later in June,” Baker said in a statement.

Commissionaires has recently come under fire with the city council, which wanted a full service review for alleged poor performance.

The company had been doing dog catching since 2013.

The service was costing municipalities around $149,000 a year with Grand Forks paying $48,000, Area C Christina Lake $56,000, Area D $39,000 and Greenwood $6,000.

The topic is expected to come up at Wednesday’s (June 4) Boundary Services Committee meeting.

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Pools across the Comox Valley will soon begin their annual summer maintenance. 

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) announced the Sports Centre pool will be closed from June 20 to August 8, and the Aquatic Centre will close from August 9 to 29. 

CVRD Senior Manager of Recreation Services Jennifer Zbinden said the yearly shutdowns help update infrastructure and complete facility maintenance. 

“This year based on feedback from the community we have staggered the maintenance shutdowns to ensure that one facility is always open.” 

Both facilities will close for Labour Day Weekend August 30 – September 1, before reopening on September 2 with a fall schedule in effect. 

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The BC River Forecast Centre has issued a High Streamflow Advisory for the Upper Fraser River East in the Prince George-area.

A high-pressure ridge system brought seasonally warm temperatures and elevated snow melt across much of the province last week.

Rivers across the region have risen sharply over the past few days due to warmer temperatures and increased snow melt runoff.

Areas of particular concern include tributaries of the Fraser River upstream of Prince George, North Thompson, Upper Columbia, and West Kootenay.

During a high streamflow advisory, river levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but that no major flooding is expected.

Minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

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The Conservation Officer Service (COS) is asking for the public assistance.

Sometime between May 24 and 25, near the community of Big Lake northeast of Williams Lake, a sow black bear was shot and left leaving behind five bear cubs.

A passing motorist reported seeing a black bear carcass and cubs the evening of May 26, Conservation Officers attended the site and determined the sow had been shot and killed.

The cubs are in the process of being captured for rehabilitation at the Northern Lights Wildlife Society.

COS said Northern Lights staff have captured tow of the five cubs so far.

“At this time, we are investigating and trying to determine who was involved in the killing of this sow black bear,” CO Jeremy Pauls stated on their Facebook post, “If anybody has information that may assist this investigation, please call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at1-877-952-72-77.”

Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to shoot a sow with cubs, or any black bear less than two years old.

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The man accused of dropping off a woman at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head is scheduled to face a preliminary hearing next December.

38-year-old Brendan Rothweiler is charged with aggravated assault, discharging a firearm with intent to wound or disfigure and illegal storage of a firearm.

Police reported the woman was left at the emergency department entrance with a near-fatal wound at about 5 a.m. on Mar 27, 2023.

RCMP say the person who dropped her off, fled without speaking with police or hospital staff.

Rothweiler was arrested in downtown Trail later that morning.

He remains free on bail.

The 35-year-old victim from the incident over two years ago survived her life threatening injuries, but has life-long disabilities.

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Canada Post has rejected the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ request to send their contract dispute to binding arbitration.

The union’s 55-thousand workers (including about 200 in the PG area) have been in a legal strike position for ten days but, so far, have only instituted a ban on overtime.

The corporation says the arbitration process could take as long as a year adding to its already-precarious financial position.

Canada Post presented what it called its “final offers” to the union on Wednesday of last week.

Meanwhile, Canada Post employees staged rallies in 13 cities across the country on Saturday (including Prince George) in an attempt to stir up support in their labour dispute with the crown corporation.

– with files from Vista Radio newswire

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A 15-year-old boy is facing five charges from last month’s violent home invasion in Rossland.

He was arrested in a Nevada St residence where a 26-year-old Beaver Falls man was stabbed.

RCMP say two masked intruders stormed into the residence on the 19-hundred block at about 2 a.m. on Sat May 3.

One suspect was taken into custody and police say the other one fled.

The youth appeared in court and was released. He is due back in Rossland Court on June 26.

The boy is charged with aggravated assault, break and enter, possessing a weapon, wearing a disguise while intending to commit a crime and mischief.

RCMP recently asked for tips as the search continues for the other masked attacker and an accomplice.

Police are also on the lookout for a dark coloured truck with a canopy and loud exhaust.

Investigators are still keen to speak with anyone who has video or dash cam footage from the 19-hundred block of Nevada St between 2-and-3 a.m. from Sat May 3.

The victim is expected to make a full recovery.

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Horse Lake residents should expect their water to be a bit cloudy this week, but are being told that this is no cause for concern.

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) put out a notice that the Horse Lake Water system will undergo its annual maintenance and flushing starting on Monday, June 2.

The maintenance will run through the week, scheduled to be completed on Friday, June 6.

Residents of Horse Lake are being told that their water may be cloudy with air and more particulates when the taps are turned on while the flushing is ongoing. The CRD says, “There is no cause for concern.”

The Regional District also says that residents may choose to run their water until it runs clear before using. It also advises residents to change their home water filters inside their homes when the flushing is completed.

Crews will be on the roads working, so motorists should exercise more caution.

If anyone has questions or concerns, they are directed to contact the CRD’s Environmental Services Department

The Horse Lake Water system will undergo regular annual maintenance and flushing Monday, June 2^nd through to Friday, June 6^th as part of our best practices. Water may be cloudy with air or display more particulates when taps are turned on, there is no cause for concern.  You may choose to allow water to run clear before using. It is advised that you change any home water filters that you may have inside your homes once flushing is complete.

Please be cautious around our crews at work.  Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Environmental Services Department.

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The Regional District of Naniamo is looking to residents to help inform its priorities for spending. A survey is available on the RDN’s website until July 8 that will help to inform the district’s 2026-2030 financial plan. 

“The RDN provides many valuable services to residents that are paid for either fully or in part by taxes such as parks, recreation, drinking water, wastewater treatment and transit,” reads a news release from the RDN. “Public input is an important part of the financial planning process and provides an opportunity for the board of directors to hear from residents about their budget priorities.” 

 The RDN has background information and tools on its website to help inform residents on the budgeting process. 

 There is also a chance to have questions answered by the district’s financial department, which will be posted online to help others gain insight into the process. 

 Hard copies of the survey are also available by request for residents who may not have access to internet. 

 A preliminary financial plan will be presented to the RDN board of directors at the November and December meetings this year. 

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Sports by Hartley Monday, June 2nd, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

MLB:

Jared Young of Prince George went 1-for-4 on Saturday as the DH for the New York Mets in an 8-2 Saturday victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The 29-year-old Young is batting .214 (by going 3-for-14) since he was recalled on Friday, May 23rd from their Syracuse Triple A farm club.

He did not play in the Mets 5-3 victory on Sunday over Colorado.

The Rockies are 9-50, the worst start in the modern era.

#

Toronto Blue Jays  8  Athletics  4  

The game summary is here.

The (31-28) Blue Jays have won five straight and will continue a 7-game homestand Tuesday (4:07 PT) against the (36-23) Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies have lost their last four.

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

CHL: Memorial Cup tournament in Rimouski, Quebec.

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A four-year-old Campbell River boy is recovering after being diagnosed with leukemia.

In December last year, the Lewis family were going about their day when Eli had a fever that kept coming back week after week, prompting his parents to take him to the Campbell River Emergency Room.

High school teacher and Eli’s father James Lewis says a few hours later, Eli was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of Leukemia.

“That meant we were airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital that very night, and within 12 hours of finding out, he was already receiving chemotherapy at the Hospital Cancer Board,” said Lewis.

“He did two rounds of chemo which made him quite ill, and that was quite hard to see as a parent.”

He says in the six months since going to the hospital, Eli has also gone through radiation therapy and has received a bone marrow transplant.

Along with this treatment, Eli also received support from the hospital’s Child Life program.

The program has specialists helping children, youth, and families cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, trauma, and disability by explaining procedures, bringing opportunities for the kids to play, and coping plans centered on those affected, among other ways.

Child Life specialist for the hospital’s Oncology, Hematology, and Bone Marrow Transplant unit Ashley Tolerton says it’s important that children understand what’s going on in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

“For example, someone between the ages of 3 to 5 similar to Eli and experiencing Leukemia, how can we explain it in a way that is understandable?”, said Tolerton.

“There’s an activity that can be done like Blood soup that mixes all these kinds of candies in molasses, and what that does is it provides a visual to kids on what a good or bad cell is. That way they have an understanding to why they’re here, which can help with coping and emotional regulation.”

Tolerton says like many kids, Eli went from not knowing the nurses in the beginning of his stay to feeling very comfortable with the staff as his journey to recovery continues.

For James, the team were very supportive to Eli during this process.

“When he came in here, he was very independent and trying to maintain control of his life, so being thrust into the hospital where he doesn’t have control, he has to stay one place and was really sick was really hard for him,” said Lewis.

“Recognizing that, the Child Life specialists tried really hard for a very stubborn toddler. They tried for weeks to get Eli to engage with them and he would give them a lot of nos, but after a while, he warmed up to them and they were able to figure out exactly what would get his attention and get him smiling on those really hard days.”

He says Eli recently finished his bone marrow transplant, and is currently showing good signs of recovery.

He hopes Eli continues to recover and show good signs in the next few months, with the parents hoping to return to the Island sometime this August.

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Four paddles made by First Nations artists will be part of this year’s Convocation for North Island College.

According to the college, a convocation ceremony is an event dedicated to celebrating the graduating students of the school year across their four campuses, with the students able to grab their graduation cap and regalia and enjoy a day of photos and applause.

This year’s ceremonies will include four ceremonial paddles handcrafted by K’omoks First Nation’s Karver Everson, Wei Wai Kum First Nation’s William Henderson Jr., Kwagu’ł First Nations Mervyn Child, and Tseshaht First Nation’s Gord Dick. Each paddle represents the different traditions and stories of each Nation they represent.

The college says the paddles also represent strength and resilience.

“In addition to being an important part of NIC’s convocation ceremonies, a consensus among the artists was the intent to have the paddles inspire their people and make them feel proud,” said North Island College.

“While each artist’s approach differed, all shared a common goal to create works of art that uplift, educate and celebrate their people.”

For Henderson Jr., he says he wants the paddles to warm the hearts of their people, while Child says some of the symbolism reflects empowerment and enlightenment, which comes through education.

For Gord, he says his culture is always moving and evolving like nature, with Everson saying a part of the story in his paddle is about his Nation’s territory and those who call it home.

The ceremonies will take place later this month, starting with Port Alberni’s on June 12, followed by Campbell River and the Comox Valley on June 16, with the last ceremonies set for Comox Valley on June 17.

To see the dates and locations of each ceremony, click here.

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Island Health has launched a new service aimed at giving rural patients access to mental health care.

Called the Virtual On-Demand Urgent Psychiatry Service, it’s a program that will give adult patients access to online therapy on evenings and weekends through secure technology.

Clinical services director for acute mental health and substance use Melanee Szafron says this would allow them to give psychiatric assessments to patients in their own communities.

“It means patients can receive the right care at the right time, closer to home and their support networks,” said Szafron.

Island Health says this service will be delivered by six psychiatrists across Vancouver Island every week, with some specialists coming from Nanaimo, Port Alberni, and the South Island.

They add this comes as part of efforts to bring resources to those in need whenever in-person therapy isn’t the most available. They hope the service not only brings convenience, but also a life-changing impact to patients.

The service is referral-based and runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and stat holidays.

It is available to patients at the Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Lady Minto, West Coast General, and Tofino General Hospitals.

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Residents are urged to not swim at Transfer Beach because of bacteria in the water.

On Friday, the Town of Ladysmith issued a beach advisory, saying Island Health has found high levels of bacteria in the beach after doing routine water testing.

Because these levels can pose a health risk, water activities like swimming are no longer safe.

Town Communications & Engagement Specialist Nicholas Pescod says they understand this closure comes at a time when people want to cool off from the heat.

“However, out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of public safety, we are advising residents and visitors to avoid swimming or coming into contact with the water at Transfer Beach,” said Pescod.

Both the Town and Island are monitoring the situation, with updates to come as soon as possible.

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When it comes to electrical safety for workers, there is a concerning lack of awareness.

This comes from BC Hydro’s new survey, finding that one-third of respondents have been either injured or shocked by electricity or know someone who has been hurt or shocked, with over 20 percent saying those injured workers were either new to the job or had insufficient training.

Hydro says seasonal work brings a lot of younger, less experienced workers to job sites, increasing the risk of injuries.

Hydro Vice-President of Safety Matt Wilson says those who work in construction, tree trimming, painting, and window washing are especially at high risk in the spring and summer.

“By increasing awareness and reinforcing best practices, workplaces can significantly reduce preventable injuries and ensure worker safety around power lines,” said Wilson.

Hydro adds almost one-third of workers don’t know what the safe distance is from power lines, with nearly half of them saying they use aluminum, wood, or metal ladders. Those types of ladders increase injury risks as they conduct electricity.

