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Local RCMP Stun Gun Control

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:02 -0700

After what it calls, "soft physical control," failed to subdue an alleged intoxicated and suicidal man, the Fort St. John RCMP says it was forced to use a Conductive Energy Weapon early today, before he was apprehended and taken to hospital.

The police investigation began about 11.30 last night, when a man's ex-wife provided voice mail messages, text messages, and documents to police, to support her concerns he intended to harm himself.

Shortly before two o'clock this morning police then located a suspect and his vehicle, at the Looney Tunes Night Club.

He was arrested under a section of the Mental Health Act after he refused to leave the bar.

However, according to a police release he became actively resistant, and he was taken to the ground by arresting officers using, "soft physical control."

The release goes on to say he continued to resist arrest, and the Conductive Energy Weapon...in touch stun mode...was used, after he attempted to kick the arresting officers.

At that point he was placed in handcuffs, and despite still resisting arrest, he was controlled and escorted to a police vehicle without anyone being injured.

He was then taken to Fort St. John hospital, where he was admitted after a medical assessment.

Police say at this time charges are not being recommended.

Local kids ignite hope for green change

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:27:01 -0700

Photos: Hundreds of children take part in the 'Be the Change' event on Thursday night - Christine Rumleskie/Energeticcity.ca

By Christine Rumleskie

Hundreds of Fort St. John kids used the power of song in hopes of changing the minds of adults in the community.

It was all to kick start the City's green initiative called 'Be the Change'.

City staff, activists, kids and parents attended the event held at the North Peace Cultural Centre on Thursday night.

Tzeporah Berman was the keynote speaker, beginning the night reinforcing the need for change, but ending with an uplifting message of hope.

She says even an oil and gas-based city, like Fort St. John, can become environmentally sustainable.

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Berman has been named "one of the most prominent environmentalists in Canada" by the Globe and Mail. She also appeared in Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary, The 11th Hour. She's now heading to Amsterdam, to help Greenpeace spearhead a global environmental movement.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bruce Lantz says he hopes the event sparks small changes in residents and even large corporations.

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The City is holding an information session on the official Community Energy and Emissions Plan on Friday night.

The plan is all in an effort to reduce Fort St. John's carbon emissions by 12% by 2030.

The adult-oriented event will be held at the Whole Wheat and Honey Cafe starting at 7:00 p.m.

Bathroom fire at Dr. Kearny School

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:35:36 -0700

By Energeticcity.ca staff

The Fort St. John Fire Department extinguished a small fire at the Dr. Kearny Junior High School on Thursday.

The fire occurred in the girl’s washroom, but officers with the Fort St. John RCMP report that there was very little damage to the facility.

All students exited the building in a timely manner with no injuries.

Officers are investigating what caused the fire, and have no suspects or witnesses.

Anyone with information can call the Fort St. John RCMP Detachment at 250-787-8140.

If you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.crimestoppersfsj.ca

Charlie Lake Fire Department budget reviewed

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:04:48 -0700

By Christine Rumleskie

A proposed $100,000 increase to the Charlie Lake Fire Department's budget has been denied by the Peace River Regional District.

During the first reading of the PRRD's 2010 budget on Thursday, the board amended a few lines in the Fire Departments budget, including the addition of one paid firefighter to the fire hall.

Area directors held a meeting in February, to gauge public interest on hiring a new firefighter.

Director of Area 'C' Arthur Hadland says there was little interest in the idea.

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After the meeting, the Charlie Lake/Grandhaven Fire Protection Society met with directors to discuss the budget. Hadland voted against the motion to increase the 2010 budget.

But Director of Area 'B', Karen Goodings says she has a different perspective of the proposal.

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The fire hall currently operates on a volunteer basis, but has been having trouble recruiting volunteer firefighters.

The fire chief is currently the only paid employee at the fire hall, making around $100,000 per year.

Police investigate 'suspicious' individuals in Taylor

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:44:12 -0700

By Jon Zacks

Police are saying it may be a false alarm, after reports of a suspicious man was observed in Taylor.

Constable Jackelynn Passarell, of the Fort St. John RCMP, confirms that police received seperate reports on Sunday and Monday, both of which raised concerns for children in the area.

She says the Sunday incident began when a man approached a young female in Taylor, to make inquiries about puchasing her dog. The girl's mother was on hand, and feeling the incident was suspicious, reported it to police. However, after attending the scene, and speaking with all of the parties involved, the police determined that the man was genuinely interested in the dog, and there was no cause for concern.

