January 13, 2016 edition of the Similkameen Spotlight
16
Volume 65 Issue 2 Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com SPOT L IGHT The Similkameen Weather Watch Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday High3/Low2 High-1/Low-3 High-3/Low- High3/Low-2 High2/Low1 $1.10 Includes TAX Mine bosses squash layoff rumors page 3 Andrea DeMeer Spotlight Staff It was a less than Happy New Year for mental health and addiction patients in Princeton when they learned they had just one month to vacate Anchorage House, the longstanding home of the community’s drop in center. However they needn’t be afraid the ser- vices they’ve come to rely on will disappear along with their clubhouse. According to managers at Interior Health a new location for the center will be found. “We certainly are quickly scrambling to find community partners so we can con- tinue to provide our programs,” said Joseph Savage, manager of adult programs for men- tal health services in Penticton. “This is not a cost saving exercise at all. We are not looking to save costs or reduce services here. We are looking for ways to pro- vide this service despite the fact that we’ve lost our current home,” he said. “I do want to emphasize the commitment we have to the clients we have in Princeton.” Anchorage House is open four days each week, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and provides a variety of programming for drop in clients. For several years it has operated out of a rented home on Veteran’s Boulevard, but that property was recently sold and the new owner does not wish to have tenants, said Savage. “It was sudden notice, 30 days and we’re very busy trying to pack up what’s there and make a move. We will do the very best we can on an interim basis until we secure new space.” Anchorage House employs a part time co- ordinator who is assisted by two occupational rehabilitation workers and a group of volun- teers. According to Savage it sees an average of six clients a day. Ann Hughes, a long time client and volun- teer at the center, said she will be sad to leave the Anchorage home. “It’s a beautiful facility and we’ve been so fortunate to have it for the last few years,” she said. “We planted a beautiful garden last year and I planted two long rows of Red Russian Garlic and there they sit, my babies under the snow. We had a big kitchen herb garden and lots of flowers. We had plans to expand that into individual plots for the clients who wanted to garden but it’s not going to happen now.” Hughes described the activities offered at Anchorage as varied, with lots of direction from the clients themselves. “Activities are suggested and it depends on who is a member at that time. A lot of people are there for a few months or a year or two and then they are up and on their feet.” Exercise classes, walking groups, a bowl- ing team, art therapy and card games are some of the most popular pastimes for cli- ents. As well the kitchen serves a homemade lunch twice a week, usually attracting up to 12 people. Hughes often cooks for the communal meals. “No one is ever turned away. Anyone who wants to sit down and eat with us is welcome. That provides a social event twice a week for people like myself. Participating in the drop-ins and especially cooking really helped keep me social enough so that my depression and chronic pain didn’t increase. Those two meals also help provide food secu- rity for the most vulnerable people in town.” Hughes said many Anchorage clients have been helped enormously by the rehab work- ers who spend a lot of their time sorting continued page 2 email: info@fletcherace.com 250-295-6938 222 Burton Ave.,Princeton Open @ 8am Mon-Fri, 8:30am Sat, 9am Sun FLETCHER Building Supplies * Some exceptions may apply. We reserve the right to limit quantities. NEW YEARS SAVINGS EXTENDED! Check out this Weeks flyer in the Similkameen Spotlight Mental health clients evicted from home Andrea DeMeer Interior Health was given just 30 days to vacate Anchorage House, a drop in center for mental health and addiction patients.
Transcript
Volume 65 Issue 2 Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com
Volume 65 Issue 2 Wednesday, January 13, 2016SPOTLIGHTSPOTSPOTSPOTSPOTSPOTLLLLLLLLLIGHTIGHTIGHTThe Similkameen
Weather WatchWednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
H i g h 3 / L o w 2
H igh -1/Low -3
H i g h - 3 / L o w -
H i g h 3 / L o w - 2
H i g h 2 / L o w 1
$1.10 Includes TAX
Mine bosses squash layoff rumors page 3
Andrea DeMeerSpotlight Staff
It was a less than Happy New Year for mental health and addiction patients in Princeton when they learned they had just one month to vacate Anchorage House, the longstanding home of the community’s drop in center.
However they needn’t be afraid the ser-vices they’ve come to rely on will disappear along with their clubhouse. According to managers at Interior Health a new location for the center will be found.
“We certainly are quickly scrambling to find community partners so we can con-tinue to provide our programs,” said Joseph Savage, manager of adult programs for men-tal health services in Penticton.
“This is not a cost saving exercise at all. We are not looking to save costs or reduce services here. We are looking for ways to pro-vide this service despite the fact that we’ve lost our current home,” he said.
“I do want to emphasize the commitment we have to the clients we have in Princeton.”
Anchorage House is open four days each week, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and provides a variety of programming for drop in clients. For several years it has operated out of a rented home on Veteran’s Boulevard, but that property was recently sold and the new owner does not wish to have tenants, said Savage.
“It was sudden notice, 30 days and we’re very busy trying to pack up what’s there and make a move. We will do the very best we can on an interim basis until we secure new space.”
Anchorage House employs a part time co-ordinator who is assisted by two occupational rehabilitation workers and a group of volun-teers. According to Savage it sees an average
of six clients a day.Ann Hughes, a long time client and volun-
teer at the center, said she will be sad to leave the Anchorage home.
“It’s a beautiful facility and we’ve been so fortunate to have it for the last few years,” she said. “We planted a beautiful garden last year and I planted two long rows of Red Russian Garlic and there they sit, my babies under the snow. We had a big kitchen herb garden and lots of flowers. We had plans to expand that into individual plots for the clients who wanted to garden but it’s not going to happen now.”
Hughes described the activities offered at Anchorage as varied, with lots of direction from the clients themselves.
“Activities are suggested and it depends on who is a member at that time. A lot of people are there for a few months or a year or two and then they are up and on their feet.”
Exercise classes, walking groups, a bowl-ing team, art therapy and card games are some of the most popular pastimes for cli-ents. As well the kitchen serves a homemade lunch twice a week, usually attracting up to 12 people.
Hughes often cooks for the communal meals. “No one is ever turned away. Anyone who wants to sit down and eat with us is welcome. That provides a social event twice a week for people like myself. Participating in the drop-ins and especially cooking really helped keep me social enough so that my depression and chronic pain didn’t increase. Those two meals also help provide food secu-rity for the most vulnerable people in town.”
Hughes said many Anchorage clients have been helped enormously by the rehab work-ers who spend a lot of their time sorting continued page 2
We would like to thank all the individuals, service organizations and business groups for their dedication and thoughtfulness by making donations to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.
THE SOUTH OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEENMEDICAL FOUNDATION
Raises funds for the medical facilities throughout the region, including the Penticton Regional Hospital, Moog & Friends Hospice
House, Trinity Centre, Summerland Health Centre and Extended Care, Princeton General Hospital and Ridgewood Lodge, South
Similkameen Health Centre and Orchard Haven in Keremeos, South Okanagan General Hospital and Sunnybank Centre in Oliver.
A big thank-you to the Penticton Hospital Gift Shop Auxiliary for contributing $30,000
towards their � ve-year $150,000 pledge to the
SOS Medical Foundation’s hospital tower campaign.
The auxiliary members staff the gift shop located in the
front lobby of Penticton Regional Hospital.
Wess Campbell, president of the Summerland Health-Care Auxiliary, presents a cheque for $100,000 to
Janice Perrino of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.
The donation stems mainly from proceeds from the Summerland Thrift Store on
Victoria Road. It represents the second installment towards the Auxiliary’s
� ve-year $1-million pledge to help the Foundation’s $20-million campaign to provide medical equipment for the new
tower at PRH.
Members of the Silver Eagle Riders present a $500 donation to Janice Perrino of the South
Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. The Riders include
(from left) Tom Barnes, Roy Colmer, Paul Cowen, Dave
Wallace and Eric Williams. Their gift towards medical equipment for the new Patient Care Tower at Penticton Regional Hospital, follows a recent $250 donation from the Okanagan Motorcycle
Riders Association.
Penticton Tune-Agers’ conductor Gordon Dawson and treasurer Julia Lipov present $2,781.28 to the SOS Medical Foundation’s campaign to
acquire the medical equipment for the new Patient Care Tower at Penticton
Regional Hospital. The donation stems from the Christmas Extravaganza
concert, hosted by the Tune-Agers at the Penticton United Church. Six local choirs performed at the concert before
a packed, appreciative audience on November 22.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Arts & Craft Supplies162 Vermilion Avenue
PO Box 1533 Princeton, B.C. V0X1W0(Across the street from the Museum)
Teaching Studio & Gift ShopBORED?? ~ GOT THE WINTER BLUES??
COME AND TRY SOMETHING NEW!
CLASSES IN OIL PAINTING, WATERCOLOUR, ACRYLICS, CERAMICS, POTTERY, FIRED GLASS, JEWELLERY AND MORE.