Along with lack of awareness, the survey also finds unsafe work practices are another concern, with 60 percent of workers seeing hazards near power lines and almost 40 percent of them reporting safety concerns to their employer.

Hydro urges workers and employers to look for overhead and underground power lines while working, to keep a safe distance from the lines, and if you see a fallen or exposed line, stay 10 meters back and call 9-1-1.

–Files by Hussam Elghussein, My Cowichan Valley Now

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Around 50 people took a stroll through Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park this morning (Sunday) in the 2025 Kidney Walk.

Today’s event was the 17th annual Kidney Walk held in Prince George.

“The purpose of the Kidney Walk is to raise funds for kidney disease research, public education, and most importantly, support services for kidney patients and their care givers,” said Paul Ravelle, President of the Northern BC Chapter of the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Since last year’s walk, Ravelle said the patient training facility in Prince George gas been upgraded, but more renal units are needed in the North.

“There’s 40 units across the province but only four in Northern BC,” he explained.

“So especially in western regions, we’ve only got the one renal unit in Terrace, so it makes it more difficult for patients who are in remote communities to access inpatient care. Ideally, we’d like to have a renal unit in some of the smaller communities, like Smithers, Kitimat, possibly even Haida Gwaii just to service patients better.”

The other three units are located in Prince George, Fort St. John, and Williams Lake.

The walk in Prince George was one of nine held in BC and Yukon.

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Premier David Eby is on his way to Asia for a 10-day trade mission that will take him to Japan, Malaysia and South Korea, with a focus on industries ranging from aerospace and clean energy to entertainment.

The trip is part of the province’s push to diversify British Columbia’s trade relationships in response to uncertainty created by the Trump administration’s tariff war.

The spring session of the legislature wrapped up this week with the NDP government pushing through two controversial bills on infrastructure and renewable energy. Bills 14 and 15 faced broad opposition from First Nations, who raised concerns about a lack of adequate consultation and the potential for government overreach.

Regional Chief Terry Teegee of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations was scheduled to join the delegation for part of the trade mission, but the assembly issued a statement Friday saying he was withdrawing over the passage of Bills 14 and 15.

“The decision to withdraw from the trade mission reflects the profound damage inflicted on the B.C. Crown-First Nations relationship by Premier Eby’s government,” the statement said.

Speaking at Vancouver International Airport on Saturday, Eby said he would have preferred Teegee to be part of the trip but remains committed to strong Indigenous partnerships.

“What is clear to me is that chiefs across the province are engaging with international businesses and doing business in a way that is not just lifting up their own communities, but in a way that is lifting up the province and the entire country,” Eby said.

The trade mission means Eby will miss the First Ministers’ Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday. Deputy Premier Niki Sharma is expected to attend the meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney instead.

Eby said in a statement that he spoke by phone with Carney on Friday.

“I explained B.C. has several projects that are shovel-ready and we’ve got the legislation needed to quickly knock down internal trade barriers, buy Canadian first and build the infrastructure we need,” he said, adding that they also discussed B.C.’s recommendations for bail reform.

Joining Eby on the Asia trip are Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and Paul Choi, parliamentary secretary for Asia-Pacific trade. The trade mission will start in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, before continuing to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Seoul, South Korea.

Japan and South Korea are British Columbia’s third- and fourth-largest trading partners, respectively, behind China and the United States.

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If you see a grizzly bear while walking on Texada Island, don’t approach and make sure to report it.

That comes from the qathet Regional District, saying a grizzly bear has been spotted twice on Texada Island earlier this week.

The bear was first seen Wednesday afternoon in the forested area south of Staaf Road, and was most recently spotted around 3:00 p.m. Thursday on the foreshore just south of the log dump at the end of Mowat Bay Road.

For the Mowat Bay sighting, the bear was scared off and was last seen heading south.

Because of these sightings, the BC Conservation Officer Service is asking you to avoid both the Staaf Road forest area and the nature trail south of Shelter Point Park at this time.

“This is a precaution in case the bear returns or changes direction,” said the qathet Regional District.

“Stay safe and alert when outdoors. If you see the bear, do not approach it.”

These incidents come as the bear was first spotted in the Pocahontas Bay Area last Sunday after spending a week in the Powell River area.

To keep you and others safe, the district has tips for you to follow.

They ask you to make noises while hiking, to stay in groups, keep your pets leashed or indoors, be alert, secure food and garbage, avoid hiking at dawn and dusk, carry bear spray, and if you see the bear, back away slowly.

If you see the bear, call the Conservation Officer Service RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.

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BC Transit will be offering free transit for cyclists in Prince George for GoByBike Week.

GoByBike week started yesterday (Saturday), and will run until Friday.

Customers taking part will have to use the bus’s bike racks or show their bike helmet while boarding the bus to qualify for free transit.

All BC Transit buses are equipped with bike racks on the front of the bus, allowing cyclists to combine the two forms for transportation when travelling longer distances.

However BC Transit notes bike space is limited and cannot be guaranteed.

The annual GoByBike Week campaign originally began in Greater Victoria in 1995 with 500 participants, and has since grown to a provincial initiative.

Throughout the week, cyclists are encouraged to log their bike trips, for which they’ll be entered to win a trip to Vietnam.

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Downtown Prince George will be making it a bit easier to ride your bike to a handful of events this summer.

Downtown Prince George is launching a free Event Bike Valet for this summer, offering a secure way for residents to store their bicycle while attending some downtown events this summer:

• Naguz’ An Container Market, June 5-7, Canada Games Plaza
• Community Art Days, June 12-13, Two Rivers Gallery
• Downtown Summerfest, July 19, Veteran’s Plaza
• PG Public Library’s Touch a Truck Event, Date TBD, Canada Games Plaza
• PG Farmer’s Market Corn Festival, August 30, Third Avenue
• Women’s Collective Weekend, September 19-21, Civic Centre

Residents who want to use the service can look for a big red tent at the participating event.

In partnership with the Prince George RCMP, the valet site will feature Garage 529, a bike registration and theft prevention program.

“This initiative is about creating a more bike-friendly downtown while also addressing safety, which we know is a concern for many residents,” said Downtown PG Executive Director Chrisie Berry.

“The Event Bike Valet offers a secure place to leave your bike so you can relax and enjoy the event, and with the RCMP on site through the Garage 529 program, we’re also supporting a safer and more welcoming environment overall. We’re proud to bring this service to the community thanks to the incredible support of our partners.”

Funding for the program comes from the BC Cycling Coalition in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Sunday, June 1st

Memorial Cup:

London Knights vs Medicine Hat Tigers (4:00 pm)

The Knights defeated the QMJHL Champion Moncton Wildcats 5-2 Friday to advance to the final.

NBA Playoffs:

Indiana Pacers  125  NY Knicks  108 (IND wins series 4-2)

The NBA Finals between the Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder will start Friday.

MLB:

NY Mets  8  Colorado Rockies  2

Prince George’s Jared Young got one hit on four at bats in his latest appearance with the Mets.

Toronto Blue Jays  8  Athletics  7

The Blue Jays (30-28) are third in the AL East

PGA Tour: the Memorial Tournament:

Scottie Scheffler (-8) is on top of the leaderboard heading into the final round. Canadian Nick Taylor (-5) is close behind.

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You can dive into summer by going to the Outdoor Pool as of next week.

The City of Courtenay has announced the pool will open at Lewis Park on Monday, with all public swims ranging from open to aquafit open for free to the community this season.

While that pool is open, the wading pool is once again closed for the season as city staff look at repair options. They don’t expect it to open this year.

This comes as last year’s season saw that pool closed because of a significant water leak.

In the meantime, the city says you can use the Rotary Water Park anytime from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily.

For the outdoor pool’s schedule, click here.

Outdoor Pool is open from June 2 to August 29.

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Be alert for door-knocking soon, as CityWest staff look to test your internet speed in Tahsis.

On Thursday, the Strathcona Regional District announced they’re working with CityWest to improve the village’s internet, which comes as the village doesn’t qualify for provincial or federal funding to upgrade internet services.

As part of this improvement, staff will go door-to-door in the area to get speed test data.

“They’ll ask to run a quick speed test, who your service provider is, what was the advertised download and upload speeds in your plan, and to confirm whether your service is wired or wireless,” said CityWest.

This will take place next week.

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Powell River RCMP are investigating two stolen vehicle incidents from Savary Island.

At 8:00 a.m. on May 19, officers got a report of the first incident, saying a resident found his truck was stolen from his residence sometime overnight.

After noticing his truck went missing, the man drove around to try and find it, only to find two youth inside his truck, which had sustained damage.

“A short time later, Powell River RCMP received a report that a second vehicle had been stolen,” said Powell River RCMP.

“Both vehicles have been recovered and several youth that were involved have been identified.”

They say in the meantime, if you have any information on these incidents, call Powell River RCMP at 604-485-6255.

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A drug trafficking investigation led to one arrest and large amounts of drugs seized.

On May 23, Powell River RCMP were performing the investigation, with their general investigation section executing a search warrant at a residence on Burnaby Street.

During the search, officers arrested one person and seized large amounts of fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and Canadian money.

Detachment commander Staff Sergeant Lee Dyson says by executing the warrant, they’re sending a message that drug trafficking in Powell River won’t be tolerated and will be stopped.

Officers are still investigating the incident.

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Monogram Communications was named Small Agency of the Year – Gold by the Canadian Public Relations Society.

The Prince George based company received the award during the national conference on Tuesday in Banff, Alberta.

CEO, Alyson Gourley-Cramer talks about the success with the company only being in its fifth year.

“We’ve really strived to establish ourselves in the north first, and then BC, and our success and building the agency across Canada, I think it stems from our really strong networks and our really great relationships.”

Within the company’s 5 years Monogram has won five national and international awards.

Gourley-Cramer adds that a key to their success has been the Canadian Public Relations Society Chapter for northern BC, which she says is rare, especially for a community of our size.

As for what’s next for the company, shewants to continue working closely within the region, and establish themselves more in the north.

More information about Monogram Communications can be found on their website here.

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A project aiming to improve some Campbell River traffic lights enters phase two next week.

City crews are still working on replacing the aging lights at South Alder Street and Hilchey Road with new ones, with a left turn arrow to be added for southbound traffic on Alder Street.

The city says this second phase will be the last one for the project, with the first phase completed earlier this year.

The city adds because of the work, there will be minor traffic delays at the site for three weeks.

They ask you to follow all traffic controls in place, with crews working weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Work starts June 2.

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The Sunshine Coast Community Forest has been recognized for its impact on the community with the 2025 Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry. 

The community forest is one of the smallest in the province, and it has invested almost $25 million into the community since 2007. The investments went into local infrastructure, recreation, economic development and community initiatives across the Sunshine Coast. 

“It means a lot to us to be recognized among the many exceptional community forests in B.C.,” said Sara Zieleman, executive director for the Sunshine Coast Community Forest. “We’re grateful, first and foremost, to our community with whom we share this success – the many people who generously contribute their time, and the organizations that collaborate with us.” 

One of the community forest’s standout programs delivers affordable and sustainably sourced firewood, while employing people who face barriers in the workforce. The program provides firewood at no cost to families facing financial hardship. 

The Robin Hood Memorial Award for Excellence in Community Forestry was established in 2016 to honour a British Columbian with a passion for local community forestry.  

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Oxygen Art Centre will welcome Manuel Axel-Strain and Kalli Van Stone as artists-in-residence from June 22 to June 28, 2025.

xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw and Syilx artist Manuel Axel-Strain and Suqnawqin or Syilx Okanagan and Secwepemc artist Kalli Van Stone will develop a new body of work during their seven-day residency that will be on view throughout the summer in an exhibition titled, “kt̓kmin uɬ c̓ik̓ʷm,” which is Sylix for “mark and make light.” The exhibition will be on view to the public from July 2 to August 23, 2025.

In their individual practices, the artists propose opportunities for viewers to glimpse beyond the settler colonial perspective through their chosen mediums of painting and installation (Axel-Strain) and performance (Van Stone).

Often utilizing pictographic and petroglyph depictions in their practices, the artists provoke nuances between what is included and excluded, what is past and present, what is spoken about and what is intentionally withheld concerning entanglements of Indigenous identity, family, and queerness.

Challenging colonial binaries and settler paradigms, the artists collaborate with each other, their families, and their archives and stories to compose a multi-component contemporary art project at Oxygen that will focus on mark making through light (lasers), dance and song (movement and vibration), in an immersive installation.

The public are invited to attend the Opening Reception of kt̓kmin uɬ c̓ik̓ʷm (mark and make light), on Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. The artists will be in attendance. Light refreshments will be provided. Admission is free.

Axel-Strain and Van Stone will be in residence from June 22, 2025, to June 28, 2025, in preparation for their exhibition kt̓kmin uɬ c̓ik̓ʷm (mark and make light), which will be on view at Oxygen Art Centre from July to August 23, 2025.  The Opening Reception is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. Everyone welcome to attend.