Constable Passarell says police received another call on Monday, related to a suspicious vehicle near the Taylor School. She says police have followed up on the second incident, and will continue to do so, but at this point, feel there is no cause for concern. Passarell also stresses that the two incidents appear unrelated.

Passarell does say, that parents and students should continue to be vigilent.

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Farmers Advocate Office put on hold

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:57:01 -0700

Photo: Director Arthur Hadland discusses the Farmers Advocate Office at the PRRD meeting on Thursday - Christine Rumleskie/Energeticcity.ca

By Christine Rumleskie

If they haven't already, landowners in the Peace Region should stop holding their breath for a Farmers Advocate office.

The news comes on the heels of a heated debate at the Peace River Regional District meeting on Thursday.

Two consulting firms had been candidates to operate the Farmers Advocate Office, for a trial period of 18 months. The South Peace office would have cost the PRRD $240,000, half of which would have been provided by the province.

Naturally, PRRD Director Mike Bernier is in favor of the location.

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The Farmers Advocate Office is now eight years in the making, and is supposed to be a resource for property owners in the Peace. For instance, if a landowner has a concern about oil and gas companies operating on their property, the Advocate Office would give the landowner the tools and information needed to address the problem.

Director Arthur Hadland says while there's still room for improvement on the proposal, the Advocate Office is much needed, especially in the South Peace.

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But the issue that concerned many directors was a potential conflict of interest. One company that applied to operate the Advocate Office does consultation work involving oil and gas companies.

The board tabled the motion, and later had the companies confirm that they would continue their outbound work, all while running the independent office.

That decision swayed most directors to defeat the motion on the table, and come back with another plan of action. Directors Hadland, Mike Bernier and Lyman Clarke were the only directors that voted in favor of the motion.

Reiki for Women - Sunday, March 14, 2-4pm

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:04:56 -0700

Fort St. John Women's Resource Society

Parents Eye View Photo Contest!

npcrs — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:27:11 -0700

North Peace Community Resources Society

Fish Creek Community Forest Improvements

cityfsj — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:44:00 -0700

The City of Fort St. John has received a grant to improve the safety and usability of the trails in the Community Forest. Stage one of the work is the removal of hazardous trees along all of the trails within the Community Forest. The contractor is removing any hazards within a 30 metre range of the trails, and will be chipping the trees that are felled and re-introducing the chips back to the forest floor. This stage of the project will be ongoing until the end of March 2010. In May, both coniferous and deciduous seedlings will be planted in the forest to replace the trees that were cut down.

As part of this project, the City will also be improving the signage in the Community Forest, installing more garbage cans and picnic tables, replacing the decking on the bridges and repairing some of the wooden stairways on the trail system. These projects will take place later this spring.

While we are working on these upgrades, please obey all signs posted for your safety.

For more information, please call the Public Works Department at 250.787.8173

City of Fort St. John Blog

WorkSafe BC 2009 Penalty Record

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:30:01 -0700

The 2009 Penalty Report of Worksafe BC has confirmed a record total penalty amount was imposed last year, for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Workers Compensation Act.

The total was just over $4,465,000, breaking the previous 2007 record of just over $4,256,000.

The record was established even though the 211 of penalties imposed last year was less, than the 2007 total of 221.

190 employers were penalized in 2009, and the individual penalties ranged from $1,250.

Hardest hit was Canadian Natural Resources Limited for an incident in which a "young worker"...classified as those between 15 and 24 years of age...fell from a drilling rig platform, engulfed in flames, following an uncontrolled gas release.

WorkSafe ruled the company failed to ensure the health and safety of the on-site workers.

It said in particular, it failed to analyze the risks arising from work activities, and to implement safe work procedures as required under the aforementioned Regulation.

The report also says 67 industry classifications were represented by the employers hit with penalties.

However, the five construction-related classifications accounted for nearly 59 percent of the total.

A complete list of the 2009 penalties and additional background information is posted online at {WorkSafeBC.com/news_room}.

Royalty Credit Program Changes

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:35:55 -0700

The Campbell government has announced a 120 million dollar top-up to the province's royalty credit program, to encourage year-round development in the oil and gas sector.

The Liberals are calling it an incentive, but the NDP opposition takes a much different view.

While admitting the energy industry here in the Northeast is a main driver of provincial economic growth, New Democrat Energy critic John Horgan calls the government royalty adjustment, a flatout subsidy to big oil and gas companies...

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However, Energy Minister Blair Lekstrom counters, every dollar invested in the royalty credit program generates a return of two dollars and fifty cents...