ANYONE CAN LEARN TO PAINT OR DO ANY OF THE OTHER CRAFTS OFFERED.
~ NO SPECIAL SKILLS REQUIRED ~ TRUST ME!! ~
STORE HOURSTuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
By appointment, or chance, for any other hours. We can accommodate your schedule.
Registration required for all students.Phone for more details 250-295-4076 or drop in to the shop.
Classes held Tues., Wed. &Thurs.
Spotlight StaffLocal public safety
organizations received $65,000 in grants last week from the prov-ince’s Community Gaming Grant Program.
And while one of the recipients, Princeton Ground Search and Rescue, is grateful for the funding, there is a little disappointment the government wasn’t more generous.
Ground search and rescue received $35,000 for operating costs, after applying for $60,000 to include the purchase of new equipment.
“They came through and we appreciate it. We’re happy to get
the money but there’s a problem with gam-ing grants,” said Randy Rorvick, search and res-cue manager.
The group applies each year and the grants are necessary to keep the organization afloat.
“It’s nice to get the funding but we’re on pins and needles every year. We don’t know if we’re going to get it and we have to scramble.”
The money directed to Princeton Ground Search and Rescue will go to pay general costs including insur-ance, licensing and telephones, as well as towards tracker, swift water, flat ice and first
aid training for the group’s 24 volunteer members.
Rorvick said an appli-cation was also made for funds to purchase two All Terrain Vehicles for search operations but that request was denied.
“Usually every year we like to upgrade our equipment,” he said.
It cost approximately $70,000 to operate the rescue squad annu-ally, and the team also depends on fundraising and private donations.
“It’s not cheap to run a team. It costs us about $1,500 just for the basics to properly equip a new person, that’s just the cost of jackets, helmets
and proper clothing.”Princeton Ground
Search and Rescue is part of a provincial organization that is cur-rently petitioning the government for “more stable funding” through an alternate financing
model.Since its inception
in 2000 the rescue team has answered more than 100 calls including missing persons, body recoveries, evacuations, swift water rescues and evidence recovery.
Other local gam-ing grant recipients for 2016 are the Hayes Creek Firefighters’ Association, which was awarded $20,000 and the Erris Volunteer Fire Association receiving $10,000.
Each year the gaming grants program accounts for $135 million in funding for non-profit organizations in British Columbia.
Government grant falls short for local rescue group
The 24 volunteers with Princeton Ground Search and Rescue have a busy training and practise schedule. Manager Randy Rorvick was recently the “vic-tim” in a packaging and loading exercise.
continued from page one
improving access to provincial and federal funds, pensions, disabil-ity insurance and even helping with tax returns.
“They are the only place in town that I know of where someone will act as an advocate in a dispute that you might have with welfare or CPP….almost every-body who comes to the Anchorage program at first has lots of screwed up paperwork and they help.”
The clubhouse also offers emergency laun-dry services, helps cli-ents find suitable hous-ing and sometimes even provides clothes and warm blankets. It’s also a place for mental health patients to “touch base” in between their appoint-ments with counselors and psychiatrists.
“Each person is an individual and has
their own problems.” Without the services of Anchorage House, she said people “would undoubtedly spend a lot more time in hospital or
psychiatric wards as a result of not having that support system in their lives.”
Clients depend on center services
Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A 3NEWS
To register for these fitness and yoga classes please visit Princeton Town Hall, the Visitor Centre or call the Princeton Recreation Office at 250‐295‐6067.
HATHA YOGA ‐ MORNINGS Enjoy a shorter duration Hatha yoga class with empha-sis on your particular body challenges and increasing relaxation. This is a great class for those dealing with injury or a senior body re-entering the fitness world. 20 classes/$137 10 classes/$68.50 Drop In/$8.00 Tues/Thurs Begins Jan 12 10:00‐11:00 am GENTLE FIT CLASS Combining seated and standing exercises as well as equipment such as balls, bands and light weights, participants will work to improve their overall health in this low impact class. Individuals living with arthritis, chronic diseases, joint replacements as well as those looking for a lower in-tensity class are welcome. Please dress in comfortable clothing, bring water and be prepared to have fun! Free – Try It Class January 12 &14 11:15 am‐12:15 pm 18 classes/$124 9 classes/$62 Drop In/$8.00 Jan 19 &21 Tues & Thurs 11:15 am‐12:15 pm
COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE 2016 Meeting Schedule
January 18 February 1 February 15 March 7
March 21 April 4 April 18 May 2 May 16 June 6 June 20 July 18
August 15 September 6 September 19 October 3
October 17 November 7 November 21 December 5 December 19
2016 DOG LICENSES
2016 Dog license fees can be paid at Town Hall at a cost of $10.00 for spayed or neutered animals and $30.00 for non-neutered or unspayed dogs. Town of Princeton Bylaw No. 782 regulates the licensing of dogs, and states that any dog over the age of eight weeks must wear a valid license for the current year. A fine of $75.00 will be charged for an unlicensed dog.
BE ACTIVE IN 2016
HATHA YOGA ‐ EVENINGS Enjoy a longer 90 minute Hatha yoga class with em-phasis on breathing, asana and meditation. Tune in, stretch and relax into your body. Learn new multidimensional techniques to truly unite body, mind and spirit. 9 classes/$85 Drop In/$12.00 Wed Begins Jan. 13 6:00‐7:30 pm BEGINNER-LOW IMPACT SNOWSHOE PROGRAM Enjoy a morning in the outdoors on a marked course; less than 2 kms long. Time will be spent reviewing safety in the mountain, equipment and clothing requirements, understanding equipment and getting some exercise. Warm up in the long house with a warm beverage at the end of each session. 4 classes/$55.00 China Ridge Trail Longhouse Wednesdays 10:00 am-noon Jan. 20 to February 10
STREETLIGHT SERVICE REQUESTS
We appreciate your help to identify street lights that are malfunctioning. You can submit your request by emailing [email protected] or phone at 250-295-3135. When reporting a streetlight service please provide us with the following: the pole number, if posted on the pole; and the nearest municipal address is very helpful to assist staff in locating the correct street light. Thank you.
GRANTS IN AID
To support non-profit organizations and agencies that provide programs and services that serves, benefits and/or adds value to the community.
Council allocates annually a finite sum of money through the Town of Princeton budget for Grants in Aid, up to a maximum of $10,000 per individual appli-cation request. Applications for Grants in Aid are to be received no later than January 31st of each year in which the grant will be used. Application packages are available at Town Hall or on our website.
Andrea DeMeerSpotlight Staff
There is no truth to rumors in Princeton that Copper Mountain Mine is laying off employees in response to the spiraling price of copper, according to company executives.
“There is nothing out of the ordinary,” said Rod Shier, Copper Mountain’s Chief Financial Officer, adding that with 420 employees the mine has a consistent turn over of about five per cent.
“I can believe it,” said Shier, when informed the rumor mill is running overtime in local coffee shops and pubs about downsizings at the town’s second biggest employer. “Just look at the markets.”
As of the end of September 2015 Copper Mountain Mine’s profits were 22 per cent behind the previous year. At that time copper was selling at 2.39 per pound, but the price has further slipped to 2.05 per pound.
While noting other mining companies have announced large layoffs Shier said “it’s a difficult time in the industry, no question about it. It’s a cyclical industry and we can get through it.”
Don Strickland, Copper Mountain’s vice president of operations at the Princeton site, said when it comes to mining in 2016 “everybody is nervous.
“There are a number of mines that are shut down and con-tinued reports of partial or full shut downs.”
He said “certainly there’s been lots of discussions but we’ve been able to keep our team together to this point.”
Strickland said Copper Mountain Mine – touted as one of BC’s fastest growing companies just last year – “is doing everything possible” to avoid layoffs or closure. “Our three main objectives that we laid out to everybody back in January last year are to keep our team safe, reduce our costs and keep our team together. We’ll continue to work at that so that we don’t get to a position of having to suspend operations.”
Strickland said mine suppliers have been helpful in reduc-ing expenses, and he said there is some hope for relief in future from the provincial government.
“We’ve been working as an industry to find common solu-tions to help get us through and we’ve had great support from our local politicians and our provincial politicians.”
Strickland acknowledged the stress the situation causes in the community. “Everybody in town is nervous and there’s lots of probably misinformation circulating around. We’ve made a good effort with our team here to try and share as many facts as possible.
Mine bosses refute layoff rumors
File PhotoAccording to executives at the town’s second largest employer management is “doing everything possible” to avoid
IMPORTANT DEADLINES:In order to serve you better, please take notice of our new deadlines: Display Ad Booking: � ursdays @ 5:00 pmClassi� ed Ad Booking: Fridays @ noonAd Copy: Fridays @ noonSPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHTThe Similkameen
Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com
A4 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13 2016 Similkameen SpotlightOPINION
The Similkameen Spotlight is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council con-siders complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council.
Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, PO Box 1356, Ladysmith,B.C. V9G 1A9For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to the website at www.bcpresscouncil.org.
This publication reserves the right to refuse any material—advertising or editorial—submitted for publication and maintains the sole right to exercise discretion in these matters. Submissions by columnists and guest writers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper. All material contained herein is copyright.
Andrea DeMeerAssociate Publisher/Editor
Tara BowieAssociate Editor
Sandi NolanSales Associate
Debbie LyonPhotographer/Distribution
282 Bridge Street P.O. Box 340 Princeton, B.C. V0X 1W0
Phone 250-295-3535 Fax 250-295-7322 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government
of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
SPOTLIGHTThe Similkameen
Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com
BC ViewsTOM FLETCHER
Avatar, the future-fantasy blockbuster that beat Titanic as all-time Hollywood box office champ, has finally been unseat-ed by the latest Star Wars space opera.
I watched Avatar on TV over the holidays for the first time since its 2009 release, and was able to see past the bombastic special effects to examine it for what it is, an anti-capitalist propaganda film.
Psychopathic military com-mander teams with evil mining executive to blast and slaughter their way to a chunk of rare mineral, ridiculously named “unobtainium.” Giant tree, home of highly evolved Na’vi people and their delicate jun-gle ecosystem, is toppled for sadistic fun and profit, before nature’s collective strikes back.
Canadian director James Cameron helped the global anti-development network use the movie in its celebrity attack on the Alberta oil industry. Now the story line is being employed again in B.C., in an effort to revive the 1990s “war in the woods” that led to the creation of Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park on Vancouver Island.
Protest tactics are being refined. Targeting just outside
the boundary of the vast park established 20 years ago, giant trees are named and an Avatar-style narrative of unbridled greed is spoon-fed to urban media.
There’s a “Tolkien Giant” now, although I’m reliably informed it is not one of those trees that gets up and walks around in the Lord of the Rings movies. This tree is also protected from log-ging, as are most of the poster trees used for propaganda and fundraising.
The network uses multiple front groups. Vancouver-based Wilderness Committee stag-es urban protests and issues news releases, while Ecojustice lawyers fight forest compa-ny injunctions against direct actions that disrupt legal log-ging. An employee of the B.C. branch plant of Sierra Club lurks, apparently coordinating media and protesters.
A 1990s remnant called Friends of Carmanah-Walbran issued a statement Nov. 9 announcing “autonomous action” by three protesters to
disrupt logging. Not their guys, you understand, just masked indi-viduals willing to lock themselves to equipment or wander into a road-building blast zone, forc-ing work to stop for safety reasons.
These are among the actions
that forced the logging com-pany to go to court for an injunction.
Cast in the role of evil cor-poration is Teal-Jones Group, a B.C. forest company trying to operate in what is now the most environmentally restricted for-est in the world. It keeps about 2,000 people employed in log-ging and its sawmills in Surrey, where investments have been made to handle second-growth coastal timber as well as what little old-growth they are allowed to harvest.
Protesters have dubbed their latest target, the tiny 3.2 hectare cutblock 4424, “Black Diamond Grove” for media and fundraising purposes.
Teal-Jones forester Chris Harvey provided me some information to counter pro-
tester claims. Block 4424 isn’t being logged, although it was permitted last fall. Protesters are targeting other operations, none of which are in the con-tentious Walbran “bite” area next to the park.
Teal-Jones has not only received permits and worked with environmental orga-nizations, its operations are independently certified by the Canadian Standards Association.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge granted an extension of the injunction protecting Teal-Jones’ operations on Jan. 4. The judge wasn’t swayed by protesters packing the Victoria courtroom, and upheld a 50-metre safety zone around working equipment in the Walbran Valley until the end of March.
A Wilderness Committee spokesman with no evident forestry qualifications was appalled. He will no doubt con-tinue to issue news releases and write his own version for left-wing fringe publications that seek to perpetuate an urban cul-ture of revulsion for logging.
Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: [email protected]
Holy smokes – at least we don’t live in Nunavut There are more than 4 million smokers in
Canada, and that means the ground is littered this week with close to 4 million broken New Year’s resolutions.
Quitting smoking is hard, but the government of BC – which enjoys the lowest smoking rates of any province – is making it easier by improving free access to quit smoking aids.
As of January 1 smokers trying to kick the habit need only visit a pharmacy to receive 12 weeks worth of nicotine replacements, and the program that covers the cost of these therapies has been expanded to include nicotine inhalers and lozenges as well as gum and patches.
Since 2011 the province has spent $38 million providing quit smoking products to a shrinking group of addicts (people are either stopping or dying). It’s an initiative that would make an excel-lent model for other provinces.
Only 14 per cent of British Columbians smoke, compared to a national average of 20.8 per cent. While this may be in part a reflection of good gov-ernance and strategy, it also follows an established trend of people getting healthier as one moves from east to west across the country. Obesity rates are also lower in beautiful British Columbia, and residents here are generally more physically active than in Central and Eastern Canada.
Could be all that fresh air and wide open spaces.That said, the trend reverses when one travels
north. A full third of adults smoke in the North West Territories. Nunavut is the worst place to live if you are sensitive to second hand smoke, where a whop-ping 62 per cent of residents are on the weed.
Those statistics are suggestive when considered alongside smoking rates in BC’s Interior, which are substantially higher at 21 per cent than the rest of the health conscious province.
Perhaps smoking prevalence can be directly linked to a lack of other things to do.
The Town of Princeton took a positive step towards discouraging smoking in 2015 with the passing of an outdoor smoking bylaw. While the law is not as aggressive as was first suggested by Interior Health, it is a good step towards controlling and de-normalizing smoking.
Despite its progress as compared to the rest of the country, there are still 600,000 smokers in British Columbia, and annual tobacco related deaths of 6,000. Smoking costs the province $2.3 billion each year.
BC’s top sawbones – provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall – recently went on the record stating he would support an increase in the smoking age here to 21. Citing studies that show if people don’t smoke by the age of 19 they are unlikely to become confirmed smokers, he said the move would signifi-cantly lower smoking rates and casualties.
It’s an extreme position. How can one be old enough to invade Afghanistan, and not old enough to have a cigarette after?
January is a time for fresh starts and what BC is doing is working. National non-smoking week and Weedless Wednesday are almost upon us.
It’s time for that 21 per cent in the Interior – and you know who you are –to pick up the resolutions and get down to the pharmacy to try again. – AD
Avatar sequel bombs in Walbran
Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A5 TV GUIDE
If you have a “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down”, give us a call at 250-295-3535 or drop by the
Spotlight at 282 Bridge Street.
THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN!
Thumbs up to departing public works boss Kevin Huey. He’s been a great manager to work with and he will be missed in the Town of Princeton.
Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A 7
Drug use cripples families and communities
BC ASSESSMENT - We Value Property – 5.833 x 7
English Newspaper 5.833x7 Print Scale: 100% Op: Jason
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Proof read/Spell check:CLIENT:
T 604.629.2060 F 604.629.2064
WE VALUE YOUR PROPERTY AS MUCH
AS YOU DO.If you’re among BC’s approximately 2 million property owners,
you should receive your 2016 property assessment in the mail
early in January. If you haven’t, call us toll-free at 1-866-valueBC.
Access property information and compare your assessment
to others using our free e-valueBC service at bcassessment.ca,
BC’s trusted go-to property information resource.
If you have questions or want more information, contact us at
1-866-valueBC or online at bcassessment.ca. The deadline to file
an appeal for your assessment is February 1st, 2016.