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Artemis Gold announced the opening of its Blackwater Mine yesterday (Friday).

Indigenous, municipal, and provincial government representatives, industry associations, business partners, contractors and other stakeholders attended the ceremony.

“Blackwater Mine is an example of what can be achieved through collaboration with First Nations and the protection of vital lands and waters.” said Premier David Eby.

“This mine is a part of what we’re building in B.C. the economic engine of the new Canadian economy. It creates hundreds of family-supporting jobs and builds prosperity here and across the country.”

The gold and silver mine took 22 months of construction and three months of commissioning, achieving commercial production earlier this month, and is forecast to produce 190,000 to 230,000 ounces of gold for the 2025 fiscal year.

The mine is planned to be developed in three phases, with the completion of the first phase earlier this year, and a decision to accelerate the phase 2 expansion to be made later this year.

Artemis Gold said the mine, roughly 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George, currently employs 400 people.

More information about the official opening can be found on Artemis Gold’s website here.

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Artemis Gold announced the opening of its Blackwater Mine yesterday (Friday).

Indigenous, municipal, and provincial government representatives, industry associations, business partners, contractors and other stakeholders attended the ceremony.

“Blackwater Mine is an example of what can be achieved through collaboration with First Nations and the protection of vital lands and waters.” said Premier David Eby.

“This mine is a part of what we’re building in B.C. the economic engine of the new Canadian economy. It creates hundreds of family-supporting jobs and builds prosperity here and across the country.”

The gold and silver mine took 22 months of construction and three months of commissioning, achieving commercial production earlier this month, and is forecast to produce 190,000 to 230,000 ounces of gold for the 2025 fiscal year.

The mine is planned to be developed in three phases, with the completion of the first phase earlier this year, and a decision to accelerate the phase 2 expansion to be made later this year.

Artemis Gold said the mine, roughly 160 west of Quesnel, currently employs 400 people.

More information about the official opening can be found on Artemis Gold’s website here.

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Those looking to enjoy outdoor activities will have an opportunity throughout today (Saturday) at Cottonwood Island Park.

The Wild About Lheidli Keyoh Prince George (WALK PG) Outdoor Festival is a celebration of the traditions of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and the region, with educational workshops, artistic interventions, and knowledge sharing booths.

The event will end with a closing drum ceremony by the UHNBC Drummers to reflect on the day, and celebrate the culture of the region.

WALK PG starts at 9:45am, and will go until 3:15pm.

More information and event times can be found here.

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2025 Memorial Cup:

The Medicine Hat Tigers will be taking on the London Knights for the Memorial Cup.

Game will be played at 7:00 tomorrow night (Sunday).

Run it back, @OHLHockey?!

See you Sunday, @tigershockey and @LondonKnights. pic.twitter.com/cCaE7Tyc99

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 31, 2025

The 2025 Memorial Cup scores and schedule can be found here.

NHL:

The NHL is on a break for a handful of days before the Stanley Cup Final matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers.

Game 1 is on Wednesday at 5pm.

The NHL schedule and results are here or here.

CFL:

Week three of the CFL Preseason wrapped up yesterday.

Toronto Argonauts 30   vs.   Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23

Ottawa REDBLACKS 16   vs.   Montreal Alouettes 24

Saskatchewan Roughriders 20   vs.   Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27

Edmonton Elks 20   vs.   BC Lions 19

Next weekend will start the regular season.

The CFL scores and schedule can be found here.

MLB:

Toronto Blue Jays   vs.   Athletics   (12:07pm)

The MLB scores and schedule can be found here.

Standings can be found here.

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The commissioner of a new memorial bench in Williams Lake hopes it will be a spot where people can reflect and share in empathy for the community.

The memorial bench is dedicated to Cheryl Folden, who passed away suddenly on January 8, 2024, from a suspected accidental overdose.

Stuart Westie, the commissioner of the memorial bench, provided a home for Folden for the seven and a half months before her untimely passing. Westie says Folden had struggled with addiction all her life. She had been a victim of sexual abuse and assault from a young age into her adult life. However, Westie says that never stopped Cheryl from being a kind and loving person.

“She had every right to be mean, but she never was. How she could be such a light, after all the abuse she took— it’s unfathomable,” says Westie. “She was just such a good person, so many people thought she was wonderful. That includes pharmacists and outreach workers. They all spoke highly of her.”

Before her death, Westie says that Cheryl was on the path of making a recovery while she lived with him. Westie describes that Cheryl was no longer showing the habits of ‘paranoia’, and talking to herself, which Westie believes “may have gotten her kicked out” of the Hamilton Shelter.

Westie was able to tell stories of moments Cheryl rediscovered and lived her passions. She had begun to paint, exercising, sometimes cooking, but mainly, Cheryl was a writer. Westie says she used to carry a shopping bag full of writings she had done on old receipts, letter envelopes, “anything that wasn’t used and she could write on”. Her writings were of justice and fairness, of the injustices that she had lived through. Her two sons she was reconnecting with. Of love and of kindness.

“It’s just so sad, she was one of the most intelligent, empathetic, beautiful people I have ever met. She just wasn’t given a real chance for so long,” Westie says. “There are so many people on the street who are just like her. They’re really fine people and we’ve gotta respect that, and we’ve got to treat them better than we do.”

Some of Cheryl’s writing have been made into plaques and put on and alongside the memorial bench. Alongside her writings, Westie had a donations plaque made to have QR codes for organizations such as the Salvation Army, Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Women’s Contact Society. He hopes that people can read Cheryl’s story, learn, and donate, but reflect on that if given a “real and honest chance,” people can turn their lives around.

” At shelters or somewhere, they should have exercise rooms, art therapy rooms, and counseling rooms. So when they get up in the morning, they can think, ‘I think I’ll go down and do some painting, or I think I’ll go work out in the gym.’ Or something, but they have nothing… They just walk back onto the street and get right back into their drug culture. These people, if they had a chance, a real and honest chance, I think a lot of them could be rehabilitated. But we just don’t go far enough.”

A small crowd attended the unveiling ceremony of Cheryl Folden’s memorial bench, called ‘Cheryl’s Bench, Empathy in Action’. City Councillor Sheila Boehm spoke on Cheryl’s story, saying it was an example of how communities need to look at alternative ways to bring in housing to meet the needs of every community member.

Cariboo–Chilcotin MLA Loerne Doerkson was in attendance at the ceremony. He said that he had not had the chance to meet Folden in life; however, the plaques and story told on the bench, through Folden’s writings, and talking with Stuart, Doerkson, better understand the loss of an “incredibly beautiful person” to the community.

“I think that there are challenges here that so many of us just do not fully understand, and that many of us have just never experienced,” Doerkson says. “I am grateful to Stuart for the education he shared with me. But also this incredible memorial that he has provided for Cheryl’s memory and for us all to remember her.”

The Cheryl Folden Memorial Bench can be found and peacefully sat upon at Herb Gardner Park.

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British Columbia is setting aside up to $5 million for a new police program aimed at curbing property crime and street disorder in urban centres.

The province announced the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement Program, or C-STEP, on Friday. Secretary of State for Community Safety Terry Yung said in Vancouver the funding follows consultations with business owners and organizations who want more action on non-violent offences such as shoplifting, vandalism and other property crimes.

A government release says the program builds on the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) initiative, which funds police efforts to target repeat violent offenders. The RCMP will administer C-STEP funding on behalf of the province.

Wendy Mehat, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, says departments can apply for funding for a variety of initiatives aimed at repeat offenders, ranging from increased foot patrols to operational plans targeting retail theft or drug trafficking in downtown cores.

Mehat says police will provide the government with updates on C-STEP’s progress, but a framework for measuring success is still being developed.

Yung acknowledged enforcement alone won’t resolve the broader issues contributing to street-level crime.

“We can’t just arrest our way out of crime,” he said. “We have to work across government and ministries to address housing, health care, mental health, drug addiction and poverty reduction.”

Jeff Bray, CEO of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, welcomed the announcement but said he hopes to see faster action on mental health and addictions, as well as more resources for the justice system to deal with repeat offenders.

“We appreciate the provincial government is recognizing the challenges that main streets across the province are facing,” Bray said. “For most communities, that main street or downtown is the economic heart and soul of a city or town. Now more than ever we need those businesses to be supported by customers, spending those local dollars in your local community.”

The most recent data from the Ministry of Public Safety show B.C.’s non-violent crime severity index rose seven per cent between 2022 and 2023, compared with about three per cent nationally.

The ministry says that while the total number of property offences in the province increased last year, population growth meant the property crime rate actually declined slightly, from 42 to 41 offences per 1,000 people.

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Canada Post has asked the Minister of Jobs and Families to direct that a vote take place for the final offers submitted to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

The postal service made its final offer on Wednesday, with the union instituting a ban on overtime Friday last week, rather than a full-scale walk out.

Included in the offer is:

• Employees will receive a signing bonus of $1,000 or $500, depending on their role,
• Cost of living allowance payments would be triggered at a lower inflation threshold (7.16 per cent instead of 13.59 per cent)
• Letter carriers using the Dynamic Routing delivery model will continue to received a per-piece payment for Neighbourhood Mail deliveries until January 1st, 2030. The per-piece payments are on top of actual time values (Urban unit)
• Compulsory overtime will be removed, meaning the Corporation can no longer require employees to work mandatory overtime (Urban unit)

They are maintaining the wage offer, with current employees receiving wage increases of six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, and two per cent in years three and four (13.59 per cent compounded).

Outside of the request to direct that a vote take place, Canada Post said there is nothing further to share about it other than they will respect the Minister’s decision.

The union represents 55,000 workers across the country.

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Canada Post has asked the Minister of Jobs and Families to direct that a vote take place for the final offers submitted to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

The postal service made its final offer on Wednesday, with the union instituting a ban on overtime Friday last week, rather than a full-scale walk out.

Included in the offer is:

• Employees will receive a signing bonus of $1,000 or $500, depending on their role,
• Cost of living allowance payments would be triggered at a lower inflation threshold (7.16 per cent instead of 13.59 per cent)
• Letter carriers using the Dynamic Routing delivery model will continue to received a per-piece payment for Neighbourhood Mail deliveries until January 1st, 2030. The per-piece payments are on top of actual time values (Urban unit)
• Compulsory overtime will be removed, meaning the Corporation can no longer require employees to work mandatory overtime (Urban unit)

They are maintaining the wage offer, with current employees receiving wage increases of six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, and two per cent in years three and four (13.59 per cent compounded).

Outside of the request to direct that a vote take place, Canada Post said there is nothing further to share about it other than they will respect the Minister’s decision.

The union represents 55,000 workers across the country, as well as 200 in the Prince George area.

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Nanaimo is getting new classrooms as part of a multi-million dollar province-wide investment.  Construction has started on dozens of new classrooms across the province since the start of the year, using $340 million from the provincial government. 

“Families in Nanaimo are seeing the results of our government’s continued investment in education. The new classrooms at Chase River Elementary mean more students can learn in modern, safe spaces, in their own neighbourhood. These projects are essential for meeting the needs of our growing community and giving every child the best possible start,” says Sheila Malcomson, MLA for Nanaimo-Gabriola Island. 

Comox and Powell River are also among the communities getting more space for education. 

“I’ve seen first-hand the difference that new schools and modern classrooms make for students and their communities,” says Lisa Beare, minister of education and childcare. “With these record investments, that will only continue to grow, fostering success and opportunities for generations to come.” 

The province is using prefabricated additions and is encouraging school districts to use simplified designs to help meet demand for new space quickly. 

Since 2017, the province has committed to spending more than $6 billion to create new spaces for students. 

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Charges have been approved by the B.C. Prosecution Service in the investigation of an incident that shut down Highway 16 East for several hours on Tuesday.

The Prince George RCMP said at about 7:30 Tuesday evening, near East Perry Road, 39-year-old Tyler Cavan Suel of PG, shot at police from his vehicle before fleeing the area.

Suel was located shortly after, where a lengthy standoff occurred with an exchange of gunfire, before he was arrested by police.

He was transported to hospital for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries, and later held in police custody until he could attend court.

Suel has been charged with:

• Discharge firearm with intent (4 counts)
• Pointing a firearm
• Careless use of a firearm
• Possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a weapon
• Flight from peace officer while pursued

“We are incredibly proud of the professional, coordinated and timely response our police officers had to this threatening and dynamic event.” said Inspector Chris Riddle, Operations Officer for the Prince George RCMP Detachment.

“Even in the face of being shot at, all of those who responded to the call maintained their professionalism and saw the event through to a positive conclusion.”

The Prince George RCMP’s Serious Crime Unit has taken conduct of the investigation, and Suel remains in custody, awaiting a bail hearing.

The original story can be found here.

