By Michael Riis- Christianson Black Press Nine employees of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) earned more than $75,000 in 2014. According to the local government’s most recent Statement of Financial Information, Cheryl Anderson, Hans Berndorff, Gail Chapman, Janine Dougall, Deborah Jones-Middleton, Jason Llewellyn, Rory McKenzie, Corrine Swenson, and Richard Wainwright had combined wages and overtime totaling slightly more than $1.032 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014. Together they also received $29,948.21 in taxable benefits, and another $64,667.73 in reimbursed expenses. The combined earnings of the nine employees in question represented nearly 41 per cent of the total remuneration of $2,541,925.48 paid to all regional district employees in 2014. The earnings of employees who received less than $75,000 from the regional district last year amounted to $1,509,576.32. Chapman, the regional district’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was the local government’s highest paid employee last year. Chapman received $207,044.65 in wages and overtime in 2014, taxable benefits valued at $3,552.80, and another $4,170.26 in reimbursed expenses. Three employees – Berndorff, Dougall, and Llewellyn – all earned more than $100,000 last year. Berdorff, the RDBN’s financial administrator, was paid $138,812.48, received taxable benefits totaling $2,752.28, and had reimbursed expenses totaling $7,374.18. Llewellyn, director of planning for the regional district, earned $113,954.97 in wages and overtime compensation, along with $3,533.76 in taxable benefits. Reimbursed expenses added another $5,046.80 to his remuneration. Canfor funds score- board Regional District pays over $75,000 for nine employees By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today Canfor and several of their contractors are sponsoring a new scoreboard for the Houston arena. Canfor and contractors will pay $15,000 for the new scoreboard, and will have exclusive advertising rights above the board for five years after that. Director of Leisure Services Ryan Coltura said the existing scoreboard and controller are outdated and need frequent repair. After five years, Canfor and contractors will be able to renew the $15,000 five-year contract, or others will be offered the contract. TODAY TOMORROWTOYOTA Smithers, BC 1.866.844.6723 NOW ONLY $12,998 2012 Yaris G8885 NOW ONLY $19,998 2011 Rav 4 G4554A NOW ONLY $12,998 2011 Matrix G8917 NOW ONLY $15,998 2009 Camry G8877 NOW ONLY $18,998 2009 Tundra Sr5 G4621A1 * * * * * *please add $345 Documentation fee and applicable taxes DL#8879 www.glaciertoyota.ca Economy! Touring Pkg Versatile! Bed Liner! Hybrid! WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015 Proudly serving Houston and District - Home of Canada’s Largest Fly Rod www.houston-today.com NO. 29 $1.30 Inc. GST COMMUNITY: Expanded recycling PAGE 3 PROFILE: Fitchetts Award PAGE 8 Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today BURNING Rubber Dallas Wiebe from Terrace and Nuno Deteves from Houston burn rubber as they gear up to race down the track. The Houston Drags drew racers from as far as Alberta, Kitimat and Prince George to the Houston airport last weekend. See page 7 for more. Publications Mail Registration #0040028607 See RDBN on Page 2
Transcript
By Michael Riis-Christianson
Black Press
Nine employees of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) earned more than $75,000 in 2014.
A c c o r d i n g to the local government’s most recent Statement
of Financial Information, Cheryl Anderson, Hans Berndorff, Gail Chapman, Janine Dougall, Deborah Jo n e s - M i dd l e t o n , Jason Llewellyn, Rory McKenzie, Corrine Swenson, and Richard Wainwright had combined wages and overtime totaling
slightly more than $1.032 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014. Together they also received $29,948.21 in taxable benefits, and another $64,667.73 in reimbursed expenses.
The combined earnings of the nine employees in question represented nearly 41 per
cent of the total remuneration of $2,541,925.48 paid to all regional district employees in 2014. The earnings of employees who received less than $75,000 from the regional district last year amounted to $1,509,576.32.
Chapman, the regional district’s
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was the local government’s highest paid employee last year. Chapman received $207,044.65 in wages and overtime in 2014, taxable benefits valued at $3,552.80, and another $4,170.26 in reimbursed expenses.
Three employees –
Berndorff, Dougall, and Llewellyn – all earned more than $100,000 last year. Berdorff, the RDBN’s financial administrator, was paid $138,812.48, received taxable benefits totaling $2,752.28, and had reimbursed expenses totaling $7,374.18. Llewellyn, director
of planning for the regional district, earned $113,954.97 in wages and overtime compensation, along with $3,533.76 in taxable benefits. Reimbursed expenses added another $5,046.80 to his remuneration.
Canfor fundsscore-board
Regional District pays over $75,000 for nine employees
By Jackie LieuwenHouston Today
Canfor and several of their contractors are sponsoring a new scoreboard for the Houston arena.
Canfor and contractors will pay $15,000 for the new scoreboard, and will have exclusive advertising rights above the board for � ve years after that.
Director of Leisure Services Ryan Coltura said the existing scoreboard and controller are outdated and need frequent repair.
After � ve years, Canfor and contractors will be able to renew the $15,000 � ve-year contract, or others will be offered the contract.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015 Proudly serving Houston and District - Home of Canada’s Largest Fly Rod www.houston-today.com NO. 29 $1.30 Inc. GST
COMMUNITY:Expanded recycling
PAGE 3
PROFILE:Fitchetts Award
PAGE 8
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston TodayBURNING RubberDallas Wiebe from Terrace and Nuno Deteves from Houston burn rubber as they gear up to race down the track. The Houston Drags drew racers from as far as Alberta, Kitimat and Prince George to the Houston airport last weekend. See page 7 for more.
Publications Mail Registration#0040028607
See RDBN on Page 2
NEWS
2 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
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During the same period, Dougall (the regional district’s director of environmental services), had wage and overtime earnings of $107,184.21 in 2014, received taxable benefits valued at $3,179.80, and had reimbursed expenses of $7,728.55.
A n d e r s o n , McKenzie, Swenson, and Wainwright earned comparable incomes from the regional district last year.
Anderson, the local government’s manager of administrative services, earned $97,005.04 in wages and overtime c o m p e n s a t i o n , taxable benefits totaling $3,751.38, and expense claims amounting $3,202.76.
McKenzie, who serves as the RDBN’s field operations supervisor, received wage and overtime remuneration of $93,880.97, along with $3,383.41 in taxable benefits, and $16,796.52 for expenses incurred while on regional district business.
Chief Building I n s p e c t o r W a i n w r i g h t ’ s wage and overtime remuneration and taxable benefits ( $ 9 4 , 6 3 9 . 4 9 and $3,414.70, respectively) were more in 2014 than McKenzie’s, but his expense claims were 43 per cent lower ($9,585.27).
Rounding out the list of regional district employees earning more than $75,000 in 2014 was Jones-Middleton, who serves as RDBN protective services manager. Jo n e s - M i d d l e t o n received $86,548.21 in wage and overtime pay, had taxable benefits totaling $3,082.16, and was given another $4,443.50 in expense money.
A number of factors combined to make last year’s regional district remuneration figures higher than what might normally be expected. Chapman noted that in 2014, regional district employees put in a total of 1,001.17 of overtime dealing with emergency situations.
“Last year was an extraordinary year for us,” said Chapman. “We operated the Emergency Operations Centre for 92 days. We had to deal with the Dome Creek cattle liner roll-over, the Cheslaslie, Chuchi, and China Nose wildfires, the Decker Lake train derailment, and the Takysie blue-green algae outbreak.”
Chapman pointed out that the base salaries of the nine employees reported as earning more than $75,000 in 2014 were, in general, lower than the amounts reported in the regional district’s 2014 statements.