We Value BC
For more property information, assessment highlights and videos visit
bcassessment.ca
PalmerPalmer 3
N+L Services
KWH
MC 4
Rosajura 2
Baba's list 3
N+L Town
Cherry Pickers 4
Sniper 16 2
Free Raffi 2015 2
Uncle "R" 2
B & E Gang 2
PhillyPhilly 2
Schultz (T+M)
Steve 2
Hillside 2
Al Anderson 3
Bumpa 2
Hugh Jardon 3
Chucky 4
BB Bruizers
Old GuyOld Guy 3
CTL 4CTL 4 3
MyLou82 3
Papa T & S 2
Wilf Paiement 2
RAM 4
Jaycee 2
Go For It
Two Old Guys 2
Crosby Show 4
Habs Fan 3
Tisdale
Bowling Alley 2
PSSAthleticsRNK TEAM TOTAL T Y W M GP GR GM P/G PT TT
1 811 0 8 47 66 924 958 86 0.88 11
2 773 0 8 41 61 917 967 84 0.84 7
3 771 0 12 40 63 952 959 57 0.81 9
4 755 0 8 33 52 883 959 126 0.86 8
5 753 0 10 36 57 938 957 73 0.80 5
6 734 0 6 38 60 902 962 104 0.81 10
7 730 0 12 33 51 912 973 83 0.80 6
8 729 0 11 35 51 881 965 122 0.83 8
9 726 0 7 37 55 884 965 119 0.82 9
10 724 0 12 37 59 860 971 137 0.84 8
11 720 0 5 28 46 909 960 99 0.79 7
T12 718 0 8 36 55 873 964 131 0.82 8
T12 718 0 10 31 51 873 966 129 0.82 6
14 714 0 8 25 40 940 961 67 0.76 9
15 713 0 9 39 56 881 969 118 0.81 10
16 709 0 8 29 42 892 960 116 0.79 10
17 708 0 12 39 61 878 963 127 0.81 8
18 707 0 7 38 58 880 975 113 0.80 15
19 705 0 9 34 55 899 964 105 0.78 12
20 701 0 12 33 53 852 959 157 0.82 6
21 699 0 8 41 59 930 949 89 0.75 7
22 688 0 11 36 52 879 964 125 0.78 8
23 686 0 13 37 45 866 967 135 0.79 9
24 685 0 10 36 54 867 961 140 0.79 9
T25 684 0 7 37 61 903 966 99 0.76 11
T25 684 0 10 35 53 889 960 119 0.77 6
27 683 0 13 38 55 881 964 123 0.78 8
28 678 0 7 35 54 837 970 161 0.81 8
29 676 0 9 32 54 873 969 126 0.77 11
T30 674 0 9 38 59 864 970 134 0.78 8
T30 674 0 12 35 57 863 964 141 0.78 8
T32 673 0 5 37 58 868 966 134 0.78 12
T32 673 0 9 31 53 890 964 114 0.76 5
34 672 0 5 34 55 893 972 103 0.75 10
Art Martenslivingsignificantly.ca
When I recently heard about the assas-sination of Gisela Mota, a Mexican mayor, I considered it of little concern for myself and my neighbours in the Similkameen Valley. Surely, I thought, our society will never spiral downward to where drug cartels are able to kill politicians almost at will.
Maybe I was a tad overly complacent. A conversation with Monica a couple of days later caused me more than a twinge of con-cern. After moving from New Brunswick with her daughter Curly, and two younger children, her anticipation of a peaceful life here was shattered. Sixteen year old, musi-cally gifted Curly began hanging out with youths skipping classes and smoking drugs. She started dating older guys doing cocaine and heroin. Soon Curly too was hooked on hard drugs.
Understandably, Monica fears retaliation from the traffickers and asked me to not use her real name. “Curly is behind in paying for drugs,” she said. “She’s been warned there will be serious consequences. I know she’s taking things from my home and selling them to pay. Now they expect her to be a drug run-ner. She’s scared, but it’s a bit late.”
A note of deep despair crept into Monica’s voice. “The police and government people are sympathetic, but their hands seem to be tied. I’m trying to persuade my daughter to go into a rehab facility, but it’s like all she can think about now is getting drugs. She doesn’t understand these people are wrecking her future. I can’t get help anywhere.” A single tear trickled slowly down Monica’s cheek. She’s fighting a lonely battle.
It’s alarming that as a society we don’t grasp the extent to which drugs have infiltrat-ed the lives of our next generation of citizens and leaders. We seemingly don’t possess the will or know-how to deal with the curse of
illicit drug use. In Hedley we have a dealer who does a pretty brisk business. Customers go to his house in broad daylight. Some are selling to youths. People are appalled that this is happening in our community.
Some years ago in another setting, I received a lesson about how a community can oppose those who seek to bring harm to citizens. Our opponent was a powerful, air
polluting US corporation. Several individu-als were so spooked they wrote letters to the local paper advising us to back off, because we were like dwarfs against this corporate giant with its deep pockets and high priced attorneys.
We began with a committee of about 10 concerned individuals and invited a couple of community leaders to meet with us. Realizing
we needed to educate people regarding the health implications for their children and grandchildren, we asked a reporter with the local newspaper to attend our next meeting. She was a firebrand and began researching the issue and writing about it. We wanted people to understand this was a danger that would impact them personally.
Our small committee quickly grew into a group of approximately 30 committed citi-zens. We wrote a letter to the National Energy Board (NEB) and set a goal of having 10,000 individuals send copies of this letter to the Board.
Increasingly, people became aware of the serious implications for their own health and that of their children. Many picked up copies of the letter and urged their family, friends, and co-workers to sign it.
Initially, the mayor and city hall wel-comed the corporation but as the community pressure against it increased, the mayor real-ized he’d have to join us. Our local MLA provided paper and extensive use of his office copier to produce thousands of letters. The head of the Downtown Business Association did the same. She also provided a booth at the town’s summer festival.
All told we generated some 20,000 letters to the NEB, as well as other documentation. We sent so much material, one of the NEB fax machines burned out. It was a tough fight over several years, but in the end we won.
Just wringing our hands will accomplish nothing. However, with leadership, a com-prehension by the community of the personal implications, a plan that people can partici-pate in, and dialogue with police, there could be a significant push back against those who are destroying the lives of young people like Curly. This is not a total answer, but com-munity ownership could be an important first step.
Even in a community as small and close knit as Hedley BC, drugs are readily available and drug dealers are identified by residents.
A 8 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Similkameen Spotlight
The number one, sure fire, feel good, warm-your-cockles film of the twentieth century has got to be the 1950 gem Harvey, staring Jimmy Stewart and Josephine Hull, and based on the Pulitzer prize winning play by Mary Chase.
Take it to the bank, nothing brightens a gloomy or anxious day like a date with Harvey, a 6’ 4” invisible rabbit known as a Pooka.
The full version of the movie is available on YouTube for a mere $3.99. You will not be sorry.
The role of Elwood P. Dowd is the most quint-essential of Stewart’s career. Harvey contains no special effects, no car chases, and very little action.
It is mostly Dowd, wandering around his hometown in gentle, eccentric and sometimes slightly inebriated fash-ion, having conversa-tions with his best friend Harvey, whom nobody else can see.
It’s an odd but envi-able relationship that creates confusion and consternation for the people in Dowd’s life and there is much to glean about goodness, and priorities, and the right way to treat others.
One of Dowd’s char-acter defining habits – other than daily trips to the local tavern – is his insistence on hand-ing out business cards to people who don’t want them.
Each time he points to the card and explains: “If you want to call me, don’t call me at that number, that’s the old one. Call me at this other number here.”
That’s ridiculous right? Printing a busi-ness card with an old phone number on it?
Who would do any-thing like that?
As it turns out, most people have a little Elwood P. Dowd in them.
There lives a good example on one of
the computers at The Spotlight, which runs the design software used to produce the paper each week.
Something like three years ago the style sheets for various typefaces and sizes were updated, to give the paper a bit of a facelift. The person who set up the new system carefully created sheets for new body copy, new cutlines, new headlines and new bylines. To this day, right beside them, are sheets called “old” body copy, “old” cut-lines, et cetera.
The old style sheets are completely useless, somewhat ugly, and they often lead to font mix-ups on a production day.
The paper’s own Elwood just couldn’t throw them away and no one else in the office knows how to delete them.
Many years ago at the invitation of senior managers in my com-pany (invitation, insis-tence, you say tomato) I attended a series of seminars designed to hone organization skills.
This endeavor was optimistically labeled “Professional Development” but could also have been titled “A Complete Waste of the Shareholders’ Money.”
The one lesson that proved to be a worth-while take-away was an exercise involving keys. The presenter asked each of the 150 attend-ees to take the key rings from their pockets and purses and remove all of the keys that belonged to houses and apartments where they no longer lived, and vehicles they no longer owned.
The pile of keys accumulated on the cen-ter table was impressive. There were hundreds of keys handed over that day.
The facilitator said old key collecting was a regular part of his semi-nars, and while at one time he carried a satch-el of keys to each new course, he soon lost the ability to lift them all.
It’s entirely possible that today the aforemen-tioned organizational expert is a successful housebreaker and car thief. But he had a good point about how hard it is to let go.
A completely unre-lated aside: the only other course in the pro-gram that was at all memorable was called
something like “Time Management for the Professional Woman.”
Hung in for thirty minutes before feigning a delicate stomach con-dition and heading back to work.
After dropping the kids at day care, stop-ping at the office to send a few emails and fight-ing commuter traffic for 90 minutes it was mad-dening to hear the ses-sion leader introduce her topic by sharing that she had recently returned to the workplace after choosing to be a stay-
at-home Mom for her daughter, then eight-years-old. “I’m not here to judge anyone,” she condescended. “For me it was important to spend those most for-mative years with my child.”
Women and all parents need to stick together regardless of their choices and cir-cumstances.
Stay at home moth-ering or fathering is a great thing, and so is being a Mom or Dad who works outside the home.