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The provincial government has announced a new public safety initiative to help reduce crime in downtowns across BC.

The new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement (C-STEP) program will have up to $5 million allocated for tools, technology and resources for police to combat property crime downtowns around BC.

According to a press release from the province, the money will support initiatives to develop coordinated plans to unite law enforcement, businesses, outreach teams and social services to deliver a preventative approach to street disorder.

“Our downtown communities are more than just economic hubs. They are the heartbeat of our cities, bringing people together to work, explore, create and connect with culture,” says Spencer Chandra Herbert, minister of tourism, arts, culture and Sport. “Our downtowns reflect the energy and diversity that makes our province unique, and the new C-STEP program is laying the groundwork for safer, more dynamic downtowns, ensuring they remain vibrant spaces for everyone.”

RCMP will administer the funding on behalf of the province, and the new program will build on the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) program.

Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat, president of the B.C. Associations of Chiefs of Police, says they supports the C-STEP initiative.

“Police leaders continue to raise concerns about repeat offending and the impacts of chronic street-level crime on public safety and community well-being.

We recognize that a co-ordinated, multi-agency response is essential, and we are committed to working alongside government and community partners to develop long-term, sustainable solutions.

Our shared goal is safer, healthier communities for all British Columbians.”

Tony Hunt, general manager of loss prevention for London Drugs, says they welcome the C-STEP initiative as a meaningful step forward, supporting local projects that address prolific and repeat offenders.

According to Hunt, “communities and businesses are facing rising levels of violence, organized retail crime and abuse targeting workers,” eroding safety and public confidence in downtown cores, which are vital to our economy.

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The City of Fernie will enact Stage 3 water restrictions on Saturday due to damage caused by a storm on Thursday evening.

Fernie implemented Stage 2 restrictions earlier in the day on Thursday, but City officials say the evening’s storm damaged critical infrastructure at the Fairy Creek water source, prompting the increase to Stage 3.

The heightened restrictions will begin at noon on Saturday, May 31.

“Please follow water restrictions and help reduce water use.  Without reducing water usage, the reservoir may be depleted, and further damage could occur,” said the City.

Stage 3 restrictions include the following:

• Watering of residential trees, shrubs, flowers and plants is limited to a maximum of one hour on permitted days.
• Watering is only allowed in the morning between 6 and 8 a.m. or in the evening between 8 and 10 p.m.
• Lawn watering is not permitted under Stage 3

Under Stage 3, permitted days for even-numbered properties are Thursdays, while odd-numbered properties can water on Tuesdays.

The restrictions do not apply to the watering of vegetable gardens.

The City has yet to share a timeline for when repairs are expected to be completed and when restrictions will be reduced.

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Three new key biodiversity areas (KBA) have been identified in the Kootenays thanks to the presence of rare, threatened frog species.

The new designation identifies Elmer Creek, Yahk-Gilnockie and Flathead West as critical habitats for northern leopard frogs and Rocky Mountain tailed frogs.

The designation gives conservation groups and local, Indigenous, provincial and federal governments an easy source to identify areas to target for environmental protection work.

“The sites that are identified have species or ecosystems that are known to occur there at levels that are of national or international importance,” said Ian Adams, Key Biodiversity Areas B.C. Coordinator.

“Land managers who are interested in conserving species of importance can look at this information and decide how to steward that land and water carefully so they can persist there.”

Adams says the frogs are often seen as indicators of environmental health, and the KBA designation shows how ecologically important these areas are.

“These areas are known to have northern leopard frogs and the much less known Rocky Mountain tailed frogs. Southeast B.C. is the only place in Canada where the Rocky Mountain tailed frog occurs, and it’s quite a remarkable little critter,” said Adams.

“We spend a lot of time and money on conservation projects of things like caribou, grizzly bears and even leopard frogs get a lot of interest. Other species from mosses, lichens and insects don’t get as much press but are at the same level of endangerment, or they only occur in certain places.”

According to KBA Canada, Rocky Mountain tailed frogs are an ancient species that diverged from other species over 200 million years ago and have since evolved independently.

“This species has an unusually long lifecycle, taking up to seven years to reach reproductive age, and is highly sensitive to changes in water quality, sedimentation, and climate,” said KBA Canada.

“Its presence serves as a strong indicator of healthy stream ecosystems.”

KBA Canada says northern leopard frogs were once widespread in B.C., but it has disappeared from most of its range.

“Today, it is found in only one known native population in Canada, making its protection a conservation priority,” said KBA Canada.

“This frog, famous for its dark, leopard-like spots and powerful jumps, relies on clean wetlands, seasonal water fluctuations, and connected habitat corridors to survive.”

The new KBAs join others on the Kootenays, such as Elder Creek, Creston Valley, Castle-Waterton-Akamina, Skookumchuck Prairie, and Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it – Tobacco Plains.

“This is all about raising information and awareness about species that require careful, mindful stewardship of species that are either rare or don’t occur in many other places in Canada,” said Adams.

“There are a fair number of them in the Kootenay region that we’re quite lucky to have.”

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A notice from the City of Quesnel cautions the city’s residents that the Johnston Bridge Loop will be closed today, Friday, May 30.

The closure is due to annual flooding and some maintenance.

Motorists will have to make detours to get around the city and return home.

Southbound traffic can detour through the railway crossing to access the Quesnel Downtown RV Park & Campground and Johnston Avenue.

Northbound traffic will need to detour through the Johnston Subdivision and North Star Road.

Any travelers crossing south must approach the railway crossing on Legion Drive.

Work on the Johnston Bridge will continue with more maintenance next week. From Tuesday, June 3, to Friday, June 6, the City of Quesnel will conduct annual washing on the Johnston Bridge.

Motorists in the area should expect delays.

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The relocation of Nelson’s Wednesday farmers market is temporary, for now. 

The City announced on Thursday that the market, which is usually held on Baker Street and was set to begin again for the season on June 4, will be held at Cottonwood Falls Park instead this summer. 

Director of Corporate Services Sarah Winton says there were considerable safety concerns for both community members and vendors at the Baker Street location due to a substantial amount of construction this year. 

“There’s a considerable amount of construction happening at the moment and that will continue throughout the rest of the summer. So we thought that by moving it down to Cottonwood, we would avoid any safety issues related to that.” 

The City issued notice of the relocation a week before the market was supposed to start up again for the season. 

While the City apologizes for the short notice, Winton notes that council and staff had been weighing their options for months. 

In March 2025, vendors were asked to participate in a survey asking what amenities they’d like to see available at the market. 

Winton says the feedback showed a need for amenities that could only be provided at Cottonwood Falls. 

“What they wanted, we could not offer on Baker Street, and the construction layered on top of their wants and needs. We started to really talk about how the market was going to operate successfully since March and then made a final decision. Sadly, we did not notify the vendors as timely as we would have wanted to, but we did let them know.” 

Vendors and community members took to Facebook to voice their frustration about the relocation and the lack of notice.  

A petition was started to “Keep the Wednesday Nelson Farmers Market on Baker Street,” which as of Friday, had over 500 signatures. 

The City is aware of the petition, and Winton says while the feedback is appreciated, it’s unlikely to have any impact. 

“It’s always good to get feedback from the community, vendors, businesses, and visitors, but I think we have to keep in mind the safety issues and the amount of construction that’s going on downtown. Because of the construction, I’m not sure there’s much we can do, although we do appreciate hearing from the public.” 

The relocation is temporary at this point. At the end of this year’s market season, Winton says the City will review the vendor waiting list and market usage on Wednesdays before reassessing the location for 2026. 

“We have a really good turnout on Saturdays and a great turnout on Wednesdays on Baker Street, so we’re hopeful that the public will continue to support the farmers market, even though it is located at Cottonwood Park.” 

Wednesday market vendors have been invited to a Zoom meeting with the City on Monday at 1 p.m., where they will be able to ask questions and address their concerns. 

While she understands the community’s disappointment, Winton hopes the public will continue to support the market and local vendors despite the location change. 

“I just want to remind the public to support the market in general, no matter where it is. It’s really wonderful that we can even have a farmers market in such a small community, and it supports the community as well as the producers and artisans by just going and hanging out at the market.” 

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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A walk from Burns Lake to Prince Rupert along Highway 16 starts on Sunday.

This is to help raise awareness around Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. (MMIP)

“Last year, I walked from my community, Takla Landing, to Burns Lake and I want to continue this walk for most of the people that have lost their loved ones,” said Walker Clarance Abraham.

Along the way, he will be stopping in several communities to meet with some of the affected families.

“I walk with a heavy heart just about every time I meet one of them and they tell me their story. Sometimes, I cry while walking,” Abraham said.

He is hoping more people join his journey this year with more and larger communities on the route.

“There’s people that say they want to walk with me but when it comes down to it, it’s pretty hard to do so, I try and encourage them to keep going,” he said.

Abraham’s advice for anyone joining him is to wear a high visibility vest, drink lots of water, and eat lots of fruit.

“That’s what I did last year. I didn’t eat anything but fruit while I walked because my stomach hurt otherwise,” he added.

With the various stops planned, there isn’t a planned date he will arrive in Prince Rupert.

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A Nanaimo city councillor says a new provincial public safety initiative will bring welcome help for the city’s downtown.  

Councillor Ben Geselbracht says though it is not clear how much money from the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement (C-STEP) program announced today will be spent in Nanaimo, he is optimistic it will make a difference. 

The province allocated up to $5 million for tools, technology and resources for police to combat property crime downtowns around BC. 

“I think in general this funding is going to help just create a greater sense of safety in our downtown and something that I think everybody can greatly appreciate,” Geselbracht says. 

He adds increased patrols can help with response time when there are disturbances downtown, and any funding the province gives is helpful. 

Though the city is still lacking resources, specifically to address mental health problems, Geselbracht says he is optimistic to see the funding focused on collaboration. 

According to a press release from the province, the money will support initiatives to develop coordinated plans to unite law enforcement, businesses, outreach teams and social services to deliver a preventative approach to street disorder. 

“Our downtown communities are more than just economic hubs. They are the heartbeat of our cities, bringing people together to work, explore, create and connect with culture,” says Spencer Chandra Herbert, minister of tourism, arts, culture and Sport. “Our downtowns reflect the energy and diversity that makes our province unique, and the new C-STEP program is laying the groundwork for safer, more dynamic downtowns, ensuring they remain vibrant spaces for everyone.” 

RCMP will administer the funding on behalf of the province, and the new program will build on the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) program. 

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The City of Courtenay’s annual progress report is now available for the public to see.

The city announced the 2024 Annual Report can be viewed, focusing on council’s 2023-2026 strategic priorities, as well as the audited financial statements.

Highlights from 2024 include the replacement of the 1st Street Lift Station and sewer infrastructure, the launch of automated residential curbside collection, and the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan project.

The province requires all municipalities to prepare an annual report before June 30 each year.

The report will be considered at the June 25 council meeting.

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A woman has appeared in court to face numerous charges in connection with a car hitting an unhoused woman in a Campbell River alley last year.

The incident happened in November 2024, after a woman sleeping in a homeless encampment behind the Harbourside Inn was seriously injured by a car.

38-year-old Amberlee Joan Herman has been charged with two counts of impaired operation causing bodily harm, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault with a weapon, and uttering threats.

Herman was located at the scene and arrested at the time of the incident, and an investigation was launched.

Herman had her first court appearance on May 26, and will next appear in court on June 16 at 9:00 a.m.

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For the second Saturday in a row, Zunga Bus service will be cancelled.

On social media, the city says they are cancelling service due to staffing issues.

As a result, there will be no service on May 31. Service is expected to return on June 1.

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Juno-nominated artist, Will’s Jam, will be headlining the performers at this year’s Children’s Festival in Quesnel.

The festival will take place in LeBourdais Park from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m, on Saturday, May 31.

The Quesnel and District Community Arts Council (QDCAC)’s President, Cathy Heinzelman, says there will also be food and other performances throughout the Festival’s day.

“The Correlieu Jazz Band will perform, the Shimmy Stars are dancing at 11:45. The Community Band, and Kordaroy will play. There’s also a local young performer, Ethan Smith will be performing. All the activities are free to families.”

Heinzelman says the City of Quesnel may also have its slip ‘n’ slide in the afternoon.

The Children’s Festival is one of the QDCAC’s biggest events of the year. Heinzelman says the Arts Council is expecting more than 500 kids and parents to fill LeBourdais Park.

This is the fourth annual Children’s Festival that the QDCAC has held. Heinzelman says the idea to put on a festival came as the Arts Council was coming out of the COVID–19 Pandemic.

“The Arts Council found that it helped regenerate activities in the community,” Heinzelman says. “[The Festival] has been growing each year, and there’s so much going on in Quesnel. Having the Festival in LeBourdais has been great, and we get to partner with other services, communities, and businesses in the city to let the parents and kids explore Quesnel.”