Figures supplied by the regional district’s CAO suggest that the nine employees in question earned a combined $115,693 in overtime pay last year. Chapman’s reported 2014 earnings of $207,044.56 were $48,962.65 higher than her base salary of $158,082, while the $138,812.48 paid to Berndorff last year was $23,957.48 more than his base salary of $114,855.
Even without overtime pay, all nine employees listed in the regional district’s 2014 SOFI would still have earned in excess of $75,000 last year.
Chapman added that RDBN base remuneration rates are actually lower than those of other c o m p a r ab l y - s i z e d regional districts.
“RDBN salary ranges are five to 10 per cent less than that of the comparable RDs,” she said. “RDBN staffing levels are lower in comparison to the comparable RDs.”
The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako provides 68 services to residents living in 77,000 square kilometres of Northern BC. It employs more than 50 people.
B.C.’s Financial I n f o r m a t i o n Act requires that all public sector corporations in B.C. – including its municipalities and regional districts – file annual Statements of Financial Information.
Regional District payRDBN from Page 1
Carter and Alex enjoy the cool water at Irrigation Lake on a hot summer day.
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today BEAT the heat
“By Jackie Lieuwen
Houston Today
Houston taps will be spewing dark brown water starting late-Au-gust.
The District of Houston is putting a “scrubber” through the water lines to clear out the manganese build up.
Manganese is not a health concern, but turns the water into an unpleasant brown-yel-low colour.
District Chief Administrative Of� cer Michael Glavin says Houston’s new water treatment plant is up and running, but some water is still coloured due to manganese buildup in the water lines.
He told council at a recent meeting that they will send a styrofoam or
rubber bullet through the lines to scour them and remove manganese.
They will open � re hydrants to allow most of the sediment and wa-ter out, but water � ow-ing to taps will still be affected.
“The water will be
very dirty, probably the dirtiest you’ve ever seen,” Glavin said.
“It is a necessary evil.”
He says they will tackle the lines section by section and it will take two to three weeks to clear the lines of
most of the build up. “We have 20 to 35
years of sediment build up to clear out,” Glavin said.
At a previous meet-ing, Mayor Shane Brienen said manganese in the water is not just a Houston problem.
It has also been an issue in Vanderhoof, Telkwa and Smithers.
The new water treat-ment plant will clean out most of the mineral, but Brienen said there will still be “odd days in the summer when we get brown water.”
By Jackie LieuwenHouston Today
The Houston bottle depot now accepts milk jugs, cartons, tin cans and all plastics.
Services expanded July 7 when the depot switched to Cascades Recovery based in Prince George, said Owner John Koo.
Koo says the change was prompted last December when they could no longer recycle milk jugs and cartons.
In the past, Houston recycling was collected and then shipped by Westbin to the Smithers Recycling Centre.
When services shrunk, Koo and the Regional District of B u l k l e y - N e c h a ko (RDBN) started looking for other options.
“Since December, my depot and the Regional District were trying to � nd a solution for milk jugs and cartons and the #2 plastics,” Koo said.
With Cascades Recovery, they ship to Prince George and collect all plastics, aluminum containers, metal cans and milk jugs.
They accept soup, milk and ice cream cartons, plastic or paper take-
out cups, frozen juice concentrate containers, and plastic pots and trays for garden plants.
They cannot collect glass, styrofoam or plastic bags.
The expanded recycling runs parallel with RDBN concerns about the volume at land� lls.
RDBN Chair Bill Miller says they will issue a complete
cardboard ban from land� lls soon, likely early next year.
They will work with municipalities and commercial and industrial constituents to ensure a system to deal with cardboard is available before the ban, Miller said.
“Many of our com-mercial businesses and institutions already have in place pickup for cardboard and we will look at helping ex-
pansion of those op-portunities,” he said.
For now, Houston Depot owner Koo says his customers are very satis� ed with the newly expanded recycling program.
Local resident Sue Olsson says expanded services are great and she loves what Koo has done with the depot in the last year.
“They should be commended,” she said.
“Inside is spotless.
They wash the � oor and polish the � oor and everything is so neat.
“They are very nice people… I say thank you every time I go there,” she said.
NEWSHouston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 3
John Koo, owner of the Houston Bottle Depot, recently expanded services at the depot and has a new system of bins for recycling. Koo says customers are happy and he was pleased to see the whole bin nearly full only a week and half after it was put in.
In our opinion:
OpinionPublished by Black Press Ltd. 3232 Hwy 16 W, Upstairs Houston Mall P.O. Box 899, Houston, B.C. V0J 1Z0
Tone down the road impatienceWith the crashes seen lately on the
region’s highways and arterial roads, and even the fender benders
on the commute and in parking lots, it’s clear something is happening.
We wonder if drivers’ attention spans are diminished this time of year or if some more scientific reason exists for what seems to be an increased number of traffic incidents.
For certain, at this time of year many of us are anxious to get to our destinations, whether it be work or shopping, heading out for holidays or travelling to the homes of friends or relatives for an evening or weekend barbecue or gathering.
Regardless of the journey’s end, it’s worth taking a little extra time to plan ahead for the travel, whether it be the route you’re taking, the time you depart or a combination of the two. Both can pose challenges with more people on the roads, and create unnecessary stress that often leads to aggressive and unsafe driving actions.
On the highway that weaves through two West Shore municipalities but collects vehicles from all five of our jurisdictions at one time or another every day, we’ve all seen people passing when it’s unsafe, driving at overly high speeds or tailgating, to name a few indiscretions.
If no crash or mishap occurs as a result of such behaviours, the people victimized by such aggressive driving can count themselves lucky. But that’s not always the case.
As the popular bumper sticker states, “Failure to plan on your part does not dictate an emergency on my part.” How true. Demonstrating patience is not necessarily taught by driving schools or listed in any handbook, but it’s a critically important aspect of defensive driving.
Preventing all examples of dangerous driving on the highway or lower-speed roads is impossible, so we have to ensure we’re prepared for the possibility of encountering bad drivers.
For those of you who are in the midst of helping teach young people to drive, it’s a perfect opportunity to point out what not to do on the roads.
Keep an eye on the road ahead, including the traffic directly in front of you, and scan side to side, in case you’re going to miss the traffic light. Anticipating what other drivers are going to do, or could do, will go a long ways toward ensuring the safety of yourself and any passengers you might have in the vehicle.
At the very least, remember to breathe when behind the wheel. You’ll get there eventually, even without driving like a knucklehead.
- Editorial Goldstream News Gazette
Paws for considerationBy Lori Welbourne
On a brighter note
A couple of nights ago I was greeted in my driveway by a small black kitten. She followed me from the truck to the door and peeked in curiously when I opened it.
It was too late to go looking for her home, so I scooped her up before she could notice our dog and bolt away. As adorable as she was, I wasn’t keen on taking her in because I’m highly allergic to cats, but I couldn’t leave her outside with the dangers of traffic and wildlife.
The sweet little creature was wearing a pink collar with no tags and I couldn’t see a tattoo in her ear. I showed her to my children who had friends sleeping over.
“We saw her out on the road earlier,” they said excitedly. “She’s so cute!”
Immediately loving the new animal in our house, the kids started
speculating on her name as I looked at lost and found pages online.
“Can we name her Hiccup?” my daugh-ter’s friend asked.
“Or Shadow?” my daughter, Daisy suggested. “Or Pickle?”
I told them they could give her whatever temporary name they wanted as I started to sneeze. Multiple times. My eyes began to water incessantly and I made the foolish mistake of rubbing them, which only made me feel worse. By the time I went to bed my eyes were so swollen, puffy and red I looked like I’d been crying for weeks.