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Mr. Lekstrom also argues BC is in a world-wide competition for oil and gas industry business...and that noted, yesterday's announcement came just one day prior to the unveiling today of a new plan in Alberta.

It is expected to widely alter highly critcized royalty changes, which only became law at the beginning of last year.

Police investigating Highway 29 accident

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:35:54 -0700

By Christine Rumleskie

A single vehicle accident delayed traffic on Highway 29 for more than ten hours on Wednesday.

Constable Howard with the Hudson's Hope RCMP says officers were called to assist a tractor-trailer accident near the Ferrell Creek Bridge.

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Howard says the vehicle was carrying well-water and that the lone occupant of the vehicle didn't suffer any injuries.

She says police continue to investigate the accident.

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The road was re-opened late Wednesday night.

Weekly MP Report from Jay Hill

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:38:10 -0700

MP Report by Jay Hill, M.P.

“Budget 2010 Balances Fiscal Responsibility and Job Creation”

For the majority of taxpayers in Prince George-Peace River, last week’s federal budget “got it right”… at the right time.

While it’s an opinion shared by many Canadians, responsible management of the nation’s finances has always been one of the very highest priorities among residents in our region. The need to ‘get a grip’ on the national debt is one of the reasons I entered politics.

Yet, the unprecedented global economic downturn that began in 2008 demanded equally unprecedented, urgent action. And in last year’s federal budget, our Conservative Government launched the Economic Action Plan, a two-year plan to stimulate our economy, protect Canadians hit hardest by the global recession and invest in our future growth.

Over the past year, we implemented the first phase of this stimulus plan, on schedule, as promised. That plan has helped protect existing jobs and create new jobs. It is stimulating economic growth now, while building the infrastructure Canada needs for long-term economic growth.

In the second phase of our Economic Action Plan we will invest almost $20 billion

this year to stimulate economy activity, create and protect jobs, and solidify the

economic recovery. We will complete thousands of stimulus projects, putting Canadians to work building roads, bridges, water and sewer systems across the country. We will continue to reduce taxes on businesses to encourage private sector investment and job creation. We will continue to invest in workers, training and youth employment.

Locally, forestry workers welcomed the Budget’s extension of current or recently-expired Worksharing Agreements by 26 weeks. Our area’s communities will benefit from an additional $14.7-million per year for Western Economic Diversification and $11-million per year for the Community Futures.

Single parent families will benefit from changes to Universal Child Care Benefit. The New Horizons for Seniors Program will receive $10-million over two years.

BUT…we know that the other extraordinary federal spending demanded by the recession cannot continue indefinitely. That’s why Budget 2010 includes a very detailed deficit-fighting three-point plan to return to the balanced budgets I know that my constituents and most Canadians want.

First, we will end stimulus spending as planned with the Economic Action Plan’s temporary measures winding down by March 31, 2011.

Second, we will restrain spending through targeted measures, such as freezing the salaries of the Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs and Senators and the budgets of Ministers’ offices. We will also freeze department’s operating budgets – the money government spends on wages and administration.

And third, we will undertake a comprehensive review of government administrative functions and overhead costs. Overall, this plan will cut the deficit nearly in half in just two years, and cut it by two-thirds in three years.

We will NOT raise taxes and we will NOT cut spending on essential public services such as health care, post-secondary education and other social services. Total federal transfers to British Columbia will hit $6.3-billion in 2010-11. That’s $1.3-million more than the old Liberal Government transferred to BC during their last year in office.

And there’s more good to this budget …the Liberals will allow it to pass, sparing election-weary Canadians another trip to the polls!

Local residents pushing for kidney awareness

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:48:02 -0700

By Christine Rumleskie

A provincial organization wants to raise awareness about a 'secret' disease.

The BC Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada recently got Fort St. John City Council to proclaim March as Kidney Health Month.

While there's no kidney chapter currently in the city, Communications Manager Pauline Buck says she anticipates one will open within the year.

She says when it does, it will expand opportunities to promote kidney health. And she says that's important, noting that Kidney disease can be called a 'secret disease' because many symptoms don't show up until the kidneys are pretty much destroyed.

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Fort St. John boasts the Northeast's only Regional Hemodialysis Community Clinic. Around 15 patients routinely use the kidney dialysis clinic, three times a week.

Executive Director for the Hospital Foundation, Ashley Bentley, says the clinic is used by people from as far away as Fort Nelson.

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She says the B.C. Kidney Branch has donated $7,000 towards the Fort St. John dialysis clinic since 2006. The money goes towards things like patient-comfort items.

Registered Nurse Diana Sloan sees firsthand how the donations help patients. She works in the clinic and says it's hard to see so many people suffering, because Kidney Disease is preventable.