Last year, the festival was held in June. This year, it has been moved to the end of May, as May is National Childcare Month.

In this year’s Festival, Heinzelman says each family will receive coupons to spend at the Farmer’s Market, that is taking place on the same day, at the same time.

“This is all supporting and helping businesses and organizations, but with a focus on families,” says Heinzelman. “It’s a wonderful thing, and there are so many organizations that will just say ‘it’s for the kids — let’s do it.’”

The Children’s Festival is on Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., in LeBourdais Park.

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The Carrier Sekani Family Services’ (CSFS) Sk’ai Zeh Yah Youth Centre received a $5,000 grant from the City of Prince George.

The grant will got to supporting two of the centres core programs, which are its Peer Recovery Group and men’s group.

Youth ages 16 to 29 are able to attend the drop-in centre, and welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, focusing on providing culturally safe, wrap-around supports for at-risk youth and young adults.

“We are deeply grateful tot he City of Prince George for recognizing the importance of youth-led wellness and recovery programs.” said Kara Myers, Youth Services Supervisor.

“This grant will help us continue to empower young people with the tools, support, and activities needed to thrive.”

CSFS added the grant will support a variety of youth-led activities, including community outings including group lunches, park visits bowling, and pool to foster connection, healing, and personal growth.

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Heartstrings Home and Decor in Smithers will soon be the Public Library’s new home.

The town announced the acquisition today (Friday) using funds from the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance.

$500,000 raised by the Friends of the Smithers Library is also going towards the purchase.

“We are thrilled to be advancing one of our strategic priorities this term – exploring options for a new Library,” said Mayor Gladys Atrill.

Over the past 15 years, the library board and friends have been fundraising to purchase a new, functional, and accessible facility that meets the growing needs of the community.

“This building is more than twice the size of our current location, providing significantly more space to support community needs and offer new opportunities,” said Christine Tessier, Smithers Public Library Board Chair.

The town will take over the building next year after Heartstrings moves into their new Main Street location, where Central Square Medical Clinic is currently located.

Public input will be sought by the town as planning begins for the new space to determine how the space will be used.

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The Independent Investigations Office of BC is investigating an incident in Prince George.

At about 5:20 p.m. on April 25th, police responded to a reported disturbance caused by a man shouting and behaving erratically in a parking lot in the 100 block of George Street.

When officers arrived, they found a man matching the description provided by the caller in a nearby parking lot in the 100 block of Queensway.

Multiple officers responded and took the man into custody. A conducted energy weapon, or Taser, was used during the arrest, and the man was taken to the RCMP detachment cells.

Emergency Health Services were called to assess the man as he was believed to be in a state of psychosis. Paramedics transported him to a hospital where he was found to be suffering from a serious medical condition.

The police watchdog was notified of the incident and the investigation continues.

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A local petting farm in the Comox Valley will soon be opening for the season.

The Town of Comox’s Hands on Farm at Filberg Park will once again be open for the summer starting June 9.

Recreation Supervisor Justin Wolfe said they’re excited to welcome everyone back to the farm this summer.

“It’s a special place where kids can connect with animals, explore nature, and create lasting memories in the heart of Filberg Park.”

The farm will feature a variety of farm animals to learn about, including dwarf goats, lambs, chickens, bunnies, and a turkey.

Volunteers are also being sought for the season with anyone aged 13 and older can apply to get experience in animal care, feeding, and maintaining the barn and yard.

The farm will be open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until August 17.

Admission is $6 for one to three people, $10 for groups of four to six, and $40 for a summer family pass.

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Elk Valley residents can take advantage of up to $2,000 on offer to help protect their properties from unwelcome ursine guests.

Those living in Jaffray, Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, Hosmer and the surrounding rural areas are eligible for financial assistance for electric fencing installation on their property.

“Our goal is to create a landscape that works for both people and wildlife in the Elk Valley,” said Clayton Lamb, a local wildlife biologist.

“Conflicts between people and bears are a common occurrence here, but there are proven solutions, and we want to make it easier for residents to take actions to discourage bears from coming onto properties.”

According to WildSafe BC’s 2024 bear conflict report, the Elk Valley is a particular hotspot for bear encounters.

“This area is an excellent bear habitat, so the animals are naturally drawn here. However, even when we compare to areas with similar habitats, the conflicts here are exceptionally high,” said WildSafe BC Elk Valley Community Coordinator Dianna Haycock.

“Fernie is located in a natural wildlife corridor, so we see bears pretty much everywhere. Properties that back onto green spaces like James White Park will see more bear activity, but it’s not uncommon to see bears walk right through the middle of town.”

The program, organized by the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, is meant to help deter bears from livestock, gardens, or fruit trees and to remove or replace unwanted fruit trees.

Residents can receive up to 50 per cent of the cost of materials for building an electric fence on their property, with a maximum of $2,000.

The program also offers free expert advice, which has helped over 500 people across the Kootenays reduce bear conflict.

You can also get up to $400 to remove and/or replace unwanted fruit trees.

WildSafe says fruit-bearing trees can be a major attractant to bears, particularly if they are unmaintained.

“This initiative aims to promote coexistence between people and wildlife by mitigating common sources of human-bear conflicts,” said the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.

“The program is supported by a collaboration between the Province of British Columbia, Biodiversity Pathways, Margo Supplies and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Financial support is provided by Elk Valley Resources and The Gencon Foundation.”

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative says funds are limited and provided on a first-come-first-served basis.

You can apply by contacting [email protected] and visiting Operationalizing Wildlife Coexistence in the Elk Valley: Wildlife Science Centre.

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Grand Forks Border Bruins forward Tyler Burke has committed to play National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III hockey for the Castleton University Spartans in Vermont beginning this fall.

Burke, 21, a Vernon, B.C. native, is coming off a standout season in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), where he ranked second in league scoring with 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) in 44 regular season games.

The 6-foot, 180-pound forward was a key contributor to the Border Bruins’ historic 2024–25 campaign. Grand Forks finished first overall in the KIJHL standings before capturing their first-ever Teck Cup championship and going on to win the Mowat Cup as B.C.’s Junior A Provincial Champions.

Burke was named the Teck Cup Playoff MVP after amassing 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 17 games. He continued his dominant play in the Mowat Cup, leading all scorers with 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in four games.

Over his three-year KIJHL career, which began with the North Okanagan Knights in 2021–22, Burke played 171 regular season games, collecting 73 goals and 116 assists for 189 points. He also appeared in 39 playoff contests, producing 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists). His 2024–25 season marked personal bests in goals, assists, and points.

At Castleton University, Burke will join a growing list of KIJHL alumni on the Spartans’ roster, including Cam Reid (Kimberley Dynamiters) and Luke Chakrabarti (Osoyoos Coyotes, Creston Valley Thunder Cats). The program also recently added David Coyle, a former Revelstoke Grizzlies forward.

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UNBC will be granting 784 credentials in five northern BC communities, including Prince George.

Students will be attending convocation today (Friday), with two ceremonies taking place.

Ceremony one began at 9:30, and will continue until noon at the Northern Sport Centre Gymnasium.

The ceremony will be followed up with a class photo and regalia returns until 6pm.

Sean Robinson was announced as the Valedictorian for Ceremony 1 on Monday.

Ceremony two will go from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at the Northern Sport Centre Gymnasium, however, class photos will be at 1:00pm.

Regalia returns will also be until 6pm.

Guowei Li was announced as the Valedictorian for Ceremony 2 last week.

More information about the Convocations can be found on UNBC’s website here, with the schedule here.

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The hockey journey of Matus Lukacik will include his most northern destination to date.

The 17-year-old forward from Slovakia signed with the Prince George Spruce Kings today (Friday).

Lukacik is no stranger to living in North America as he spent last season with the 16U AAA program of the Cleveland Barons.

In total, he amassed 63 points in 77 regular season games.

He also represented Slovakia at the U16 level in 2023-2024.

“I’m really happy and excited to join the Prince George Spruce Kings! I chose Prince George because I heard it’s a great place for young players. The coaches and staff help players improve, and the team is very professional. After I talked with the coaches and learned more about the team and how it works, I felt this is the best place for me to grow — as a player and also as a person.”

“I’m ready to work hard every day, play a good team game, and help the team win in any way I can. I really look forward to starting and being part of something special in Prince George.”

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As parliamentarians kick off their summer break, a B.C. Conservative MLA is celebrating the passing of her bill aimed at boosting mental health supports for people who are pregnant or have recently given birth.  

Jody Toor’s Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Strategy Act passed third reading on Monday, May 26, and received royal assent on Thursday.

It marks a rare instance of a non-government private member’s bill becoming law. The bill has seen bi-partisan support, with 91 out of 93 MLAs voting in favour of the bill in its second reading.

Toor was elected last year as the MLA for Langley Willowbrook. She told reporters earlier this week, “It’s phenomenal to see all parties come together and support families.” She says it’s an important bill for her as a mother of two who has dealt with issues around infertility.

“I know the struggles that many families face, with infertility, isolation, loss, grief.” She says it’s a particular concern in rural areas that have fewer services available.

The act gives the health minister one year to develop the mental health strategy, and requires the minister to review and update the strategy every two years.

The BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre says 8-12 per cent of pregnant women experience depression, and 10-16 per cent experience depression in the first year after giving birth.

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The ice is gone, the nets are up, and a new game is on.

For the first time ever, pickleball is hitting the indoor courts at the Beaver Valley Arena in Fruitvale – transforming the rink into a four-court pickleball paradise from June 2 to August 1, Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm.

“Pickleball has exploded in popularity across the country, and we’re thrilled to now offer more options for players here in the Beaver Valley,” said Mark Daines, RDKB’s Manager of Facilities and Recreation.

“Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just paddle-curious, this new indoor setup gives folks another way to stay active, social, and have fun – rain or shine!”

The arena addition complements the outdoor regulation pickleball court at Beaver Valley Family Park, which opened in 2022 and continues to serve up fun for all ages.

“Having both indoor and outdoor options now means even more people can discover why this sport has become the fastest-growing in North America,” added Ali Grieve, Director of Electoral Area A and Chair of the Beaver Valley Recreation Committee.

“It’s low-impact, incredibly social, and anyone can play – that’s what makes it such a perfect fit for our community.”

Indoor pickleball at the Beaver Valley Arena is first-come, first-served, with drop-in passes just $5 or a season pass for $40 (cash or cheque only). Court time is limited to 3 games if others are waiting, and court shoes are recommended. No pets, food, glass, or alcohol allowed – just good vibes and great rallies.

To register, simply check in at the arena and get ready to serve, volley, and laugh your way through the summer. Equipment not provided – but fun definitely is.

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Every Friday, the BCSPCA team up with Summit Radio to share a featured pet currently up for adoption at the West Kootenay Branch in Castlegar!

This week’s pet is Patty!

This handsome boy is a 10 year old cat who was surrendered because his owner could no longer care for him. He is a real sweetheart, still playful and full of energy. Patty is an indoor kitty that prefers to keep it that way. He seems to be good with other cats especially the lady cats! He tends to be a real ladies man. Come in and meet sweet Patty at the BC SPCA West Kootenay and become his forever person!

Learn more about adopting him from the BCSPCA in Castlegar here: https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/782597/

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As summer approaches, many students are preparing to enter the workforce for the first time.

WorkSafeBC reminds employers to provide proper training, orientation, and supervision to young and new workers.

“Young workers are highly vulnerable to workplace injuries,” said Angelique Prince, Director of Prevention Programs and Services at WorkSafeBC.

“Inexperience, inadequate training and supervision, and unfamiliarity with workplace hazards can all increase the risk of injury — especially when workers don’t feel empowered to ask questions or raise safety concerns.”

Each year, nearly 7,000 young workers are injured on the job province-wide, with serious injuries remaining steady at approximately 800 annually.

Over the past five years, 34 young workers have tragically lost their lives due to workplace incidents.

Injuries in 2024 were most prevalent in service-sector jobs, accounting for 1,282 claims, followed by construction (1,063 claims), and retail (492 claims).

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A downtown fight between two Trail men ended with one hitting the other over the head with a soup can.

RCMP say the altercation broke out at around 4:45 p.m. on May 20 in the 700-block of Victoria St.

The fight ended with no injuries and no arrests after an RCMP officer intervened, with both men going their separate ways.

RCMP say they came to blows over a woman.

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A popular end of summer event is coming back to Prince George for a 113th year.

The BCNE Fall Fair is set for August 14th to 17th at the Exhibition Grounds.

The event is slated to include events such as the Super Dogs, Midway, Heritage Lane and the BCNE Trade Route: Ale and Cider Festival.

More details regarding the fair will be announced at a later date.

Tickets go on sale Sunday and can be purchased here.

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A popular end of summer event is coming back to Prince George for a 113th year.

The BCNE Fall Fair is set for August 14th to 17th at the Exhibition Grounds.