The next morning, all crusty eyed, I took my last allergy pill and continued plac-ing found ads online and reaching out to all the vet clinics in West Kelowna, think-ing one of them might have treated our furry friend since her two
front legs had been recently shaved. None of them recognized the kitten, but they all shared the found ad to their Facebook walls.
I called the SPCA, and as the lady who answered checked their records, I explained my allergic reaction and that I’d be taking her to a vet to have her scanned for a microchip. She said they hadn’t had report of a lost black cat in our area and then shocked me with some advice: “You can just go on ahead and re-home her then,” she said. “People shouldn’t be letting their cats run loose.”
I assured her I’d keep looking for the owner and asked her about the status of our dog who’s been missing since March, with thoughts of him being re-homed running through my mind. Do people really do that? Yes, I found out, they often do, and far too quickly.
On Monday some-
one sent me an ad from Craigslist about a dog found at a camp-ground in Oliver. The finder assumed it was abandoned and was advertising for a new home. When I post-ed the ad to Stolen and Missing Dogs of the Okanagan on Facebook many peo-ple made comments about how important it was that she look for the owner and report it to dog control rather than try to adopt out the pup.
Initially she insisted the dog was aban-doned, but there was no proof so she even-tually took the dog to the pound and had it scanned for a micro-chip. Unfortunately she didn’t have one, but through many people sharing the ad on social media, the frantic owner who’d posted about his lost dog several times on Facebook was later connected to the find-er and got his beloved dog back.
Luckily Oreo
hadn’t been relocated to another city like stolen dogs often are. Without a microchip or a tattoo to iden-tify him as the owner, he likely never would have seen her again.
As for the kitten I found, her name turned out to be Diamond and she wasn’t far from home. Her owner saw the ad online and called me. The recently spayed kitty is now back where she belongs with her grateful family.
Almost all pets found on their own have a family who wants them back. Re-homing them before trying to find their owners hurts the peo-ple and the animals. Never assume stray, always think lost or stolen.
Keeping pets safe and getting them mi-cro-chipped is impor-tant. There have been over 90 stolen and missing dogs in the Okanagan in the last 18 months, and that is nothing to sneeze at.
4 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
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By Tom FletcherBlack Press
The B.C. legislature is back in session this week, a rare summer sitting to approve a 25-year project agreement for the � rst large-scale lique� ed natural gas project in northern B.C.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong released the lengthy legal agreement prior to the debate, saying this step should remove any doubt that an international investment group led by Petronas of Malaysia intends to go ahead.
With billions invested in upstream resources and buyers
waiting at home, the Paci� c Northwest LNG group includes Chinese state corporation Sinopec, Indian Oil Corp., Japan Petroleum Exploration Corp. and Petroleum Brunei.
The most contentious issue is the government’s intention to protect the investors from “discriminatory” tax and regulations for the life of the project. The government insists these sorts of long-term cost certainty agreements are commonplace, and don’t affect provincial and federal taxes or environmental regulations unless they single out LNG operations.
Future governments can raise corporate tax rates, carbon tax or enter into a cap and trade system. Ottawa can scrap capital cost allowances that were recently extended to LNG producers, which is signi� cant because Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has indicated he would get rid of what he calls subsidies to fossil fuels.
Both the province and Ottawa allow capital cost write-offs against corporate tax, to attract investment. B.C. attracted a lot of gas drilling rigs from Alberta with tax breaks for deep drilling.
The B.C. govern-ment invited com-
parisons with Western Australia LNG pro-ducers, and NDP researchers did just that. They noted that Australia’s Gorgon and North West Shelf LNG projects have written provisions that local employment and local suppliers will get preference.
Those are absent in B.C., along with ap-prenticeship guaran-tees for LNG.
“There was hard bargaining by the companies, and cer-tainly the premier went into this negotia-tion in a very weak po-sition, having to deliv-er on her extravagant and grandiose prom-ises from the election,” NDP critic Bruce
Ralston said. “The companies did well. Whether the citizens of British Columbia did well is certainly an open question.”
Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver painted himself into a corner, having spent the last two years dismissing the B.C. LNG industry as a fantasy that will never come to pass, strictly on economic grounds. He has since branded the Petronas deal, a template for any future projects, a “generational sellout.”
Another big player with gas well investments in northeast B.C. is Shell, with a proposal for Kitimat. Its prospects
have improved since it took over British Gas Group, which had its own LNG intentions here. Another group led by Altagas remains on track to ship LNG from its Douglas Channel site before the end of the decade.
It’s important to remember that without LNG exports, B.C.’s natural gas industry will shrink rapidly after 50 years of increasingly signi� cant revenues from sales to the U.S. Leaving aside all the political positioning around the province’s largest private investment to date, if this doesn’t go ahead we will all feel the effects.
De Jong had a blunt
response when asked what the province gets in return for all its guarantees of low tax environment: “Their money.”
At peak construction, Paci� c Northwest LNG will need as many as 4,500 workers, with 500 or more operations jobs depending on how far it expands.
The � nance ministry forecasts that once Paci� c Northwest LNG is up and running, it represents $9 billion in revenues to the province over 10 years, including gas royalties and taxes. That’s more than taxpayers can expect from the entire forest industry.
Shyla GilarskiAge 6
“The minions! Because they are so funny and
are in my favourite movie.”
Abby DelvenneAge 5
“I liked the five eating/breathing guys because
he puts fire in his mouth! I wouldn’t want
to do that - it is too dangerous!”
Graysen LucierAge 7
“The human canon ball part was so cool! I really
liked it and it didn’t scare me. I wish could do it, and the rope climbing
thing too!”
Scarlet MoffetAge 4
“My favourite part was the girl who climbed the ropes in the air. I loved
it so very much! I wish I could do that.”
Is the B.C. LNG industry real? Yes
The B.C. government is reviewing its penalties for those who start forest � res with camp� res or discarded cigarette butts, as losses pile up from a severe early � re season.
Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris has been assigned to the review, as the province’s forest � re crews continue to work � at-out to keep
up with lightning-caused � res and those caused by human carelessness. Morris said he will examine what new penalties can be effectively enforced.
“For example, should we be banning those who break � re bans from attending our provincial parks?” Morris said. “Should we look at larger � nes up to and including possibly of the impoundment of
vehicles for those who � ick lit cigarette butts out of their windows?”
One tree faller has been killed as the B.C. Wild� re Service continues to work against 175 active wild� res, down from 200 since the start of the week due to cooler weather and showers. The service has tackled more than 1,000 forest � res so far this year, about a third of them human caused.
“There are some who have suggested you can’t legislate against stupidity,” Forests Minister Steve Thomson said. “But if exploring the idea of increasing � nes or acting on ideas that mean more people will get the message, I think we should be prepared to have a look at it.”
Witnesses can report careless smokers or breaches
of the province-wide outdoor � re ban with the same phone numbers as to report wild� res, 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a mobile phone.
Of the 14 new � res Monday, two are suspected to have been human-caused. About 375 of this season’s � res are listed as human-caused, burning 44,000 hectares.
Most new forest
� re starts this week have been from lightning storms in the Kootenay region, but most were accompanied by rain and no large new � res have been added.
States of local emergency continue in the Cariboo, Squamish-Lillooet and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts as of Tuesday.
B.C.Views
Tom Fletcher
What is your favourite part of the family fun circus?
On theStreet...