If another woman expects to be heard on the issues of time man-agement for her gender, she needs to bring some-thing more to the table than guilt – like practical tips for removing baby spit up from a pair of dress pants while driv-ing a car, applying lip gloss and talking on the phone.
Ugh.Indeed, some feel-
ings are just hard to let go.
Think maybe a dose of Harvey is in order.
We all have something in common with Elwood Dowd
old dog new tricks
ANDREA DEMEER
“In this world, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” Elwood P. Dowd
A9 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Similkameen SpotlightNEWS
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HORIZON WEST REALTY
Andrea DeMeerSpotlight Staff
All year Princeton Posse coach Geoff Goodman has said: “this is about player development.”
He proved those were more than just words last week when – still with an outside chance to secure a playoff berth – he traded star goaltender Stephen Heslop to his former bench mates in Osoyoos.
“Yesterday was trade deadline day. Being eight points out, and being a realist and seeing where we are going we had to make some decisions,” he said in an interview with The Spotlight Monday.
Heslop was MVP last year in Princeton. He returned to the local squad this year, for personal reasons, after a brief stint playing Junior A hockey in Kelowna.
“The deal was just to try to give Stephen the opportunity to play for a championship and being a realist I didn’t think we would be able to give him that,” said Goodman.
“There is some interest in him to go to school and play NCAA and the more that he can play the more that he can show that he is a top level goalie,” said Goodman.
“Unfortunately because of our record we aren’t drawing a lot of attention. This will help him find the best spot...Yes it would be nice to use Stephen in the first round but maybe that’s as far as we go.”
The decision came on the heels of Heslop’s most remarkable Princeton performance, Saturday night against the Kamloops Storm. The veteran goaltender turned way 70 shots in a 1-1 tie.
“It’s something special when you’re in a game like that. It could easily have been a 71-save shut-out. It’s one of those times when the goalie is in the zone. He was square, he was calm, he wasn’t giving them much to shoot at and he was smothering every
rebound.”Goodman said to keep Heslop in Princeton would
be a “selfish” move. “After that game on Saturday there was an unbelievable amount of focus on him…We can’t be selfish. That’s not fair to the kid.”
Osoyoos also swept forward Drew Carter away from the Posse, with the promise that he will return to Princeton next year.
In return Princeton received Osyoos’ back up goaltender Adam Jones until the end of the season. “He’s a rookie in our league and we’re getting him on loan. We’re giving him an opportunity to play when he hasn’t been getting any ice time.”
As well, the Posse will bulk up with Jake Hryhoriw, a 6’5” defenseman. Also granted were “future considerations…There are going to be some other players who are going to come to us next sea-son, we just haven’t decided who that will be.”
In the final days of trading Austin Dean was sent to Grand Forks as he was “looking for another opportunity.”
With fourteen games left in the regular season Goodman believes the Posse has a decent chance on making the playoffs, though the team has to gain eight points on fourth-place North Okanagan.
While Princeton’s last win was an early Christmas present, against Summerland on December 16, the coach maintained “in the last month we’ve played the best hockey we’ve played all year. It just doesn’t show in the standings…The way the guys have been playing and how the guys are competing and focus-ing has been really, really good.”
The Posse’s annual awards night will be held Saturday February 20 at the Princeton Legion. Anyone interested in attending can contact the team on Facebook for more information.
The Town of Princeton’s recreation department has a num-ber of ways to keep those New Year’s reso-lutions about getting fit.
Beginning January 20 a beginner’s snow-shoe program is being offered at China Ridge Trails.
Ideal for anyone who enjoys walking or is interested in low impact exercise, the program runs for four Wednesdays and will take place on a marked course of less than 2 km.
Cost is $55 and snowshoe rentals are available. Registration is required by Monday January 18 at the Princeton Visitor Center, town hall, or email [email protected]
A “try it free” class is being offered January 14 for the Gentle Fit program running at the Riverside Community Center. The classes are lead by certified fit-ness instructor Sandee Watson who specializes in supporting individu-als with chronic pain,
disabilities, and those recovering from injury or surgery.
Posse passes on star goalie at trade deadline
Bob MarshPrinceton’s star goalie Stephen Heslop made 70 saves against the Kamloops Storm Saturday night. The following day he was traded to Osoyoos in a move to give the veteran goaltender an opportunity to showcase his talents for NCAA scouts.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BLACK PRESS COMMUNITY NEWS MEDIA
Take your first step to the international stage!Applications now being accepted for Miss Teen BC, Miss BC & Mrs BC!
To apply visit your community newspaper website and click on contests.
Lots of ways to keep resolutions
A 10 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Similkameen Spotlight
CAPRICORN: Get the facts before drawing any conclusions this week, Capricorn. Allow some time to assess a situation that has proven difficult to handle. Things may be more clear tomorrow.
AQUARIUS: A longtime friend may evolve into something more soon, Aquarius. A spark has always been there, and you might be ready to explore a new relationship.
PISCES: Pisces, don’t fret when plans are canceled at the last minute. Try to reschedule as soon as possible and make the most of your newfound free time.
ARIES: Aries, don’t be fooled by appearances. Sometimes there is more than meets the eye, and finding the truth beneath the surface can prove enlightening.
TAURUS: Taurus, use this week to experiment in the kitchen. You will benefit from exploring new cuisines you have long been wanting to try but have yet to prepare.
GEMINI: Gemini, now is a perfect time to explore social events that can expand your social circle. You have plenty of friends, but you can always benefit from meeting new people.
CANCER: Cancer, your creativity is at an all-time high. Take advantage of your inspiration and get involved in a special project. Embrace this opportunity to put your creative energy to use.
LEO: Leo, now is the time to explore a new hobby. Invite others to join you to make your exploration that much more rewarding. Afford this interest ample time to grow.
VIRGO: Virgo, seek situations that are peaceful and surround yourself with like-minded, mellow people. Enjoy the respite that relaxing atmospheres provide.
LIBRA: You need a confidence booster, Libra. Take action and seek ways to feel better about a situation that has been bothering you. This proactive approach may be all you need.
SCORPIO: You may seem like you aren’t able to get ahead in your career, Scorpio. But it could be that you’re looking to advance too quickly. Be patient and allow your skills to grow.
SAGITTARIUS: Take credit for your ideas, Sagittarius. Remember to be humble, but don’t feel shy about expressing your pride in a job well done.
FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY
ARIES – Aries, practicality is a big part of your personality, but sometimes thinking through the reasons to do something over and over can be tedious. Let loose a little bit this week.
TAURUS –Taurus, expect to feel pulled in two directions this week. It’s a pivotal time at work, but in the same measure, you have much going on at home. Think things over carefully.
GEMINI – Gemini, you may find your energy levels unusually low this week, and your productivity may suffer as a result. Maybe someone else can energize you a bit and lend a helping hand.
CANCER – Cancer, you will get to your destination soon enough, but the trip may be a bit of a headache. Patience is essential this week; otherwise, you may give up prematurely.
LEO – Misinformation is spread-ing, so research everything to make informed decisions this week, Leo. It may help you avoid an expensive mistake down the line.
VIRGO – Virgo, you may have a wonderful time with family or friends this week, even if you are crunched for time. Savor the small moments as they come your way.
LIBRA – Libra, this is a good week to catch up on paperwork, filing or tedious tasks you have let fall by the wayside. Make use of the slow week to recharge.
SCORPIO – Scorpio, you will be missed as much as you miss another person this week. Wait out this separation a little while longer, keeping in mind that your reunion is on its way.
SAGITTARIUS – Do whatever you need to do to rejuvenate your spirit, Sagittarius. Spend some more time with friends and avoid prolonged solo activi-ties. Soon your motivation will return.
CAPRICORN – Capricorn, this may turn out to be a strange week, as you can’t seem to fully focus on anything. You may get frustrated at your inability to concentrate, but that focus will return soon.
AQUARIUS – Aquarius, if you become too wrapped up in busi-ness or personal obligations, take a step back and reevalu-ate your priorities. Some things need to be rearranged.
PISCES – Pisces, you are on a quest this week to find the per-fect gift for a friend. This person will appreciate your efforts, and your bond will only grow stron-ger.
A 11 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Similkameen SpotlightTV GUIDE
If you have a “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down”, give us a call at 250-295-3535 or drop by the
Spotlight at 282 Bridge Street.
THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN! Thumbs up to the Overwait-
ea Food Group for its plans to change brands in Princ-eton and convert Coopers to a Save On Foods. Every-one’s food dollar is going to stretch further!!!!!
It all starts January 29th!
Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A12TV GUIDE
ArtsSHIRLEY’S ART CLASSES:Wednesday & Thursday @ Riverside Center Call Shirley at 250-295-4076
GARDEN CLUB: Meets third Tuesday of every month, 1 PM, Seniors Branch 30. Call Doreen @ 250-295-1577
ARTS COUNCIL: Meets at Noon on the third Wednesday of the month. Everyone Welcome! Contact Marjorie Holland, Pres., 250-295-6718 or Joann Gabriel, Sec., 250-295-3361 for location. General meetings quarterly as announced.
BUNCHGRASS QUILTERSMeet 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month at the Riverside Centre from 10 - 3 p.m.. Everyone Welcome! Contact Sharon 250-295-4194 or Rosemary 250-295-6511
PRINCETON POTTERS GUILD, RIVERSIDE POTTERY STUDIO:Access to the potter’s wheel or hardwork, workshop op-portunities, group projects. Call Sue for more info or to join. 250-295-0527
PRINCETON TRADITIONAL MUSIC SOCIETY:The Princeton Traditional Music Society puts on the Traditional Music Festival each year in August, featur-ing traditional music from many places. The three-day festival is free and run entirely by volunteers. The 100+ musicians and dancers also offer their talents for free. If you would like to help out with the festival, please con-tact Jon or Rika @ 250-295-6010
Community:INTERESTED IN CHRISTIAN MEDITATION?For people who want to learn to pray with great sim-plicity, for people who would be willing to get to know Jesus who loves each of us immensely, for people who are at a dead end, for people who want to get to know them-selves, for people who want to make a new beginning! We can go to God together and it’s free! Call me: Fr. Harry Clarke at 250-295-3541.
PRINCETON MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES: 167 Vermilion Avenue [email protected]
WELCOME WAGON! Are you a new to Princeton? If so, we have information regarding local, civic, community services and facilities. We also have gifts for you from local merchants and busi-nesses. Call 1-866-856-8442
HOSPITAL AUXILIARY: Meets second Monday of every month, 1:00 p.m. Hos-pital Board Room. For info., Call Doreen @ 250-295-1577
PRINCETON and DISTRICT COMMUNITY SKILLS CENTRE SOCIETY:Meetings are held quarterly on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.
HEDLEY LIBRARY HOURS: A reminder that the Library is open every Thurs. from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at the OAPO Hall on Scott Ave.
Community:HEDLEY SENIORS’ CENTRE: 3rd Monday of every month regular general meetings - Everyone welcome. 2nd Sunday Pancake Breakfast, 8 am - 10 am. Daily Coffee & conversation 6:30 am to 8 am. Every Tuesday & Thursday exercise at 9 am.
SENIORS BRANCH #30 POT LUCK SUPPER: Last Friday of every month, 5:30 p.m. Seniors Centre. Members can invite a guest.
MEMBERS ONLY POOL TOURNAMENT: Last Tuesday of every month at the Senior’s Centre. 10:00 am
WHIST & CRIB: (Seniors Branch #30) 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month at 1 PM. Coffee & refreshments included. Everyone welcome.
VERMILION FORKS PRINCETON O.A.P.O. BR. #185: Regular meetings second Friday of every month at 2 p.m.. Pot luck supper every third Friday at 5:00 p.m.
SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING SESSIONS: Meetings will be held on the � rst and third Tuesday of every month. Call Arnie Powell at 250-295-6759 for more information.
LITTLE FOLKS NURSERY SCHOOL: Meetings are every third Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at LFNS. 250-295-3083
PRINCETON LEGION BRANCH #56: Reminds all veterans that the D.V.A. Now makes home visits. For more info. Phone 250-295-6060
JA SCHOOL & COMMUNITY GARDEN:New members invited to volunteer as “garden angels” attend committee meetings and garden their own plots. Phone Sandra 250-295-3779, Sharon 250-295-4080 or JAE School 250-295-6727
CINDY PAROLIN SAFE HOMES PROGRAM: Princeton and area, crisis intervention, emotional sup-port, information, legal strategies and safe shelter in cases of abuse against women in relationships. Call the 24 hour women’s crisis line at 250-295-8211 for con� -dential services.
MONDAY NIGHT BRIDGE:@ Riverside Centre 7 - 9:30. Knowledge of bridge nec-essary. Call Gail @ 250-295-0171
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN:If interested in attending, please call: Barb 250-295-4050 or Del 250-295-3266TOPS: (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) chapter meets at Riverside Wellness Centre every Thursday. Weigh-in-Time 8:30 AM Meeting 9:00–10:00 AM. For more information please contact Lynda 250- 295-3658 or Myrna 250-295-7272 Visit www.tops.org
HealthCOMPASSIONATE FRIENDS: Group helps bereaved parents. Will meet as needed. Call Shirley Haker at 250-295-3607. [email protected]
CRISIS LINE: You can call us 24 hours a day, everyday, and your call is con� dential and anonymous. The crisis line is 250-493-6622. Or call collect from locations within the South Okanagan Similkameen: 250-493-6622.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS:Meet Friday & Saturday In Tulameen at 7:30 p.m. at Li-brary call 250-295-7005
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Tuesdays @ 7:30 p.m. United Church. Contacts: Fred 250-295-7272 or Marena 250-295-7663 AL-ANON:Are you concerned about someone’s drinking? Contact Central Referral @1-604-688-1716
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Meets every Wednesday & Sunday at the Info Centre in Chamber Basement 7:00 P.M. Phone 1-877-234-5809
Club Notes:FREEMASONRY: FOR MEN OF GOOD CHARACTER:Freemasonry has been active in B.C. for over 130 years. It is a fraternity open to men of all races and religions. If you are of good character and want more information, please contact: The Secretary Similkameen Lodge #95A.F. & A.M. C/O Box 174Princeton, BC V0X 1W0
ROYAL PURPLE:Meetings � rst and third Tuesdays 7:30 PM, Princeton.
ELKS: Contact Chris at 250-295-3949.
PRINCETON PERFORMING ARTS: Meet � rst Tuesday of each month @ 7 p.m. in Riverside Theatre. Contact Derek @ 250-295-3037
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION: General meeting held on the third Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM.
GRANITE CREEK PRESERVATION SOCIETY: Meet the third Thursday of every month at 1:00 p.m. in the Princeton Museum Archive Room (upstairs). Every-one is welcome! There will be no meetings in July & Aug.
PRINCETON LADIES AUXILIARY LEGION BRANCH 56: Meet 2nd Tuesday of the month @ Legion Hall at 7:00 p.m.
HEDLEY MUSEUM:General Meeting, meets the 2nd Monday of each month. 6 p.m. @ The Hedley Museum
THE PRINCETON RIFLE AND REVOLVER CLUB: INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE Juniors & Seniors meet at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the Family Centre (behind the legion). Phone 250-295-6150.
VERMILION FORKS FIELD NATURALISTS:Group meets second Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. at the Riverside Centre. Public welcome.
OTTER VALLEY FISH & GAME:Meetings 3rd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Club House.
Club Notes:
VERMILION TRAILS SOCIETY:Meets at the Chamber Basement on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. For more info: Contact [email protected] New Members welcome!
PXA MEETING: Held on the third Tuesday of each month. 7 p.m., at the Princeton PXA Grounds. New Members welcome!
PRINCETON FISH & GAME:Princeton Fish and Game Association, meet the second Wednesday of the Month at the Princeton Library, con-tact Al Lay 250-295-0250.
PRINCETON & DISTRICT FALL FAIR ASSOCIATION:Meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the of� ce at the PXA Grounds at 6:30 p.m.
PRINCETON ROTARY CLUB:Meets every Wednesday @ 6 p.m. Heartland Restaurant (dining room). For more info. Call Judy @ 250-295-0217. New members welcome!
COPPERHILL LANES:YBC Bowling Saturday 10 AM. Club 55. Mens, Ladies and Mixed bowling leagues. Call 250-295-6500 for more information.
SPECIAL “O” BOARD;Meets 3rd Tuesday of the month. Contact 250-295-7218 for meeting place & time.
LAPIDARY PRINCETON’S ROCK & FOSSIL CLUB:Meetings held third Tuesday of the month. 7:00 p.m. Riverside Centre. Call Franz Hofer @ 250-295-3896 for more info. New members welcome!
PRINCETON COMMUNITY BAND:Meets Mondays and Thursdays 6 p.m. in the PSS Band Room. New musicians welcome!
PRINCETON CURLING CLUB:Leagues start Oct. 20th. Mon - mixed, Wed - Ladies, Thurs - Day League. www.princetoncurlingclub.com or 250-295-6400
RECREATIONAL BADMINTON:Mondays at 8:00 pm at PSS gym, beginners welcome. Adult & Juniors (age 12+)
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU:Mondays & Thursdays, 7:00 pm at the Princeton Baptist Church. Contact Kyle 250-295-5489
YouthGIRL GUIDES OF CANADA:Contact: Carol Mack 250-295-7085
PRINCETON MINOR HOCKEY:Lori Gullison 250-295-3977
SIMILKAMEEN (JKA) SHOTOKAN KARATE CLUB: 250-295-3909 or 250-295-7374
PRINCETON FAMILY SERVICES SOCIETY : FAMILY PLACE 120 Kenley Ave. open Tues., Wed., and Thurs. 11- 2. (Pre-natal) 11 -12 Moms help prepare and enjoy lunch together.