The event is slated to include events such as the Super Dogs, Midway, Heritage Lane and the BCNE Trade Route: Ale and Cider Festival.

More details regarding the fair will be announced at a later date.

Tickets go on sale Sunday and can be purchased here.

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Nelson’s Wednesday Farmers Market will be moved to Cottonwood Falls Park for this year.

The Wednesday market is usually held on Baker Street throughout the summer and was slated to resume for the season on June 4.

However, a press release from the City says several major construction projects creating congestion and parking challenges downtown have forced the market to relocate for the season.

“The move will give the City, vendors, and market participants a chance to experience the market in a new location that was designed to accommodate events,” said the City in a statement.

Several factors influenced the decision to move to Cottonwood Falls Park for 2025, including:

• Ongoing construction on Baker Street, Vernon Street, and Victoria Street,

• Parking considerations,

• Traffic flow issues along Baker Street, including a close call with a vehicle during last year’s market season,

• Impact on transit routes,

• Accessibility,

• The opportunity to host more vendors from our lengthy waitlist at Cottonwood Falls Park than can be accommodated on Baker Street,

• The success of the Saturday markets at Cottonwood Falls Park, and

• Upgrades made at Cottonwood Falls Park last year that make the location ideal for hosting markets, including a new bridge, sidewalks, an improved parking area, and enhanced green space. These upgrades ensure a functional and vibrant venue for the Nelson Farmers Market.

The decision was also influenced by a survey of Nelson Farmers Market vendors completed in March, which indicated that vendors would like access to amenities that are limited on Baker Street, such as:

• Free parking for vendors and customers,

• Potable water,

• Washrooms on site, and

• Access to electrical plug-ins.

The City will run a communications campaign around the location change, which will include public signs, posters, radio ads, and social media posts.

“The City would like to apologise for the short notice about the Wednesday market location change. We have been exploring all options to ensure a positive Wednesday market experience in 2025. Losing our market coordinator during this critical time led to a delay in finding a solution for this season.”

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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Jail time has been awarded to a woman who committed fraud in Prince George.

According to the BC Prosecution Service, 57-year-old Diane Friesen was sentenced to six months in jail followed by 18 months of probation.

The offences date back to January 1st 2017 to April 1st of 2019 where she transferred $64,000 to herself from her employers’ bank account, which was based in PG.

On April 30th of this year, Friesen pleaded guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000.

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A raging wildfire has led to an evacuation order and highway closure in the Peace Region near the border with Alberta.

An evacuation order was issued yesterday (Thursday) for a few properties around Kelly Lake Road and Kiskatinaw Pit Road — along the highway and including Kelly Lake — due to the Kiskatinaw River Wildfire, according to the Peace River Regional District.

Residents living in the area of Kelly Lake and the areas north of Campbell Lake, west of Tent Lake, south of Twin Lakes, and east to the Alberta border should evacuate immediately as the blaze is posing a threat to human life. Residents are being asked to head to the Sudeten Hall in Dawson Creek.

The Peace River Regional District did not share how many properties are affected by the order.

Wednesday’s hot weather, followed by a cold front Thursday, brings the potential for high winds and dry lightning strikes, prompting the service to deploy additional crews to the northeast.

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Prince George will be the host to numerous events this weekend.

PG Gun and Sportsman Show

The three-day PG Gun and Sportsman Show will be at the Kin Centre.

The show starts today (Friday), and will run through Sunday.

Europa Super Circus

Europa Super Circus performances will be at the CN Centre.

The first show began yesterday, with 7 more throughout the weekend.

May 30th – 4:30 and 7:30pm

May 31st – 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30pm

June 1st – 1:30 and 4:30pm

Canada Games Plaza Container Market

Prince George’s Canada Games Plaza Container Market is set to open today.

The opening celebration will take place today starting at 3pm and run until 7pm, and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Wild About Lheidli Keyoh Prince George (WALK PG) Outdoor Festival

Cottonwood Park will be busy on Saturday, with this year’s Wild About Lheidli Keyoh Prince George (WALK PG) Outdoor Festival.

Various events will be taking place beginning at 9:45am until 3:15pm.

PG Northern Triathlon

Sunday is the Prince George Northern Triathlon, involving all ages starting at 7am.

Kidney Walk 2025

The Prince George Kidney Walk will be taking place on Sunday at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.

Start time is at 10am, and will go until 3pm.

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Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) is expanding its efforts to include deciduous trees and culturally significant shrub species in restoration projects, especially in areas affected by wildfires.

The company believes after large scale wildfires forest rehabilitation and recovery must go beyond replacing conifer trees.

“Large scale, intense wildfires don’t just affect conifer trees,” Ann Nielsen, Silviculture Manager with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation said, “they impact the entire ecosystem, upsetting the balance of all its function.”

To bring this vision to life, CCR has teamed up with Roserim Nursery, a family run business just north of Canim Lake, that brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to projects specializing in growing tree seedlings for reforestation and landscape regeneration.

“The amount of deciduous and shrub species this nursery is growing is incredible. It is rare to see one so focused on ecological diversity rather than just rows of conifers,” Nielsen said.

Beyond growing plants, Roserim also has seed procurement and storage experience, skills Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation said they hope to learn from through future workshops and training opportunities.

CCR is exploring ways to scale up the planting of culturally significant shrubs and deciduous species across more sites in the region impacted by wildfire.

They said the goal is to support a full-spectrum recovery that reflects Indigenous stewardship values and contributes to a healthier, more resilient landscape.

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NHL Stanley Cup playoffs:

(Western Conference Final; Game 5)

Edmonton Oilers 6  Dallas Stars  3

The defending champion Panthers will take on Edmonton in a rematch of last year’s cup final. Game 1 is set for June 4th in Edmonton.

“You’ve got a chance to close out a series & Dallas is pushing… The composure on the bench, they stuck with it, they knew what to do & they played the right way.”

Coach Knoblauch on the #Oilers building an early lead & finishing off the win.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/y6guBCSMh5

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 30, 2025

WE WANT THE CUP #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Il2pq3VXYL

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 30, 2025

=====

Memorial Cup

CHL: Memorial Cup tournament in Rimouski, Quebec.

London Knights vs Moncton Wildcats  (Semi-final)

Alex & Gabe leading the way for us offensively thru the round robin portion of the #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/UgzVJ2zctf

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) May 29, 2025

The winner qualifies for Sunday’s final against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Tigers finished first in the round robin with a perfect 3-0 record.

Medicine Hat defenceman Tanner Molendyk, who is from McBride, has three assists in three tournament games.

Molendyk is a 2023 first-round pick of the Nashville Predators.

In addition, Chetwynd’s Cayden Lindstrom also plays for Medicine Hat. He was selected 3rd overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Feeling the love from Rimouski!

The @tigershockey team host Alexis Castonguay and Boulevard Chevrolet Rimouski hooked the team up with a custom Hummer that will escort the boys to the #MemorialCup Final on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/2nUU8fiOuT

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 29, 2025

The tournament results and game summaries are here.

2025 Memorial Cup schedule:  (All times PT)
May 23 – Game 1: Medicine Hat  5   Rimouski  4
May 24 – Game 2: London  3  Moncton  2  (OT)
May 25 – Game 3: London  3  Rimouski 1
May 26 – Game 4: Medicine Hat  3  Moncton  1
May 27 – Game 5: Medicine Hat  3  London  1
May 28 – Game 6: Moncton  6  Rimouski  2
May 30 – Semi-final:  London  vs. Moncton  — 4:00pm
June 1 –  Final:  Medicine Hat  vs.               — 4:00pm

========

NBA: (Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Final)

New York Knicks 111  Indiana Pacers  94

Jalen Brunson led the way with 32 points for New York at Madison Square Garden.

The Pacers are ahead of the Knicks 3-2 in the series with Game Six set for Saturday from Indianapolis.

always a family affair at the crib #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/GbfHm6Xhss

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 30, 2025

====

MLB:

Jared Young of Prince George and the New York Mets enjoyed an off day from the grind that is the Major League Baseball schedule.

The Mets (34-22) are back in action tonight when they host the lowly Colorado Rockies (9-47).

Young, who has played the last five games for the Mets, is batting .200 (by going 2-fo-10) since he was recalled on Friday from their Syracuse Triple A farm club.

Have a day, Jared! pic.twitter.com/71rIl1uoba

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 28, 2025

Tuesday, Jared Young helped the #Mets win the series against the Chicago White Sox. Listen to today’s Meet at the Apple to learn about his backstory and much more! Presented by @PCRichardandSon.

https://t.co/FZ4KDAkbre
https://t.co/btxwXeOJFP
… pic.twitter.com/JpDGTmHsjl

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2025

#

Toronto Blue Jays  12  Athletics 0

The Blue Jays enjoyed an eight-run second inning to ice away the victory.

Ernie Clement led the way with three hits including a home-run to go along with 5 RBI’s.

Toronto (28-28) hosts the A’s again this evening at 4:07 Pacific Time.

WE THINK THAT YOU SHOOOOOOULD

Let it ‘Ern pic.twitter.com/YYTE5VpcQK

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 29, 2025

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The Cranbrook Enhanced Response Unit (ERU) and the Southeast District Emergency Response Team arrested seven people as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

Cranbrook RCMP officials say the team executed a high-risk search warrant at a residence in the 2200 block of 2nd Street South on Wednesday, May 28.

Police arrested seven people and seized substances believed to be illicit drugs, Canadian currency, firearms, and other items suspected to have been used in drug trafficking.

“Cranbrook RCMP recognize the impact this large-scale police presence had on residents nearby, as well as Laurie Middle School, and would like to assure the public that significant planning went into this operation to ensure the safest outcome for the public, police and the arrested individuals,” said Cranbrook RCMP.

RCMP officials say all of the individuals were released pending further investigation.

“The execution of this particular search warrant attracted considerable attention but is one of many active investigations being pursued by Cranbrook RCMP,” said S/Sgt Barry Graham, Cranbrook RCMP Detachment Commander.

“The predatory nature of drug trafficking has had a devastating impact on our community and, in particular, our local youth. We are committed to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that harm our community, and this represents a significant step toward making our streets safer.”

Anyone with information related to drug trafficking or other criminal activity in the Cranbrook area is urged to contact the local detachment at 250-489-3471, or you can remain anonymous and report the information to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says Canada Post’s latest offer “outright ignored” the union’s positions.

Canada Post tabled what it called its ‘final offer’ to the union on Wednesday.

The postal service said the final offer “protects what’s most important to employees while making important enhancements that build on the company’s most recent offers,” as well as “acts on the recommendations of the Industrial Inquiry Commission with much-needed changes to the company’s delivery model.”

The offer included a signing bonus of $1,000 or $500, depending on the role of employment, and a lower inflation threshold for cost of living allowance payments (7.16 per cent instead of 13.59 per cent).

It proposed a continued per-piece payment for Neighbourhood Mail deliveries until January 1, 2030, but only for letter carriers using the Dynamic Routing delivery model, with the per-peice payments on top of actual time values (Urban unit).

Additionally, the corporation offered to remove compulsory overtime, meaning it can no longer require employees to work mandatory overtime (Urban unit).

Wage offers were maintained, with the postal service offering current employees  wage increases of six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, and two per cent in years three and four (13.59 per cent compounded).

The corporation has also proposed what it calls “critical changes to its delivery model to help it compete in parcel delivery seven days a week.”

This includes the creation of part-time positions that will provide health and pension benefits and scheduled and guaranteed hours.

Union reponds

While the postal service insists the offer reflects the union’s demands from its May 25 proposal, the union says there are “almost no changes from what the employer put forward on May 21.”

“There’s no question: Canada Post is not negotiating. Canada Post is playing hardball. The employer even admits this,” said the union in a May 29 statement.

“Its offer to the Urban unit says that ‘part-time flex staffing and weekend delivery’ and ‘load-levelling and dynamic routing’ are ‘non-negotiable.’ These have been the most challenging issues on the table this round, and now Canada Post insists that they must be in the next collective agreements.”

On other big issues, the union claims Canada Post outright ignored its position.

The union says Canada Post’s offer provides no improvements to its current wage proposal, no improvements for Group 1 staffing, and no improvements against the contracting out of work.

“And while we proposed changes to the employer’s offer on STDP that would have helped both parties, Canada Post stuck to its position. Canada Post says this was its final offer. But this fight is far from over.”

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers instituted a ban on overtime last Friday, rather than a full-scale walkout.

The union represents 55,000 workers across the country.

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Barkerville’s Main Season is set to begin this Saturday, on May 31, and visitors will have three new attractions to check out.

Stewart Cawood, Manager, Public Programming and Media, says that alongside the regular live programming and performances every day, there will be a new variety show at the Theatre Royal.

The ‘New Fashion Show Revue’ will be put on each day starting at 2 p.m. Cawood says the Revue is a variety show that has “a bit of everything” the types of shows the Cariboo Amateur Dramatic Association would have put on during the Gold Rush.