By Robin Vander HeideRobin Vander HeideRobin Vander HeideRobin Vander Heide
OpinionHOUSTON TODAY “Member, B.C. Press Council”Published by Black Press Upstairs Houston MallP.O. Box 899, Houston, B.C. V0J 1Z0
Houston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 5
New penalties eyed for careless fire starts
NEWS6 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
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HOUSTON & DISTRICT BRANCH 2365 Copeland Ave.
P.O. Box 1480, Houston Phone: 250-845-7117
HOUSTON COMMUNITY CALENDARand Sandwich luncheon- third Thurs. of the month. Community invited. At Pleasant Valley Village, 3603 11th St.: Senior Exercise, Mon. & Fri 10:00 AM • Cards Mon. & Thurs. 7:00 PM. At the Bowling Alley: Seniors bowling Wed. 1:30 PM. At the Houston Swimming Pool: Aqua� t, Mon., Wed. & Fri. 9-10 AM. At the Legion: Seniors darts and light lunch Thursdays 11a.m. - 2 p.m.
Coffee Break - an Interactive Women’s Bible Study meet every Wed. morning from 9:30-11:00 at the Houston Christian Reformed Church, 1959 Goold Road. Childcare is provided. For more info call Margaret: 845-2348, Darlene 845-7438, Evelyn 696-3229.
The Houston Legion Branch 249: Meeting: 2nd Monday of the month is Executive, 4th Monday is General Meeting.
TOPLEYStructural Fire� ghting/Hwy Rescue. Interested? Topley Volunteer Fire Dept. is accepting applications. No experience necessary please contact Byron - F/C 250-696-3348 or come to a Fire Practice Thurs @ 19:00 hrs (7pm).
Topley Fire Protection Society meetings every second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm.
GRANISLEThe Granisle and District Senior Citizens meet every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at the Seniors Centre.
Granisle Volunteer Fire Department meetings & � re practices every Tues., 7:00pm at the Fire Hall.
Granisle Church of the Way services are Sunday, 11:00am.
Please keep your announcements as brief as possible. Deadline (faxed or mailed or delivered) is 4 p.m. Thursday. Items are printed or alternated as space permits. Items will be accepted via fax, email or dropped at the of� ce. No phone calls please. More calendar items are listed online and can be submitted or viewed at www.houston-today.com
Houston Public Library Events: Summer Reading Club has started! This year’s theme is “Build It!” Kids, ages 3-12, are invited to come and participate in all the summer fun-playing games, reading books, and building cool stuff. For more info please contact the library @250-845-2256.
Houston’s “Love by the Bowl” Soup Kitchen serving healthy homemade soups in two different seatings, 11:00 -12:00 and 12:00 -1:00 on Wed.
Buck Flats Community Development Society, meets every 3rd Sat. evening at 6pm at Andy Pollack’s house (17642) on Buck Flats Rd. All Buck Flats residents are welcome to attend, we discuss issues concerning the Buck � ats area. Please call Chris Newell at 250-845-3564 for more info.
Activities for Seniors in Houston at the Seniors Centre: Carpet Bowling Tues. & Fri. 1:00 PM • Floor Curling Mon. 1:00 PM • Pool any afternoon to schedule call; Adrian-250-845-2338 • Breakfasts- � rst Sat. of the month, community invited. • Soup
By Michael Riis-Christianson
Black Press
The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako paid members of its board of directors a total of $330,456.89 in 2014, according to the local government’s most recent Statement of Financial Remuneration.
The thirty-one in-dividuals who served as either directors or alternate directors on the regional dis-trict board received remuneration total-ing $264,154.54 and another $66,302.35 in reimbursed expenses last year. The regional district paid an addi-tional $24,281.22 to third parties for direc-tor-related expenses.
The highest paid board member last year was Bill Miller. Miller, director for Electoral Area B (Burns Lake Rural) and the regional district’s chairman, received $32,942 in remuneration for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014, and an additional $10,729.81 for expenses incurred while conducting regional district business. The local government paid an additional $5549.42 directly to third parties for expenses incurred by Miller.
Stephen Freeman, who served for most
of the year as the director for Electoral Area E (Francois/Ootsa Lake Rural) was paid $19,179.50 in remuneration and received an additional $3640.70 in expense money. The regional district paid $1446.09 directly to third parties for expenses Freeman incurred while on regional district business.
Eileen Benedict, elected last November as Freeman’s replacement, received $795 in remuneration and $58.30 in reimbursed expenses.
Burns Lake mayor Luke Strimbold, who received $15,000 last year from the village as Burns Lake’s mayor, earned an additional $11,418 from the regional district for representing the municipality on the regional board.
Village councillors Chris Beach and John Illes, who served as Burns Lake’s alterna-tive representatives, received $244 and $366, respectively, for attending regional district meetings on Strimbold’s behalf. Neither had any ex-pense claims.
B.C.’s Financial Information Act requires that all public sector corporations in B.C. – including its municipalities and regional districts – � le annual Statements of Financial Information.
RDBN board of director wages
Teryn, Levi and Shane enjoy an ice cream on a warm summer day.
SWEETTreat
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Make cashnot trash!#ShouldaUsedHouston
SPORTS PHOTO FEATUREHouston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 7
Left: Harley Bell from Kitimat running his burnout as he gears up to race.
Right: John Symes from Terrace and Seth Harmer from Telkwa race.
Top Left: Clint Dalla Vechia from Terrace at the burnout.
Top Right: Debbie Brown from Telkwa races Nick Gutknecht in his dragster.
Middle Right: Bill Bout and Ford Curris from Terrace launch off downthe track.
Bottom Right: Steve Brietkruez from Beaver Lodge, Alberta races against Steve Burket from Terrace.
Jackie Lieuwen photos/Houston Today
Burning Rubberat Houston Drags
8 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
Community BuilderFeaturing the stories and spirit of the local people
Bulkley ValleyCREDIT UNION
Bulkley ValleyINSURANCE SERVICES
Bulkley ValleyFINANCIAL SERVICES
Bulkley ValleyFINANCIAL SERVICES
Bulkley ValleyINSURANCE SERVICES
Bulkley ValleyCREDIT UNION
Bulkley Valley Credit Union July 2007EPS Logos to be supplied to Newspapers
Pantone colours: Pantone 287 Blue Pantone 356 Green Pantone 139 Harvest
Black/Grey Logo file Colour Logo File
www.bvcu.com
Bulkley Valley Credit Union has been building a solid financial institution that members from Burns Lake to the Hazeltons’ have grown to rely on. People-helping-people is how we began and we strive to remain people-oriented, both in our financial services and through direct involvement with our communities. We are dedicated to local decision making and local control, key factors in providing the kinds of services that meet the financial needs of individuals and business members alike.
Maintaining a healthy and strong financial institution is only one part of our mission. Our strong financial results have allowed us to build a very strong capital base. In addition to the patronage dollars ($598,439 in 2014) that we distribute in our communities, we also distributed over $220,000 in community support, economic development and marketing funds to community groups, individuals, and associations within our service areas. Bulkley Valley Credit Union’s Board of Directors has committed $100,000 over 5 years to the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre, for the Heart of the Hazeltons’ project.
We continue to make improvements in our products and services. We value the relationships we have established with our members and will continue to build more innovative remote banking access to allow those who may move away or simply require access to all products and services anytime, anywhere. Come see us today to experience the Credit Union difference.
This section brought to you by:
“
By Jackie LieuwenHouston Today
The Houston founders of Rock Nest Bible Camp were honoured this year for their lifetime of service.
George and Joyce Fitchett started Rock Nest Bible Camp in 1974.
Their goal was to strengthen the First Nations church and give hope to kids.
“It has been a pleasure to be part of the native culture… how they do life is so good in a lot of ways,” Joyce said.