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She advises everyone who is at risk for the disease to get tested before it's too late. Those at the highest risk are those with diabetes.

Pauline Buck says canvassers will be going door-to-door during March, to collect money for the B.C. Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Update - Highway 29 closed due to vehicle accident

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:15:02 -0700

By Energeticcity.ca staff

Click here for an update on this story.

*Update 2: The Highway has just re-opened as of 4:50pm. The Hudson's Hope RCMP have told Energeticcity.ca that the Ferrell Creek Bridge is still down to single lane alternating traffic and should fully re-open at 8pm tonight. We are still waiting for more details about just what happened on the Bridge.

* Update: An RCMP spokesperson confirms traffic is being slowly being allowed through the scene, however, the wait time is unknown.

A motor-vehicle accident has forced the closure of Highway 29.

The highway is closed from Hudson's Hope to the junction of 97 near Fort St. John.

Drive BC estimates that the highway will reopen at 6:00 p.m.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

City wants you to 'Be the Change'

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:02:15 -0700

By Christine Rumleskie

Although there's still snow on the ground, the City is trying to make Fort St. John a little greener.

City staff is organizing two 'Be the Change Events', on Thursday and Friday.

City Manager Dianne Hunter and Mayor Bruce Lantz discussed the events on Moose FM's Issues and Answers on Wednesday morning.

Hunter says both the sessions and Fort St. John's newly created Community Energy Manager position, stem from the Community Energy Plan.

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Thursday's event will be the opportunity for the City to outline the Community Energy Plan to the public.

The evening will feature a musical performance by a choir of more than 100 local school children. Keynote speaker Tzeporah Berman, Founder of PowerUp Canada, will also headline the event.

Admission is free, and the show starts at 7:00 p.m at the North Peace Cultural Centre.

Mayor Lantz says it's important that Fort St. John take a stance on environmental change.

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On Friday, the City will be holding a musical event and information session at the Whole Wheat and Honey cafe.

Admission is to the event is free, and it starts at 7:00 p.m.

For more information on 'Be the Change', click here.

Dawson Creek RCMP responds to gun shots

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:23:23 -0700

By Energeticcity.ca staff

The Dawson Creek RCMP responded to a complaint of gun shots fired within the city on Wednesday morning.

Officers attended the scene in the area of 94th avenue and 15th street.

The investigation reveals that a 20 year old male had fired numerous shots before turning the gun on himself.

It's unknown at this time the condition of male.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this event to contact the RCMP at 250-784-3700.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Issues and Answers - Dianne Hunter, Bruce Lantz and Bill Vander Zalm

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:03:45 -0700

On this episode of Issues and Answers, Fort St. John City Manager Dianne Hunter discusses the upcoming 'Be the Change' Events. Mayor Bruce Lantz provides an update from City Hall. Anti-HST advocate Bill Vander Zalm talks about the upcoming HST protest at the Lido Theatre on Sunday. Click on the audio below to listen to the entire show. Tune into Moose FM on March 17th at 9:00 a.m. for the next installment of Issues and Answers.

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New diversity program hosting spring events

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:18:37 -0700

By Christine Rumleskie

A relatively new program is attempting to bridge diversity by bringing people of all races together.

The Welcoming and Inclusive Communities and Workplaces Program will be holding several events in Fort St. John during the upcoming months.

Leslie Oliver and Danielle Armstrong outlined the events at the Fort St. John City Council meeting on Monday afternoon.

Oliver says the group has planned a Spring Activity Fest for March 20th.

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The event will be held at the North Peace Secondary School's gym, from noon until 3:00 p.m. There will be outdoor relays, obstacle courses, cultural demonstrations and food ranging from Biriyani to Pambazos.

Armstrong says over the next couple of months, the WICWP will be holding a Knowledge Development and Exchange Conference and an Inclusive Workplaces Forum.

The WICWP is a joint initiative between the Province and the Federal Government.

For more information on the WICWP, click here.

Registration underway for Relay for Life

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:11:36 -0700

By Energeticcity.ca staff

The Relay for Life planning committee is looking for groups that are willing to participate in this year's event.

There are still opportunities to enter a team or join an existing one to help raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. The 12 hour non-competitive relay is an opportunity to get together and celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones, and fight back in the hope of finding a cure.

The relay will be held at the Dr. Kearney track from noon until midnight, on May 29th. For more information, contact Christine Whitford at (250)785-0903 or fortstjohnrelay@bc.cancer.ca

You can also visit the Relay for Life's website, by clicking here.