“It’s a family-friendly variety show. There’s music, there’s comedy, there’s some heart-touching moments,” says Cawood. There’s some pretty exciting horse racing that tends to happen each year, and I’ve heard a rumor that people might be able to see that again this year.”

Two new programs are being introduced this year alongside the variety show.

Barkerville’s Music Director, Patrick Courtin, will be performing a show called ‘The History of Gold Rush Music’ that will show different types of music played during the Gold Rush in the Barkerville Hotel.

“ He takes you through how music during the Gold Rush evolved and how it was different from what you might find in London or Paris,” Cawood explains. “We’ve had a lot of talented musicians to come and play, and this will be the same. It’s going to be happening three days a week, and it’s a lovely little program.”

The final new program is exploring another piece and a pivotal figure of Barkerville, Jeanette Houser, in the ‘Mrs. Houser Story’, also being held in the Barkerville Hotel, on alternating days of the music show.

Houser was a long-time resident of Barkerville during the height and end of the Cariboo Gold Rush.

“We’re telling her story, which touches from the 1860s up until the 1930s. So there’s a nice range of history for people to learn,” says Cawood. “There are still members of the family who come to visit Barkerville each year and visit the house. It’s the second to last building up in Chinatown.”

Cawood adds that Barkerville will eventually be hosting ‘The Mrs. Houser Story’ in Houser’s old home, should the program become a mainstay of the Historic Town.

‘The History of Gold Rush Music’ will be performed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the Barkerville Hotel. ‘The Mrs. Houser Story’ will alternate days, and be performed on Tuesdays, and Thursdays in the Hotel.

Returning this season will be the long-time favourites of Barkerville. The Waterwheel show, Town Tours, Chinatown programming, stagecoach rides, Gold’s Bakery, and schoolhouse lessons will be in full swing, alongside newer features such as Indigenous programming at the Kelly Hall.

Dominion Day comes on July 1, celebrating the anniversary of the first Canada Day as well. There will be a parade, games for all ages, and evening activities, including live music.

Barkerville’s Main Season begins on Saturday, May 31, and runs until September 7.

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Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk paid a visit to Smithers today (Thursday), showing off his skills at the Heritage Park skatepark.

Mark McMorris, Grayson Fletcher, and Lizzie Armonto were also at the event, showcasing their skills along side Hawk.

Over 1,200 people attended the event held to showcase current progress on the Skatepark Expantion Project.

The Smithers Skatepark Society is planing to finish phase three this year with a shaded shelter already complete.

Still in the works is lighting, a sign, water filling station, and landscaping.

Earlier this afternoon, the town hosted a Learn to Skate event for new skateboarders to learn about the sport.

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Police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 33-year-old Trail woman, Jenny Steringa, who was last seen in the Trail area on April 19.

Steringa is described as a Caucasian female, 5’6″ tall, slim build with dark hair. She often wears dresses and high-heel shoes.

RMP believe she could possibly be hitchhiking in the area and is known to be unhoused at times.

If you have any information about Jenny Steringa’s whereabouts, please contact the Trail Detachment at 250-364-2566, or your nearest Police.

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A ban on larger open fires across much of the B.C. coast takes effect at noon on Friday, May 30, as B.C.’s wildfire season ramps up. 

The B.C. Wildfire Service says the ban only applies to Category 2 and 3 fires, meaning small campfires and cooking stoves are allowed. Fireworks, however, are prohibited. 

The ban covers all of Vancouver Island and most of the B.C.’s coast, with some exceptions for Haida Gwaii. The service says only Category 3 fires will be prohibited in the Haida Gwaii Forest District. 

The ban is expected to remain in place through October 31st, unless it’s removed earlier by the B.C. Wildfire Centre or the Coastal Fire Centre. 

The B.C. Wildfire Service website lists nearly 60 wildfires burning in B.C. as of May 29, with 32 of those categorized as out of control. The only fire within the Coastal Fire Centre area is the 1.3-hectare Skarleth Lake wildfire near Agassiz, which is being held.

Firesmart BC launched its annual campaign earlier this May urging B.C. residents to prepare for fire season. It says simple things like mowing lawns, cleaning gutters, and clearing debris from decks and balconies can help prevent the spread of fires.

B.C. saw it’s most devastating wildfire season on record in 2023, with more than 2.8 million hectares burned.

The B.C. Wildfire Service said it built on the lessons learned in 2023, but last year was still the fourth-worst wildfire season on record in the province, with more than a million hectares burned.

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Environment Canada has issued a Severe Thunderstorm watch for the Cariboo region.

Conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.

Environment Canada reminds the public heavy rain can cause flash flooding and significant reductions to visibility, and large hail can cause significant damage and injury.

Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing damaging hail, wind or rain.

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Community Futures Fraser Fort George (CF FFG) announced the expansion of its business training services for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

CF FFG said it updates the Business Concept Development Workshop, where participants work through customer segments, value propositions, channels, and revenue streams.

Planning and Development Coordinator, Natalie Allan says its based off of the strategyzer method, which is a book that helps put a business plan together.

“Our Business Model Canvas workshop is where you start with that, and we spend the day together with a physical map, and it outlines the nine major components of writing your business plan.”

“Then we go through each of those components throughout the day, and start getting ideas out of heads and onto paper.”

The improvements also put a renewed focus on accessible and hands-on learning.

The workshops are offered both in-person, with Mackenzie to have some later this summer, as well as through virtual courses.

More information can be found on the Community Futures Fraser Fort George website here.

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Weather in the Fort Nelson area drove ‘noteworthy growth’ on a fire north of of the Community, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

“In the last two days, we’ve had a significant input from the weather, including low relative humidity, also high temperatures yesterday (Wednesday), approaching 30 in the Fort Nelson area, and strong winds,” said Dave Mackinnon, Fort Nelson Complex Information Officer.

“Today we’re expecting a cold front passage which will bring westerly winds, so from the west, moving towards the east, and also significantly strong.”

Mackinnon said that weather allowed for significant fire growth, notably on fire G90216.

Mackinnon said the fire, which is burning in a remote, non-populated area approximately 62 kilometres north of Fort Nelson, grew approximately 50 kilometres to the North.

“That fire growth is dramatic, it is certainly noteworthy,” he said.

As of 12:15 this afternoon, the BC Wildfire Service estimates the fire is approximately 13,000 hectares in size.

In terms of resources, Mackinnon noted just over 200 firefighters are working in the region.

“Their efforts have been focused where they’ll be the most effective, so where they’ve got the greatest chance of limiting fire growth,” he explained.

“So the fire that I just referenced, number 216, those burning conditions don’t allow us to effectively suppress fire, it’s unsafe for us to put crews there, so a fire like that one won’t have crews on it.”

He added resources are ready to attack new fire starts, should they appear closer to populated areas.

“I’d just like to emphasize that the fires that are burning and showing aggressive fire behaviour in the Fort Nelson area are remote, they are well away from populated areas,”

“At this time we don’t have an elevated risk to communities like Fort Nelson or any of the Indigenous communities nearby. We are very aware that if we had a new start, that would be a priority.”

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Striking transit workers in the Cowichan Valley held a rally at the Legislature in Victoria on Wednesday, demanding the BC government take steps to help end their nearly four month long walkout.

On February 8th, 44 transit operators, cleaners, and mechanics represented by Unifor Local 114, and eight handyDart operators with Unifor Local 333 went on strike in an effort to gain wage parity with other transit systems on Vancouver Island, such as Victoria and Nanaimo.

In April, members of the two locals overwhelmingly voted to reject a contract offer from Transdev, but there have been no talks since.

The outstanding issues involve wages, pensions and working conditions, and breaks and appropriate washroom facilities for operators.

Unifor Western Regional Director, Gavin McGarrigle, says the dispute could be resolved if the government and BC Transit took a more active role in finding solutions, such as mediation.

McGarrigle says the government has a mandate to provide good public services and build up critical infrastructure, including public transit.

In a meeting with Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside, McGarrigle said Transdev was intransigent and stressed the need for a review of private service delivery to minimize the role of for-profit multinationals.

Unfor says a review of private transit delivery was a campaign promise made last October, but the government has largely remained silent.

The strike has shut down transit service in the Cowichan Valley, including express service from Duncan to Victoria and from Shawnigan Lake to Victoria, but does not affect the NCX 70 Nanaimo to Cowichan Express.

Service for handyDART users with appointments related to renal dialysis, cancer treatment and multiple sclerosis are deemed essential, but other trips were cancelled.

McGarrigle says the province has seen four transit disputes in two years, with more than 400 combined days of lost transit services in these communities.

He says BC Transit is a failed Crown Corporation that has “failed the communities it has been created to serve, and it has failed the workers who provide the service that our citizens so desperately need.”

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The Sunshine Coast RCMP is investigating numerous property and weapons offences after a woman armed with a knife was arrested Wednesday morning.

The RCMP responded to several 911 calls about a woman brandishing a knife in the 6400 Block of Marmot Rd in Sechelt.

Officers arrested a suspect at the scene and no serious injuries were reported.

The RCMP is asking anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV images, or a dashcam recording of the incident call the Sunshine Coast detachment at 604-885-2266.

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The Regional District of Nanaimo will look for elector approval to spend $1.3 million on purchasing a former school site in. The 3.7 hectare site is at 2350 Alberni Highway, Coombs and is currently owned by the Qualicum School District.

Part of the purchase would require long-term borrowing, which means a referendum will be needed. If it is successful, a use for the site will be determined after public engagement, according to a news release from the regional district.

The property includes the old French Creek Community School building, a gymnasium and a field with a playground.

The Regional District of Nanaimo board of directors approved proceeding to a referendum at its May 27 meeting. Electors will have their say on borrowing $824,000, plus interest, to be repaid in no more than ten years.

The purchase is included in the RDNs 20265-2029 financial plan. If it goes through, it will be funded through $376,000 of Electoral Area ‘F’ community parks and halls reserve funds, $120,000 of community works funds, along with the loan which also includes $20,000 for closing costs to support this purchase.

If approved by the province’s inspector of municipalities, the referendum will happen in the fall of 2025.

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Weather conditions in the West Kootenays are ripe for a severe thunderstorm to develop Thursday evening. 

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the entire West Kootenay region, saying conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rain. 

A severe thunderstorm watch is issued when conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms with one or more of the following: 

• Wind gusts of 90 km/h or greater, which could cause structural wind damage; 

• Hail of 2.5 centimetres (cm) or larger in diameter; or 

• Heavy rainfall, as per rainfall criteria in Tables 13 and 14. 

The weather service is anticipating the development of a severe thunderstorm by Thursday afternoon with wind gusts of about 20–40 km/h. 

The risk is forecast to continue into Thursday evening, with fog patches developing overnight and dissipating late Friday morning when conditions are expected to clear and reach a high of 27°C by Friday afternoon. 

“When thunder roars, go indoors! Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Heavy rain can cause flash flooding and significant reductions in visibility. Large hail can cause significant damage and injury,” said Environment Canada. 

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Speaker Slam®, North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition, has announced Patti Bevilacqua as the second-place winner at its third competition of the 2025 season.

Held at Lula Lounge in Toronto on May 27, the competition theme was “The Power of No,” and Patti’s moving speech, “Take the Pen!” captured the hearts of both the judges and audience, earning her a spot at the prestigious Grand Slam – The Inspirational Speaking Finals.

Patti is a PhD, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and MS warrior who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just five months into her dream job as a high school phys-ed teacher. Her career came to an unexpected halt, but rather than give up, Patti chose to rewrite her story.

Her speech powerfully explored how life’s biggest setbacks can become turning points and how the word “no” became the spark for reclaiming her voice and purpose.

“No didn’t break me—it handed me the pen,” Patti shared on stage. “I thought I had lost everything, but that ‘no’ gave me permission to write a new story. And I want others to know they can too.”

From MS Diagnosis to Empowerment: Patti’s Rise as a Voice for Chronic Illness Warriors Patti’s journey is one of resilience and reinvention. After walking away from teaching, she endured rejection after rejection. But rather than be crushed by the weight of ‘no,’ she used it to rise. In her speech, she detailed the journey that followed: earning her PhD, standing on the TEDx stage, co-authoring bestselling books, and becoming a leading voice in the chronic illness community.

“I’m not just surviving MS, I’m thriving with it. And I want to help others do the same.”

“Patti’s voice is so needed in today’s world especially for those living with chronic illness. Her courage, vulnerability, and authenticity lit up the stage. She’s a role model, and we’re honored to have her represent the Speaker Slam community at the Inspirational Speaking Finals” said Dan Shaikh, Co-Founder of Speaker Slam.