“I just consider it a privilege to have had a part in giving hope to kids.”
With that hope as their driving passion, the two have spent over 50 years running Bible camp.
Over 40 of those years were at Rock Nest, where they are fondly known as Duke and Duchess.
Wendall Garrison, Rock Nest Director who took over after George, says he still has adults asking about Duke and Duchess.
“Most people 30 years or older who came to camp here remember Duke and Duchess,” Garrison said.
Since fun is among the top priorities at camp, George � t there perfectly.
“I loved games and playing with the kids.. I still love playing with kids,” he said.
He also loves making games and activities for the kids - and was the key player in building the climbing wall, indoor gym and air tram that are still enjoyed by kids today.
Both George and Joyce have been involved in summer Bible camps since they were teenagers.
They both became Christians at camps and met in summer 1963 at a Bible camp in Belleville, Washington.
George was camp director and Joyce was a camp councillor, and they both had a passion for camp ministry.
They were married in 1964, and became missionaries with United Indian Missions (UIM) a year later.
At that time, UIM was seeking a camp director for a First Nations camp in B.C., and Joyce says the opportunity � t perfect with George’s love for native people and Bible camps.
Supported by churches Oregon, George and Joyce moved to Smithers in 1969, where they led and served in a small Smithers church and ran Bible studies and kids clubs.
During summers they directed a Bible camp in Terrace for a few years until it closed. Then they started working to open one near Smithers.
In 1974, UIM bought property on Irrigation Lake for what is known today as Rock Nest Bible Camp.
It was bought in partnership with a Rough Acres Bible Camp Society, and the two camps shared facilities for close to 15 years before they grew enough to split into two.
When they started, the camp had nothing but an outhouse.
George says the Granisle copper mine donated several
trailers to the camp, which were gradually converted into bunkhouses, a dining hall, chapel, and missionary home.
The � rst year, they ran three weeks of camp with 30 to 40 kids from reserves between Terrace and Prince George.
The girls stayed in a bunkhouse, the boys in tents. Between the two of them, they directed and organized
the camp logistics, program, schedule, � nances and lodging. Joyce also helped in the kitchen and did lifeguarding and
George managed maintenance and building programs on the side.
Director Garrison says he is grateful for all the hard work they put in to make Rock Nest what it is today.
“They worked really, really hard… Even today, it’s not easy to run camp. You don’t know how many kids are coming, staff is all volunteers, and there are a lot of struggles that the kids come with. It’s easy to give up, but that is one thing they did not do,” Garrison said.
“I know they were tired and I know they got down, but they didn’t stop.”
When asked how they did it all, George and Joyce said “the Lord got us through.”
Houston Baptist Church and churches from the U.S. sent summer missionaries as cabin leaders, speakers, kitchen help, maintenance and construction teams.
Joyce said throughout the years, they had “wonderful, faithful head cooks,” each helping for a succession of close to ten years.
“That has been a huge blessing,” Joyce said. Despite the challenges, George and Joyce both testify of
the rewards of working with the kids. Things have changed tremendously over the years, they
said. In the early days kids often came to camp with one set of
clothes, hungry, and with no blanket to sleep in.George says their goal was to show them a good time,
have fun, feed them well, and help them to understand and come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
George says one of the biggest rewards for him now, is meeting camp kids now as adults.
Many remember him and tell him about the super time they had at camp.
“It is neat to know that a lot of them had a really good experience,” George said.
This year, George and Joyce received the Lifetime Commitment Award from the Association of North America Missions.
It honoured their lives of service among all missionaries in Canada and U.S.
“It is very deserving!” Garrison said.
George and Joyce Fitchett, founders of Rock Nest Ranch, were honoured this year for a lifetime of service as UIM missionaries. Above they stand in front of the new lodge, which the camp hopes to open for the first time this fall. Since construction started in 2004, George has managed and overseen the work. UIM started construction on the lodge in 2004 and has stayed debt-free, building the lodge on donations with no effort to fund raise. “It was built by faith,” Joyce said. Jackie Lieuwen photo
A missionary award
“They worked really, really hard... Even today, it’s not
easy to run camp.” - Wendall Garrison, Rock Nest Director
Houston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 9
UP TO
ON NOW AT YOUR BC GMC DEALERS. BCGMCDealers.ca 1-800-GM-DRIVE. GMC is a brand of General Motors of Canada. Offers apply to the purchase of a new or demonstrator 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, or purchase of a new or demonstrator GMC Terrain SLE-2 AWD. License, insurance, registration, PPSA and dealer administration fees and taxes not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Offers apply to qualifi ed retail customers in the BC GMC Dealer Marketing Association area only. Dealer order or trade may be required. *Applies to oldest 15% of dealer inventory as of July 1st 2015. Valid July 6 to 28, 2015 on cash purchases of select vehicles from dealer inventory. Not compatible with special lease and fi nance rates. Credit is tax exclusive and is calculated on vehicle MSRP, excluding any dealer-installed options. By selecting lease or fi nance offers, consumers are foregoing this cash credit which will result in higher effective interest rates. Dealer may sell for less. Offer may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. GMCL may modify, extend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without notice. See dealer for details. **U.S. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov).
WHILE INVENTORY LASTS. OFFERS END JULY 28.
2015 GMC TERRAIN SLE-2AWD, $32,945 MSRP.
OFMSRP20%
CASH CREDIT*$ 6,589
2015 GMC SIERRA CREW CAB DENALI,$63,600 MSRP.
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CASH CREDIT*$ 12,720
2015 GMC TERRAIN SLE-1 FWD SHOWN
20%CASH CREDIT*
OF MSRP
CASH CREDIT ON GMC SIERRA DENALI CREW CAB
$12,720=
NHTSA 5-STAROVERALL VEHICLE
SCORE FOR SAFETY**
2015 GMC TERRAIN
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ON SELECT GMC’S IN STOCK THE LONGEST WHILE INVENTORY LASTS. ENDS JULY 28TH
IT’SBACK!
GMC TERRAIN WAS NAMED A 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK BY IIHS
Call Sullivan Motor Products at 250-845-2244, or visit us at 2760 Yellowhead Highway, Houston. [License #5631]
SPORTS10 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
HOUSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
IS LOOKING FOR YOUIf you are looking for a challenging and exciting opportunity to serve the District of Houston, this is your chance. We are looking for people that thrive on a challenge, are willing to learn new skills and make a positive impact to the community. We are interested in you! We are looking for six candidates for a September start time. Training is free, equipment is free, all we ask for is your time to train and respond to calls.
Stop by the Fire Hall or District Of� ce to pick up your application or contact Jim Daigneault if you have any questions - of� ce number 250 845 2250.
Fire� ghting and Rescue, Emergency Medical Response, Road Rescue.
/localwork-bc @localworkbc1-855-678-7833
30 Days Online Exposure.Just one of the reasons to call LocalWorkBC.ca for all your job recruitment needs.
Robin Vander Heide photos/Houston Today
The Family Fun Circus ran a great show at Jamie Baxter Park last Thursday. The tent was packed with excited kids and families, who enjoying watching animal tricks, magic, clowns, trapeze and a human canon.
Circus family fun
NEWSHouston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 11
HOPE
Sponsored by
forToday
Riverside GardensOpen May & June
3707 East Valley Road, Houston, B.C.Phone: 250 845-7707
Not an AccessoryWith the hotter days of summer it is nice to
have air-conditioning. We wonder how most people did without it years ago. My brother had a 1928 Chevrolet. It was a useful car even though it was some 35 years old when he owned it. The only air-conditioning was the air that blew in with the top off and the windshield propped open thus having a cooling effect on the occupants. In those days there were few accessories available in vehicles. Today cars have so many accessories, GPS, CD/DVD players, satellite radio, heated seats etc, etc. Sometimes people buy the car because of the accessories, all the bells and whistles, taking little notice of the drive train that actually makes up the essence of the vehicle.