THE SPOTLIGHT COMMUNITY CALENDAR
HELP US KEEP THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
UP TO DATE.Please remember to check your listing in the
Spotlight Community Calendar.If changes to your listing are needed,
Across from Arena - Old Hedley Road Family Worship
10:00 am
250-295-7752
St. Paul’s United Anglican Church
January 3rd - No Service
O� ce: 250-295-7714 WORSHIP - 10:00 AM
190 - 1st AvenueEveryone Welcome
Living Water Community Church38 Kenley Avenue
10:30 AM Morning WorshipPastor Jason Neu� eldKids Club Fridays @ 6Youth Fridays @ 7:30
Tel: 250-295-7733
Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A13 NEWS
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Services & Installation
LINCOLN HEATING Inc.a name you can trust
TOM REICHERT RENTALSBox 1C #2 Tulameen, BC V0X 2L0 Phone 250-295-7329 Fax 250-295-7395Specializing in: Cement Finishing Damp Proofi ng & Forms
The Similkameen Spotlight Wednesday, January 13, 2016 www.similkameenspotlight.com A15
Thank You
We would like to thank everyone who came to celebrate our 60th anniversary with us. We would also like to thank our daughters
Cindy and Jody and a special thanks to Jaymie and David
Atkinson for hosting the party.
- Danny and Beryl Mullen
In LovingMemoryJOHN GIBSON
March 8, 1920 – January 7, 2013JEAN GIBSON
March 24, 1928 - January 3, 2014BOB GIBSON
January 14, 1950 – January 23, 2006~~~~
You can shed tears that we are gone, or you can smile because we lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that we come back, or you can open your eyes and see all that we have left.
You heart can be empty because you can’t see us, or you can be full of the love we shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember us and only that we are gone, or you can cherish our memory and let it live on.
You can cry and be empty or you can do what we’d want,Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
In loving Memory ~ The Gibson Families
KIRBY
NOEL JAMES Dec. 28, 1931- Dec. 22, 2015
It is with great sadness that the family of Noel James Kirby of Kamloops, BC announces his sudden passing in Hinton, Alberta on December 22, 2015 at the age of 83 years. Left to mourn his passing and remember him lovingly is his family; beloved wife of 62 years, Lorraine of Kamloops, BC and their children, Diane (Pierre) Dion of 100 Mile House, BC, Keith (Bev) Kirby of Quesnel, BC, Debbie (Andrew) Corless of Hinton, AB, Jim Kirby of 100 Mile House, BC. Noel also leaves behind his beloved 6 grandson’s and 5 great grandchildren, two sisters, Betty Dobie, Sheila (Jack) Young and brother, George (Shirley) Kirby, sisters in law, Shirley DeBiasio and Irene Kirby, several nieces, nephews and many treasured friends. Noel was predeceased by his parents, Luke and Elizabeth Kirby, brother, Luke and sister, Nikki. In keeping with Noel’s wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be a Celebration of Life at a later date. The family suggests that if desired, a donation can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 729 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2B5 in Noel Kirby’s memory. To leave a condolence for the family online, please visit our website at www.mountainrose.ca.
Monthly Rentals:• Fully furnished and includes utilities.
CANADA BENEFIT Group - Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888-511-2250 or www.canada-benefi t.ca/free-assessment
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
Children
Daycare Centers
LICENSED FAMILY DAYCARE
Little League Day Care for children ages 1 to 12.
Call to set up an interview.23 Years experience
250-295-3493 Yvonne
Employment
Business Opportunities
GET FREE vending machines can earn $100,000 + per year. All cash-locations provided. Protected Territories. Interest free fi nancing. Full details call now 1-866-668-6629 website www.tcvend.com
HIP OR knee replacement? Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/Dress-ing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund. Apply Today For As-sistance: 1-844-453-5372.
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!
Education/Trade Schools
HEALTHCARE DOCUMEN-TATION Specialists in huge demand. Employers prefer CanScribe graduates. A great work-from-home career! Con-tact us now to start your train-ing day. www.canscribe.com. 1-800-466-1535 or email to: [email protected].
INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT SCHOOL. Hands-On Tasks. Start Weekly. GPS Training!
Funding & Housing Avail! Job Aid! Already a HEO?
Get certifi cation proof.Call 1-866-399-3853 or go to:
iheschool.com
START A new career in Graphic Arts, Healthcare, Business, Education or Infor-mation Tech. If you have a GED, call: 855-670-9765
Services
Financial ServicesTAX FREE MONEY
is available, if you are a homeowner, today! We can easily approve you by phone. 1st, 2nd or 3rd mort-gage 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
Business/Offi ce Service
HAVE YOU been denied Canada Pension Plan disability benefi ts? The Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic can help you appeal. Call 1-877-793-3222 or visit www.dcac.ca [email protected]
Anniversaries Anniversaries
WWW.PAINTSPECIAL.COM (1) 250-899-3163
3 Rooms For $2992 Coats Any Colour
(Ceiling & Trim extra)Price incls. Cloverdale High
Performance Paint. NO PAYMENT,until job is completed!
PlumbingFULL 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.
Merchandise for Sale
Heavy Duty Machinery
A-CHEAP, LOWEST PRICES STEEL SHIPPING Dry Storage Containers Used 20’40’45’53’ and insulated con-tainers all sizes in stock. 40’ containers as low as $2,200DMG. Huge freezers. Experienced wood carvers needed, full time. Ph Toll free 24 hours 1-866-528-7108 or 1-778-298-3192 8am-5pm. De-livery BC and AB www.rtccon-tainer.com
Misc. for SaleREFORESTATION NUR-SERY seedlings of hardy trees, shrubs, & berries for shelterbelts or landscaping. Spruce & Pine from $0.99/tree. Free Shipping. Replacement guarantee. Call 1-866-873-3846 or visit www.treetime.ca
SAWMILLS FROM only $4,397 - make money & save money with your own bandmill - Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info & DVD: www.NorwoodSaw-mills.com/400OT 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT.
Misc. WantedCoin Collector Looking to BuyCollections, Olympic Gold &Silver Coins, Loose, Sets, etcChad: 1-250-499-0251 Local
1 & 2 Bdrm apartments in new building. Close to trail & river. Twin River 223 Burton Ave., F/S, cats OK, starting @ $700/month + utilities. 604-783-7020 or 604-721-4234
Apartments for rent in Prince-ton, available now. Level ac-cess in a quiet building. Need excellent references & D.D. No pets, can furnish if needed. Rents start at $500.00 month. Phone 1-250-295-1006 for de-tails or leave a message with the best time to call back.
Homes for Rent2bdrm (plus small offi ce) on river in town, wood burning stove, new fridge, stove, washer, dryer, heat pump, nice yard, alley access, $995, avail. now, 250-295-7635, [email protected]. Utilities average $58/mo.
3 bdrm home on 3rd Bench fenced yard, f/s,w/d, no stairs, baseboard heat with wood stove. Parking for 2-vehicles, attached 25’x35’ shop, $950/mo +util. Call 250-295-7827. Evenings
3+ bedroom house next to golf course, wood stove, large yard, $700 a month, 509-477-9504 or 250-295-3536
For Lease; Commercial space for lease. 1500 square feet. 20ft ceilings, overhead door, small offi ce. $800.00/month. Day time call 604-877-1599 & Night time call 604-298-1948.
Like new view home on acreage. Quiet main fl oor suite. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath-rooms, jacuzzi tub and gas fi replace. All appliances, laun-dry and utilities included. $950/month 250-295-3966
In Memoriam In Memoriam
Obituaries Obituaries Obituaries
Newly renovated 2 bdrm home for rent in Princeton, N/S, references required, fully fenced yard, F/S W/D. 250-295-6449 or 250-295-8504
Suites, Upper3 Bedroom Upper Suite for rent, 3.5 year old home. Por-celain and laminate fl ooring. All appliances. Smoking ok outside. Cats are ok. Located on Allison Flats. View of river. $950/mo+ util., Avail. Jan. 15, Call 250-295-1775
Self-serve: blackpressused.ca Career ads: localworkbc.ca
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A division of
Adopt a Shelter Cat!The BC SPCA cares for thousands oforphaned and abandoned cats each year.If you can give a homeless cat a secondchance at happiness, please visit yourlocal shelter today.
www.spca.bc.ca
Find it in the classifieds
Shopping For A New Car?