2025 placings

1. 1st Place – Vivian Meraki (Toronto, ON) Parenting Expert | Speech: “The Power of Knowing” Vivian shared a powerful message about teaching children emotional trust by modeling it as parents.
2. 2nd Place – Patti Bevilacqua (Grand Fork, BC) Chronic Illness Advocate & Inspirational Speaker | Speech: “Take the Pen!” Patti shared her story of receiving an MS diagnosis five months into her dream teaching job—and how she transformed that ‘no’ into a powerful new beginning.
3. 3rd Place – Ivan Fredette (Niagara Falls, ON) Leadership Expert & Serial Entrepreneur | Speech: “The Power of No More” Ivan shared the raw moment he chose life over suicide—and how it led to founding Ironclad Brotherhood, a movement helping men live with purpose, sobriety, and accountability.

Speaker Slam®, based in downtown Toronto, offers a platform for everyday people to share their stories with a live audience. The competition features five themed qualifiers each year, where 10 speakers deliver powerful 5-minute speeches in front of industry judges. The top two contestants from each event move on to the Grand Slam.

What’s Next for Patti?

Patti Bevilacqua advances to the Grand Slam – The Inspirational Speaking Finals on November 22, 2025, at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, where she’ll compete with the year’s top speakers for a prize package valued up to $50,000, a book deal with Lucky Book Publishing and the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year.

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A new group of communities have been designated for provincially mandated housing targets. 

The B.C. Government announced the fourth group of communities that will be given targets, with Courtenay and Langford as the lone Island communities, joined elsewhere by Burnaby, Coquitlam, Township of Langley, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Squamish, and Vernon. 

Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon said the next group of communities are already making progress to build more homes for people. 

“As we add new communities to the housing targets program to keep up with demand, we will continue to work together with municipalities to make sure more people can find homes that fit their needs and budgets.” 

An additional 12 communities are also on the list which may receive housing targets, with three already in the fourth group. 

Comox, Cumberland, Parksville, and Qualicum Beach are on the list, joining Coldstream, Lake Country, Peachland, Salmon Arm, and Summerland. 

Courtenay, Penticton, and Vernon were also on the list. 

The province also updated progress on the second and third wave of priority communities introduced last year, with Nanaimo at 539 of 783 units, good for 69 per cent of their target. 

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Fernie Ghostriders forward Lucas de la Salle has signed with the Anna Maria College AMCATS for this fall.

He was traded to the Ghostriders part way through the season and tallied six points in 20 games.

“I’m excited to move on to the next stage of my life and looking forward to continuing my hockey career at Anna Maria,” he said.

De la Salle had started his KIJHL career with the Columbia Valley Rockies.

He says he made significant improvements with his decision-making this season.

“I also gained confidence with the puck and trusting my play-making abilities,” he said.

“I believe playing with a great organization in Fernie gave me the support I needed to show my abilities and develop as a person. My teammates helped push me to become the player I am today.”

When he first started with the Rockies he had an excellent rookie year putting up 39 points in 43 games.

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Drought levels in the Elk and Creston Valley are at level three out of five as the B.C. government opens up monitoring operations in the region.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre says its scale measures local dryness, which ranges from zero (normal or wetter than normal conditions) to five (extreme, severe drought).

Conditions may change in the weeks ahead as drought levels depend on several factors, including snowpack melt, precipitation and streamflow levels.

“Weather is the critical factor as we go forward here. Spring and summer weather is crucial for where we’re going to see river conditions, and spring is the wet season for the Interior,” said David Campbell, head of the BC River Forecast Centre.

“Adverse conditions we’re looking out for are things like prolonged hot and dry weather.”

Snowpack levels in the East Kootenay have dropped significantly in a short period of time; from 62 per cent of normal on May 1 down to 32 per cent on May 15.

“We’re seeing higher-than-normal streamflows for this time of year. That’s really being driven by a bit of an early melt from low-to-mid elevations as well as some wet weather,” said Campbell.

Drought levels in the Kootenay River and Upper Columbia water basins have not been reported yet.

As conditions get drier, wildfire risk increases alongside it and Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness recommend doing what you can to prepare.

“Everyone has a role to play, and a starting point is creating a household emergency plan and grab-and-go bag,” said Greene.

“In urgent situations, people may receive an alert through cell phones, radio and television. I encourage people to bookmark EmergencyInfoBC and their local government website for verified emergency information.”

Regional District of East Kootenay Board Chair Rob Gay says weather conditions over the coming weeks will determine what is to come for the summer.

“June is usually the key month for us. If you get a wet June, you can usually make it through part of July, but if you get a dry June, you might be in trouble,” said Gay.

You can see up-to-date drought information here.

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The Northern Innovation Network announced startup advisor Grant Lawrence will be the Lead Facilitator for the Northern Angel Summit 2025.

The summit is a new initiative in Northern BC to build investment capacity and founder readiness.

Lawrence said “Helping new investors gain confidence and supporting founders through the ups and downs—that’s what excites me.”

“This Summit is an important moment for Northern BC to grow its own investor and founder networks.”

The Northern Innovation Network added that tech entrepreneur, Josh Nilson will also take part in the summit to work with founders throughout the program.

The summit will take place over 10 weeks, with the summit finale event on September 25th in Prince George.

More information can be found here.

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A recent statistically valid survey found 51 per cent of Cranbrook residents would support curbside organics collection.

The survey was conducted between March 31 and April 25 and sent to 1,600 randomly selected households.

City staff say 25 per cent of residents would oppose curbside organics.

Changes could also come to the city’s other forms of collections.

Fifty-three per cent of respondents s support switching to bi-weekly garbage pickup with the existing bin, while another 12 per cent would support if there was a bigger bin supplied.

Sixty-three per cent support offering three size options for garbage carts.

“This information will help guide Council’s discussions moving forward on service improvements to our solid waste collection, and future recreation and childcare planning,” said Mayor Wayne Price.

“On behalf of Council, I am grateful for the important feedback from our residents, which we are very happy to have. Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey.”

Council will be discussing the survey findings further during the next committee of the whole meeting on June 16.

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Kootenay Lake’s Osprey 2000 Ferry will be out of service for over two weeks in June.  

Ferry operator, Western Pacific Marine, says the vessel will be undergoing its semi-annual maintenance from June 3 to June 19.  

The smaller MV Balfour Ferry, which has reduced capacity, will be in service, operating on the regular winter schedule.  

For up-to-date sailing information please check www.drivebc.ca. 

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The Cariboo Regional District says a small slash pile reignited Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesperson from the Regional District said the Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department(VFD) attended the scene, and extinguised the fire.

The Forest Grove VFD believes the fire was a ‘holdover fire’, which is a fire thought to have been extinguished that was able to exist through the winter. The VFD says it appears the warmer temperatures and more air/oxygen of the last month reignited the fire.

No injuries were reported.

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Campbell River canines will have two new places to roam around freely this summer.

The City of Campbell River announced in partnership with School District 72 (SD72) two temporary designated off-leash dog parks will open this summer, with an agreement which allows for use for up to five years.

City of Campbell River Elle Brovold said with over 2,800 dogs registered in the city; additional off-leash areas became a need for the community.

“The new dog parks will provide an immediate solution for owners to responsibly exercise their pets while allowing the city additional time to explore permanent solutions.”

The two parks will be located on the field adjacent to the Robron Rotary Field House and the corner of Petersen and Evergreen Roads.

Each site will include waste bag dispensers, garbage bins, and benches, with a fenced gate access to be respectful of the nearby schools and other community members.

Signage will also be posted at each site to highlight park etiquette and promote respectful, shared use.

SD72 Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Patrick said they’re pleased to partner with the city on this initiative.

“This agreement reflects a collaborative, community-focused approach to shared land use, offering safe and dedicated spaces for off-leash activities.

A dog friendly water fountain will also be added to the Evergreen Road site, with Robron site users encouraged to access the dog-accessible fountain close by.

The parks will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily and are expected to open in mid-summer.

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The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) will impose Stage 1 water conservation measures on June 1.  

The measures will be in place until September 30, but the RDCK warns they could increase to Stage 2, 3 or 4 if hot and dry weather spikes demand, or if reservoirs decline to critically low levels. 

Stage 1 measures mean you can only water your lawns, gardens, trees, and shrubs between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. Watering using drip irrigation, a watering can, or a handheld hose remains permitted at any time. 

More information on RDCK water conservation measures and a complete description of stages 1 through 4 can be found here. 

The City of Trail is also imposing Stage 1 restrictions on June 1. 

In the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), Stage 1 measures are already in place for the Beaver Valley Water Service and the Christina Lake Water Utility.

More information on RDKB water conservation measures can be found here. 

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More than 320 kilometres of roads will be resurfaced in Northern BC this summer, according to the provincial government.

In the Prince George area, roughly 20 kilometres of highway and side roads will be repaved, including six kilometres of Highway 97 from the Simon Fraser Bridge to Sintich Road.

In addition, 14 kilometres of side roads, including Old Cariboo Highway, Sintich Road and Johnson Road will be repaved as well.

The $11.5 million project is expected to be completed by the fall.

Near Valemount, 24 kilometres of Highway 5 are being resurfaced from Tete Jaune Cache to the Cedarside Bridge overhead, as well as six kilometres of side roads.

This project is expected to be completed in the fall as well.

Other major resurfacing projects in the North this year includes:

• Highway 29 Cache Creek to Hudson’s Hope and Canyon Drive (35 kilometres) – hot-in-place recycling asphalt resurfacing
• Highway 16 Fort Fraser to Engen (25 kilometres) – conventional asphalt resurfacing
• Highway 37A Bitter Creek Bridge to Surprise Creek and Highway 37 Meziadin Area (35 kilometres) – hot-in-place recycling asphalt resurfacing
• Highway 37 Serpentine Creek to Dease River Bridge (51 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing
• Highway 77 Junction Highway 97 to Tsinhia (82 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing
• Smithers side roads (42 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing

In total, the province is investing $56 million into resurfacing Northern highways and local roads.

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Two controversial bills on infrastructure and renewable energy are expected to receive royal assent today and become law.

The NDP government invoked closure to limit debate on bills 14 and 15 to push them through just before Parliament breaks for the summer. Speaker Raj Chouhan cast the tie breaking vote to narrowly get the bills past third reading last night. 

Bill 15 would allow the government to fast-track infrastructure projects it deems “provincially significant.” Bill 14 aims to speed up renewable energy projects in the province.

Premier David Eby has argued the bills are needed to prevent costly, unnecessary delays on projects for schools, hospitals and transmission lines. However, he has insisted the broad powers granted by the legislation would not be used to bypass consultations or rush controversial projects.

The BC Greens failed in a final hour effort Wednesday to remove the bills from time allocation, which had curtailed debate on the legislation.

“It’s clear this is a deeply flawed bill,” said Green MLA Rob Botterell of Bill 15. “We’ve asked, but the government hasn’t explained why this Bill needs to pass before the fall session. If speed is the goal, then legal challenges would ultimately slow things down anyways.”

The bills have faced intense scrutiny not only from the Opposition Conservatives and the Greens, but also from many First Nations, municipalities and the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. 

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) said in a statement it’s “deeply disappointed” with the outcome.

The leaders had called on the government to “kill the bills,” saying there was a lack of meaningful consultation. They say the bills violate the government’s own Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act and mark a “backsliding” in reconciliation in British Columbia. The FNLC says it expects to see more legal fights as a result of the legislation. 

BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee said in a statement “The passage of Bills 14 and 15 represents a new low point in the relationship between the Provincial Crown and First Nations…The damage to our relationship will be profound and lasting.”

The Union of B.C. Municipalities also said the government failed to properly consult with local governments on the bill. President Trish Mandewo said the language of Bill 15 is too vague and it risks government overreach. 

Former B.C. cabinet minister Melanie Mark released a statement last night opposing the bills., saying “I am all for streamlining bureaucracy and getting to yes on infrastructure…however, I’m skeptical if getting to yes means bypassing constitutionally protected and inherent Indigenous/First Nations rights.”

Former federal justice minister and attorney general Jody Wilson Raybould also weighed in on social media, posting on X that Eby and his government “have abandoned the path of reconciliation by arrogantly passing Bill 15.” She says it’s part of a Canada-wide trend of pushing to fast-track projects, and warns it “will be a return to protests, uncertainty & conflict.”

Members of the Nisga’a Lisims Government met with the premier yesterday and released a letter afterward expressing support for Bill 14 and 15, noting the Nisga’a Nation is currently pursuing three major projects in the Nass Valley. But that statement stresses they want to work closely with the government on “further development of the Bills and the related regulations.” 

Eby and Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma have acknowledged the consultation period for the bill was shortened.

Ma reiterated earlier this week that the government is committed to consult with First Nations in the development of regulations, and when deciding which kinds of projects to fast-track. 

But some First Nations leaders have said that’s not enough. Speaking about the bills earlier this week, Tsartlip First Nations Chief Don Tom said “the era of trust is over” between First Nations and the B.C. NDP.

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