Sometimes we view God as an accessory. The primary reason we call on him is to do something for us. When our need is met we often forget about him and continue in to our own ways, sometimes without even a thank you. We use him as an accessory to our lives so we can live our lives, our way.
God is not some accessory that we turn on and off at our bidding, that we turn to when we have a perceived need or that we call on at our fancy. He is the Almighty God. Without him nothing exists, nothing moves, nothing breaths (John 1:1-3). He is the author of life (Acts 3:15) and in him is all true life (John 1:4). He is the drive behind it all. He does what he wants, how he wants, whenever he wants (Isaiah 46:10). God’s word says he holds everything together (Colossians 1:17). Jesus said “For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT. As we surrender to him and His ways, he will look after us and our every need according to his perfect will.
“Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
Submitted by Ken Penner
HOPE
By Bill PhillipsBlack Press
For some reason, the week before January 20, 2012, Maureen Luggi had trouble sleeping.
She would lay awake until about 5 a.m. waiting for her husband Robert to return from his shift at the Babine Forest Products sawmill in Burns Lake.
“That’s the only time I could sleep, when I knew he was safe,” she said Monday at the coroner’s inquest into his death. “I would lay my hands on him when he was sleeping and pray over him … I couldn’t understand, in those moments, why I was crying. I didn’t want to wake him up.”
Later, an elder told him she was preparing him for burial.
Robert Francis Luggi, along with co-worker Carl Rodney Charlie were killed when the mill exploded and burned on January 20, 2012. Maureen Luggi was first of 48 witnesses scheduled to testify at the inquest, which is expected to take three weeks. About 75 people gathered at the Island Gospel Fellowship Hall Monday for the first day of testimony that, as coroner Chico Newell explained, is to ascertain publicly the
facts relating to the deaths of Luggi and Charlie and to make r e c o m m e n d at i o n s to hopefully prevent future loss of life in similar circumstances.
With a framed picture of Robert by her side, Maureen Luggi told of how Robert Luggi was a caring, family man … stepfather to a child she had before they met and father to their two children. Originally from Fraser Lake, he moved to Burns Lake in 1989 and had worked at Babine Forest Products for 22 years.
“Everyone who knew him will remember him for his sense of humour and his kindness,” Maureen said. “He was just a happy person.”
However, he had been complaining to Maureen about dust at the mill. A similar explosion and fire at Lakeland Mills in Prince George was the result of combustible dust.
Robert Luggi had also been wanting to move up in the sawmill and was disappointed when he was looked over for a lead hand’s position. He complained to mill management and told them that he had spoken to the B.C. Human Rights Commission about
possibly filing a discrimination case against the mill as he felt he didn’t get the job because he was First Nations.
Mill management subsequently decided to move him off the A-shift and onto the B-shift, so he could train as a lead hand. He moved onto the B-shift right after Christmas in 2011, a month before the ex-plosion that took his life.
Maureen Luggi said since 2012 she has become aware of Bill C-45, common-ly referred to as the Westray bill. The bill, which was sparked by the Westray mine explosion in Nova Scotia, changed the Criminal Code to read: “Everyone who has the authority, to direct how another person doe work or performs a task, is un-der a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that task.”
“Why is this not being enforced?” Maureen Luggi asked. “This explosion should not have hap-pened.”
She did, however, say she forgives those involved.
“I pray that we can find some peace and some closure,” she said.
While Robert Luggi had just joined the B-shift and month prior, Carl Rodney Charlie wasn’t even supposed to be at work that day.
“It was his day off,” his sister Lucy Campbell told the in-quest. “But, being the hard worker that he was, he took the shift.”
She said he had lunch with his parents before heading off to work that day and that was the last they saw of him. She recalled how, when news broke of the explosion, she and the family hoped Carl had survived.
“How little did we know that this was our beloved Carl that was in the mill,” she said when they learned that two men were unaccounted for. But when the news came, she said the family was devastated.
“Our only hope is that he didn’t feel a thing because he didn’t deserve to die like that,” Campbell said.
She said that he too had talked about the amount of sawdust piling up at the mill, plus the cold weather conditions.
Charlie had three children and, Campbell said, had a great Christmas in 2011 because two of his children were able to spend it with him. Charlie lived in Burns Lake all his life. He
worked at Babine Forest Products about 18-and-a-half years.
“He was known for his handshakes and big waves,” Campbell said. “… He never turned his back on anyone who needed help. When we went through some tough times, he was the glue that held us together. Carl was independent and spontaneous.”
The inquest, before a five-man, two-woman jury, will continue this week with testimony from men who were in the mill at the time of the explosion. Steve Zika, of Hampton Affliates, the company that owns Babine Forest Products, is scheduled to testify next week. WorkSafeBC representatives will also be taking the stand. WorkSafeBC has been criticized for how it investigated both the Babine and Lakeland explosions. In both cases Crown counsel said it could not proceed with charges because of the WorkSafeBC investigations. That has prompted the families of the deceased, survivors, Steelworkers, B.C. Federation of Labour, and the NDP to call for public inquiry into the explosions. Premier Christy Clark has dismissed calls for a public.
Inquest into Babine mill explosion ongoing
Hospital offers stress tests
By Jackie LieuwenHouston Today
Stress tests are now offered at the Smithers Hospital, thanks to generous community support.
The Bulkley Valley Health Care and Hospital Foundation raised $40,000 for new stress test equipment, matched by Thomas Britton in memory of his brother Jim.
Ted Bobb, chair of the foundation, says the new equipment is a way to “give more care locally.”
The stress test “is important in the diagnosis of cardiac diseases, and it is also a prerequisite for many surgeries,” Bobb said.
Offering stress tests in Smithers limits the need for people to travel to Prince
George or Terrace for testing before surgeries.
The $80,000 equipment includes a treadmill with diagnostic abilities, computer and a cardiac defibrillator.
The foundation raised $10,000 through a gala last October, a local trust donated $10,000. Kinettes raised a significant amount through a Halloween dance, and the rest was donated by individuals and businesses.
Northern Health spent $60,000 in renovations to make space for the equipment, and trained two nurses and one doctor to use it.
The first stress tests were done last Thursday.
The Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers can now offer stress tests to test cardiac health and limit the need for travel before surgeries. Nick Briere/Black Press
A12 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
HOUSTON & AREA CHURCH
DIRECTORY
Houston Fellowship
Baptist Church3790 C.R. Matthews Rd.
Pastor: Larry Ballantyne
Church Service: 10:00AM
Everyone Welcome!Phone: 250-845-7810
Houston Canadian
Reformed ChurchSUNDAY SERVICES: 10:00 AM & 2:30 PM
Experienced Wildfire FirefightersSummit Reforestation in Smithers, BC is currently taking applications for experienced wildfire firefighters interested in being on a stand-by list.
After an initial interview we will put your name on a call list based on experience and certificationsWe will call the people on the list for work as neededPlease attach a list of when, where, and for how many days you have worked on fires in the pastIf you have them please include the ministry fire numbersAttach a list of relevant certifications – we will pay for re-certification if requiredPay is based on level of experience and trainingYou can apply from anywhere – however, you should be prepared to move to a fire camp within 3 days’ notice of getting a call
APPLY NOW! www.summitplanting.com/fire-fighting or
We service the Oilfield in Grande Prairie and surrounding area.