A 16 www.similkameenspotlight.com Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Similkameen SpotlightNEWS
DRIVE AWAY WITHOUT PAYING*
$0DOWN
PAYMENT
$0FIRST TWO
BI-WEEKLY PAYMENTS
$0SECURITYDEPOSIT
$0DUE ON
DELIVERY
2016 SIERRA 1500 2016 CANYON 2016 ACADIA 2016 TERRAIN
2015 SIERRA 2500HDDOUBLE CAB SLE 4X4
2500HD SLE 4X4 SHOWN
2015 SIERRA 1500 DOUBLE CAB SLE 4X4
DOUBLE CAB SLE 4X4 4SA MODEL SHOWN
2015 CLEAROUT! GREAT OFFERS ON REMAINING 2015s
ON 2016 LEASE PURCHASES
SLE-1 AWD MODEL SHOWN
2016 TERRAIN SLE-1 AWD
BI-WEEKLY LEASE OFFER
@$182FOR 48 MONTHS
0.9%LEASE RATE
DOWNPAYMENT$0
BASED ON A LEASE PURCHASE PRICE OF $31,010††
IN TOTAL VALUE ON OTHER MODELS‡ (INCLUDES $1,000 LOYALTY CASH¥)
$10,380UP TO
0% 84PURCHASEFINANCING
MONTHS ONSELECT 2015 MODELS^
FORUP TO OR
IN TOTAL VALUE ON OTHER MODELS†
(INCLUDES $1,000 LOYALTY CASH¥)
$12,0000% 84PURCHASEFINANCING
MONTHS ONSELECT 2015 MODELS^
FORUP TO OR
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 lease of a 2016 Terrain SLE-1 AWD (3SA), and purchase or fi nance of a 2015 Sierra 1500 Double/Crew Cab and Sierra 2500HD. License, insurance, registration, administration fees, dealer fees, PPSA and taxes not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time offers which may not be combined with other offers, and are subject to change without notice. Offers apply to qualifi ed retail customers in BC GMC Dealer Marketing Association area only. Dealer order or trade may be required. †† Lease based on a purchase price of $31,010, including $670 Loyalty Cash (tax exclusive) for a new eligible 2016 Terrain SLE-1 AWD (3SA). Bi-weekly payment is $182 for 48 months at 0.9% APR, on approved credit to qualifi ed retail customers by GM Financial. Annual kilometre limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometre. $0 down payment and a $0 security deposit is required. Payment may vary depending on down payment or trade. Total obligation is $18,912, plus applicable taxes. Option to purchase at lease end is $12,886. Price and total obligation exclude license, insurance, registration, taxes and optional equipment. Other lease options are available. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited-time offer, which may not be combined with other offers. See your dealer for conditions and details. General Motors of Canada Company reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. * Offer valid to eligible retail lessees in Canada who have entered into a lease agreement with GM Financial and accept delivery between January 5 and February 1, 2016, of a new or demonstrator 2016 model year GMC model excluding Canyon 2SA. General Motors of Canada will pay two biweekly lease payments as defi ned on the lease agreement (inclusive of taxes and any applicable pro-rata amount normally due at lease delivery as defi ned on the lease agreement). After the fi rst two biweekly payments, lessee will be required to make all remaining scheduled payments over the remaining term of the lease agreement. PPSA/RDPRM is not due. Consumer may be required to pay dealer fees. Insurance, license and applicable taxes not included. Additional conditions and limitations apply. GM reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time without prior notice. See dealer for details. ^ Offer available to qualifi ed retail customers in Canada for vehicles delivered between January 5 and February 1, 2016. 0% purchase fi nancing offered on approved credit by TD Auto Finance Services, Scotiabank® or RBC Royal Bank for 84 months on select new or demonstrator 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab 2WD 1SA / Crew Cab 2WD 1SA and Sierra HD’s 1SA 2WD with gas engine. Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders will vary. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Example: $45,000 at 0% APR, the monthly payment is $535.71 for 84 months. Cost of borrowing is $0, total obligation is $45,000. Offer is unconditionally interest-free. Freight, air tax ($100, if applicable) included. License, insurance, registration, PPSA/movable property registry fees, applicable taxes and dealer fees not included. Dealers may sell for less. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. GMCL may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. † $12,000 is a combined total credit consisting of $1,000 Loyalty Cash (tax inclusive) and a $11,000 manufacturer to dealer cash credit (tax exclusive) for a 2015 2015 Sierra HD gas models (excluding 1SA 4x2), which is available for cash purchases only and cannot be combined with special lease and fi nance rates. By selecting lease or fi nance offers, consumers are foregoing this $11,000 credit which will result in higher effective interest rates. Discounts vary by model. ‡ $10,380 is a combined total credit consisting of a $3,000 manufacturer-to-dealer delivery credit (tax exclusive) $5,195 Cash Credit (tax exclusive) available on 2015 GMC Sierra Double Cab 1SA 4WD models, $1,000 Owner Cash (tax inclusive), $750 manufacturer-to-dealer Elevation Package Discount Credit (tax exclusive) for 2015 Sierra 1SA Elevation Edition with 5.3L Engine and a $435 manufacturer-to-dealer cash credit (tax exclusive) on any 2015 GMC Sierra Elevation Double Cab AWD with a 5.3L engine, which is available for cash purchases only and cannot be combined with special lease and fi nance rates. By selecting lease or fi nance offers, consumers are foregoing this $5,630 credit, which will result in higher effective interest rates. Discounts vary by model. ¥ Offer applies to eligible current owners or lessees of any model year 1999 or newer car that has been registered and insured in Canada in the customer’s name for the previous consecutive six (6) months. Credit valid towards the retail purchase or lease of one eligible 2015 or 2016 model year GMC SUV, crossover and pickups models delivered in Canada between January 5 and February 1, 2016. Credit is a manufacturer to consumer incentive (tax inclusive) and credit value depends on model purchased: $750 credit available on eligible GMC vehicles (except Canyon 2SA, Sierra 1500 and HD); $1,000 credit available on all GMC Sierra models. Offer is transferable to a family member living within the same household (proof of address required). As part of the transaction, dealer may request documentation and contact General Motors of Canada Company to verify eligibility. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. Certain limitations or conditions apply. Void where prohibited. See your GM Canada dealer for details. GM Canada reserves the right to amend or terminate offers for any reason in whole or in part at any time without prior notice.
BCGMCDEALERS.CAENDS FEBRUARY 1ST
Call Gardner Chevrolet Buick GMC at 604-869-9511,or visit us at 945 Water Avenue, Hope. [License #7287]
Call Murray Buick GMC Penticton at 250-493-7121,or visit us at 1010 Westminster Avenue West. [License #31223]
Better Business BureauVANCOUVER, BC - North America is
in a lottery frenzy. And why wouldn’t it be? The current Powerball Lottery jackpot sits at an astonishing $1.98 billion Canadian and continues to grow. At this point it is the larg-est jackpot in history for any lottery around the world and Canadians are flocking south of the border and online to buy the dream.
While the thought of winning enough money to buy a small country seems over-whelmingly enticing, there are things that Canadians need to know before handing over some cash. Yes, Canadians are allowed to play US lotteries but bear in mind, US winnings are subject to US taxes. Canadian lotteries by comparison are small, but tax free. The biggest problem is that the United
States has no current rules or regulations around third party online lottery ticket sales to foreigners.
“The concern from our point of view is selling lottery tickets online is illegal in most US states, so what companies have done is set up a concierge service where Canadians pay for tickets and an employee technically goes out and buys your ticket for you,” says Evan Kelly, Senior Communications Advisor for BBB serving Mainland BC. “You simply have to trust they are doing this, add to the fact that winning is so remote that in effect you’re just handing someone your money and credit card information. You still don’t get a hard copy of the ticket, unless presumably if you win. Given the amount of online scams these days, this seems like one that would be
very easy to set up and a simple way to col-lect a lot of personal information. All we are saying is be careful.”
BBB has these tips if you choose to buy online lottery tickets:
Do your research. Look for legitimate online ticket sales, read user reviews.
Social Insurance Number. While many sites ask for home address and credit card information, they should have no reason to ask for your SIN.
Use a secure website. When buying any-thing online look for the https:// and lock icon in the url, the ‘s’ means secure.
Make sure your PC is up to date. If you happen to fall victim to a fake lotto site, make sure your computer has the latest update to anti-virus software.
Head south of the border. If you really want to play and can manage it, drive south of the border and buy them in person.
Don’t bet the farm. Understand that win-ning a lottery like this is extrordinarily remote, so don’t spend a lot of money. The chances of winning are nearly 1 in 300,000,000. Statistics say you have a 25x better chance of becoming President of the United States.
Foreign lottery scams are all over the place. The ususal modus operandi is you are contacted by someone about a lottery win but you must pay a fee first to release the money. Often the victims have never entered a contest.