Class 1 - Driving Tri-Tri or Tri QuadsOff Road or Fluid Hauling Experience PreferableMust be able to chain up!Competitive WagesBenefits after 3 monthsStaff Housing upon availabilityFlexible schedules and travel arrangements availableOpportunities for overtime!!We are a family owned and operated company
Please email resume and current driving abstracts to: [email protected]
Pinnacle Renewable Energy Burns Lake is currently seeking hard working, enthusiastic individuals to join our production team!Positions are for various areas of our mill site and involves manual labour. If you are interested, please send your resume to [email protected] line should have “Resume” and your full name.
Adrian & Jo Meeuwissen’s
60th Wedding Anniversary CelebrationTo be celebrated with an afternoon tea on
July 25th, 2015 from 1:30pm to 4:00 pm
at Houston Seniors Complex W. 14th Street
Please drop in to share a story or wish them well!
q
q
r
r
Donna-Jean Charlotte Turner (nee Sutherland) passed away peacefully in the Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers on July 15, 2015 at the age of 73 years.
Donna-Jean was born on Feb.10, 1942, in Tisdale, Sask, the eldest daughter of Cecil Clarence Sutherland and Velma Lenora Dahl. She married Kenneth Raymond Turner in Prince George, BC on May 10, 1958. They were blessed with two daughters, Debbie and Barb. In 1960 the family moved to Houston, BC where they have resided for 55 years.
Donna is survived by her dear friend Vern Lokken and daughters Debbie (Eric) and Barb (Jim); grandchildren Amber (Rod), Jennifer (Darren), Ken (Jill), Carla (Curtis), Ashley (Jake) and Amalia; great grandchildren Lane, Shannelle, Denae, Raewyn, Kate-Lynn and Gabriel; sisters Sharon (Robert) and Wanda; brothers Niel and Roy (Julie); brother-in-law Paul. She was predeceased by her husband Kenneth; parents Cecil and Velma; step-mother Joyce; sister Cecile; brothers-in-law Wayne and Syl.
Donna will be fondly remembered by her immediate family as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws and friends.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 24th at 1:00 pm in the Houston Royal Canadian Legion.
Condolences for Donna can be made at www.raschraderfuneralhome.com.
R.A. SCHRADER FUNERAL SERVICES250-847-2441
It’s with great sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of long time Granisle resident James Herman Parks. Herman passed away unexpectedly at home on July 11, 2015. Born in Timmins, Ontario Herman moved to Granisle in 1979 and was quick to make it his home.
Herman is survived by his wife, Shirley; his children - Lisa (Albert), Tim (Tanya), and Jo-Ann; his siblings, Jerry (Rolf), Fred (Marg), Rita (Elmer), Myrna, Robin, and Diana (Vic); and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Herman was predeceased by his son, Terry, as well as his sister, Dianne. He will be missed beyond words.
There will be no service by his request.
James Herman Parks
October 31, 1939- July 11, 2015
In memory of
Josephine Antoineof LAKE BABINE NATION
“Known and loved by many”Died:
January 18th, 2015.
Announcements
Obituaries
MICHAEL JAMES KILLMAN
June 6, 1969 - June 30, 2015Survived by his parents Ernie & Diane Killman, sister Trudi Gillis (Joe) & son Dalton.A celebration of life will be held at the Decker Lake Hall Aug. 22nd. at 1 pm.
InformationAL-ANON Are you affected by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon meetings are Monday, 7pm at the Houston United Church. Contact number: (250) 845-7774.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUSMeetings are at the Houston United Church, Monday and Thursday at 7:00pm. Contact number is:1-877-644-2266
Travel
TimeshareCANCEL YOUR timeshare. No risk program stop mort-gage & maintenance pay-ments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consul-tation. Call us now. We can help! 1-888-356-5248.
Employment
Career Opportunities
KWAKIUTL Band Council is seek-ing an Elementary School Principal in Pt. Hardy on Vancouver Island. For a full job description email [email protected] Pls send cov-er letter, salary expectations & 3 references via email or fax 250-949-6066 by July 31, 2014.
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION!In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: Care-erStep.ca/MT or 1-855-768-3362 to start training for your work-at-home career today!
TO REACH THE MARKETFirst advertise in the Houston Today! ALL WORD ADS go on the Internet for the whole world to see! www.bcclassified.com
REACHING USCall 250-845-2890 or come by our office. Hours are 9:00 - 11:00 am & 1:00 - 3:00 pm Mon. & Wed. thru Fri. (closed Tuesdays). Fax in your ad to 250-845-7893 or email: [email protected]
HOW TO PAYCome to our office in the Houston Mall, or you may pay with Visa or Mastercard over the phone. All ads must be prepaid. No refunds.
CLASSIFIED AD RATESREGULAR WORD ADS 3 lines (one week) .............$9.95
LEGAL ADS $12.60 per col. inch
HWY 16 REGIONAL ADS 3 lines - No changes - ad runs in: Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Prince George, Houston, Smithers, Ft. St. James, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat, Northern Connector (1 week) ............................... $78.88
BC BEST BUY ADS 25 words- No changes - ad runs one week, all papers covering: Lower Mainland .............$102.28 BC’s Interior ..................$124.95 Vancouver Island ...........$119.00 All of the Above .............$299.00 Extra charge for additional words
HAPPY ADS 2 col. x 2” or 1 col. x 4” To announce birthdays, weddings, births etc ............................$20.00Please call if you need more information on
any of our classified packages.
ALL ABOVE PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE GST
DEADLINESThursday: 5:00pm
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• Spacious 5 bedroom home in the popular Avalon Subdivision.• New windows and doors, fresh paint, some new fl ooring, new sundeck, updated bedrooms. Laundry on the main.• Large kitchen with lots of cupboards, formal dining with garden doors to the deck. Full basement with a huge rec room and wood stove, 4 piece bath and plenty of storage. Double garage, private, fenced back yard, huge lot!• All appliances included. Call Lia to view 250-845-1147.
• Cozy 3 bedroom log home on just under 1 acre located east of Houston.• Vaulted ceilings, island in kitchen with custom log stools.• Open concept living/dining/kitchen. Patio doors off dining to a large deck.• New fl ooring on the main. Covered front walk way, newer metal roof.• 24x28 heated shop with 10’ ceilings and wired 220. Lots of parking.• All appliances included. Quick possession available.• Call Lia to view 250-845-1147.
GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, GREAT VALUE!
COUNTRY CHARM!
$165,900
$79,900REDUCED TO:
$205,000
COUNTRY LIVING AT IT’S FINEST!
• Cozy 1 1/2 storey home located just west of Houston on a half-acre lot.• 3 bedrooms, 2 up and 1 on the main, very open kitchen/dining and living room. Offi ce with garden doors to a sundeck.• Sunken family room. Pellet furnace as well as a pellet stove in the living room.• Lots of parking, storage shed, huge yard, fi re pit.• Washer, dryer and window coverings included.• Call Lia today for more info, 250-845-1147.
DO A LITTLE & SAVE A LOT!
NEW LISTING!
REDUCED TO:
• Well set up hobby farm on just under 6 acres on the popular Lund Road.• 4 bedroom, 3 bath home. Vaulted ceilings in the living room, dining room and kitchen. Patio doors off the dining to a large deck.• Updated fl ooring. Huge rec-room in the basement with a blaze king woodstove, outside basement entry. Fenced & cross fenced.• 14X24 barn, shop & storage sheds. All appliances included.• Call Lia to View 250-845-1147.
NEW LISTING!
“A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIESWITHIN OUR REGION”37, 3RD Avenue,
The Regional District is seeking three individuals to work at the Knockholt Landfill, which is located approximately 8km east of Houston, BC, commencing September 1, 2015.
A landfill compactor, excavator with thumb, crawler dozer, dump truck and roll-off truck will be used at the facility. The hours of operation of the Knockholt Landfill are Monday through Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed Statutory Holidays. The three positions available are as follows:
Employee 1 will work 5 days per week (Monday through Friday), 9 hours per day, for a total of 45 hours every week.
Employee 2 will work under an averaging agreement, 7 days on (Monday through Sunday) followed by 7 days off, 9 hours per day, for a total of 63 hours every two weeks.
Employee 3 will work under an averaging agreement, 7 days on (Monday through Sunday) followed by 7 days off, 9 hours per day, for a total of 63 hours every two weeks.
All three positions are permanent, full time and offer a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits package following the successful completion of a 6 month probationary period.
The general duties of the landfill staff will be:• Daily operations of the landfill including directing vehicle
traffic to proper unloading zones, use of heavy equipment to spread and compact the garbage, hauling cover soil, unloading public drop off bins at the landfill active face, plowing snow in the winter and grading roads in the summer;
• Maintaining a clean and accessible public drop off area, conducting regular inspections of the electric fence and ensuring that the on-site weigh scale is operational;
• Greeting and assisting the public in the proper disposal of waste materials;
• General maintenance of on-site equipment;• Monitoring, reporting and documentation of landfill activities
including recycling initiatives.
Skills that the landfill staff should possess:• Good public relations skills;• Be physically fit and enjoy working outdoors in all weather
conditions;• Be safety conscious;• An ability to keep an organized and clean and tidy site, including
the ability to correctly fill out paperwork and documentation;• Experience operating and maintaining heavy equipment
including loaders, excavators with thumbs, crawler dozers, dump trucks and roll-off trucks. Experience with the above equipment in earthwork and road building construction activities where achievement of proper elevation and grading is desired.
Resumes which include a detailed description of relevant experience will be accepted until 3:00pm, Monday, July 27, 2015 at the Regional District office in Burns Lake. Please indicate on the resume if you wish to be considered for one or all of the available positions. Resumes may be faxed to 250-692-3305 and should be addressed to Janine Dougall, Director of Environmental Services.
/localwork-bc @localworkbc
BC Job News.Just one of the reasons to follow LocalWorkBC.ca on Twitter.
5th Street, Houston Industrial Site
Requires a
RECEPTIONIST• must have good computer skills• regular offi ce duties• some parts Lookup & Assisting Customers
Apply in person, with resumé. North Star Performance
2815 - 5th Street: (250-845-2498)
RECREATION • LAWN & GARDENPOWER EQUIPMENT PARTS & SALES
MOUNTAIN VIEW MOTEL“GREAT NIGHTLY RATES”!!
WE ALSO OFFER DISCOUNTED RATES FOR WEEKLY & MONTHLY RENTALS
Bachelor and 1 Bedroom Suites/ Fully Furnished with Full Kitchen
Medical/DentalMEDICAL Transcriptionistsare in huge demand! Train with Canada’s top Medical Transcription school. Learn from home and work from home. Call today! 1-800-466-1535 www.canscribe.com or [email protected]
Services
Alternative Health
Financial Services
LARGE FUNDBorrowers Wanted
Start saving hundreds of dollars today! We can easily approve you by phone. 1st, 2nd or 3rd mortgage money is available right now. Rates start at Prime. Equity counts. We don’t rely on credit, age or income.
Call Anytime1-800-639-2274 or
604-430-1498. Apply online www.capitaldirect.ca
Home ImprovementsFULL SERVICE plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, re-liable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. 1-800-573-2928
Pets & Livestock
Livestock
Fully qualifi ed butcher
Will come to your home to cut meat or can be
dropped off at our shop.
Cut and wrap.Wild game or farm
livestock.Call Michael at 250-698-7533
Merchandise for Sale
AuctionsEstate Auction-Antique cars, tractors, 5th wheel RV, tools & more. Grindrod, BC, Sat, July 25th, 11am. View photos and info doddsauction.com or call 250-545-3259.
Misc. for SaleSTEEL BUILDINGS. “Our big 35th anniversary sale” 20x20 $4500. 25x24 $5198. 30x30 $7449. 32x36 $8427. 40x46 $12140. One end wall includ-ed. Pioneer Steel 1-800-668-5422. www.pioneersteel.ca.
Real Estate
Commercial/Industrial Property
4 Bay Shop in West Quesnelshowroom, offi ces, compres-sor, paved lot across from shopping mall. Suitable for auto sales & service, detail shop or second hand store. 285k. Will take partial trade on vehicle, trailer, motor home or WHY 250-992-8334,981-3583
Real Estate
Houses For SaleDON’T OVERPAY! Website: rtmihomes.com “Your Smart Housing Solution” Canada’s largest provider of manufac-tured housing. Text or call (844-334-2960). In stock 16’/20’/22’ homes on sale now!
Rentals
Offi ce/Retail
FOR RENT 2000 sq. ft. offi ce space. Two fl oors, 3404 9th St. downtown Houston. Available September 1. Call (250) 845-4450 for details.
Help Wanted Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Ofce Support
Help Wanted
Ofce Support
Motels,Hotels Motels,Hotels
Do you know your diabetes ABCs?
ABC
= AIC (measure of blood glucose levels over time) Recommended Target: 7.0% or below
= Blood pressure Recommended Target: 130/80 mm Hg
= Cholesterol Recommended Target: LDL: 2.0 mmol/L or lower. Total cholesterol to HDL ratio: below 4
If you have diabetes, you are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke, and other complications such as eye and kidney disease, nerve damage and foot problems. Keeping your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol in a healthy range can reduce your risk of complications.
For more information about staying healthy with diabetes, visit: www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/healthy.asp
CANADIANDIABETESASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATIONCANADIENNEDU DIABETE
If you see a wildfi re, report it to
1-800-663-5555 or *5555
on most cellular networks. www.pitch-in.ca
Become a GREEN
SHOPPER!
14 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
BUSINESSES & SERVICES around Houston & the Bulkley Valley...
3429 10th St., Steelhead Building 250.845.2329
NORTHERN LASERoffering...• Permanent hair removal• Tattoo removal• and Acne treatment
Houston Barbershop
250.845.2329ngel lowers & iftsA GFand
D5631Sullivan Motors @smphouston
When your car, truck or SUV is in need of service, trust the factory-trained
technicians at Sullivan Motor Products.OPEN MON. TO SAT. 8AM - 5:30PM
Highway 16, HoustonTF: 1-800-665-3151
Call SMP at 250-845-2244
...Northwest’s Largest Volume Dealer for a Reason!!
The Houston Farmers Market runs every Friday throughout the summer, and this year there is live music played every week by local musicians. Last week they had over 150 new people browsing the booths.
Top left: Leslie Crane, Quick Alekiba Creations, sells crocheting, hand-sewed bags and jewellery at the Houston Farmers Market. Top right: Jamie DeValera and his daughter Erica sell goods at the market. DeValera owns Sweet Fix, a home-based business where he sells home made chocolates and confections. His daughter Erica joined him with her own booth, selling her clay and beadwork. Above: Leah Collett and Myrna Lieuwen sell flowers from Riverside Gardens as a fund raiser for the Houston Gospel Festival.Right: Liam sells fresh produce from Small Potatoes Farms in Smithers.
Jackie Lieuwen photos/Houston Today
Keepingit fresh and local
Houston Today Wednesday, July 22, 2015 www.houston-today.com 15
16 www.houston-today.com Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Houston Today
