January

Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes says he’s sure that the federal government will survive the presentation of the budget on Jan. 27, by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Though the minority Conservative government could fall if the Opposition parties don’t endorse the document, Mayes says the party is putting forth a budget that is good for the country, the House, and the economy. If the non-confidence vote is successful, there could be an election, or the Governor General could allow the Opposition parties to form a coalition. Mayes doesn’t expect either scenario to occur.

Twenty take part in a polar swim on Jan. 1, after Observer photographer James Murray, clad in hipwaders, chops a hole in the ice for the brave wintertime swimmers.

The Churches of Salmon Arm Thrift Store enters its 44th year of operation, says manager Linda Menzies. The store is run by 13 member churches of all denominations, sells about 5,000 bags of goods per month, has nearly 200 core volunteers as well as nearly 20 permanent staff. Dropping off donations, as well as shopping for used goods, is part of the daily routine for many local residents. Funds raised go to help many local charities, as well as some out of town in remote areas like Bella Coola.

After losing their last game of ’08 to Vernon, the SilverBacks go on a winning streak, the first of the new year, coming out ahead of Trail and Westside. The first international hockey game is held at the Sunwave Centre when Salmon Arm plays Sweden’s U-17 team.

The Larch Hills Lantern Ski sets a festive scene when 200 kerosene lanterns light the trails in an old-fashioned cross-country recreational ski event that attracts 400 skiers. More than 100 lit candles also adorn the ski area during the event which raises over $500 for the food bank. 

The City of Salmon Arm adopts a heritage strategy, beginning with a registry of historic buildings. Consultant Robert Hobson tells city council on Jan. 26 that there is a passion for heritage and history in Salmon Arm. Hobson held public meetings and workshops with community members to determine goals in the strategy, that includes: establishing the city’s role in heritage conservation, preserving community heritage resources, incorporating heritage into community planning, and strengthening the downtown. A heritage trail network and interpretation program are also discussed.

Those with breathing difficulties, like asthma and reactive airways, and scent sensitivities, are pleased that a first reading is planned for a School District #83 scent-reduction policy. The policy is in place in all Interior Health facilities. Some reactions to scents can be serious, even life-threatening, explained IH Strategic Services Program Director, Linda Comazetto. school trustee Michel Saab is also supportive of the bill that would see scents reduced in public places that many people have to go to, like schools and hospitals.

 

February

SmartCentres representatives plan to come to town to discuss plans for the former Petty’s Meats property. Some local businesses send the City of Salmon Arm letters of support for a SmartCentres development.

Medical doctors report that imaging equipment is lacking at Shuswap Lake General Hospital. With only two X-ray rooms, SLGH is fifth in Interior Health for the amount of X-rays taken.

The need at the local food bank is up by 25 per cent, but donations are down. The poor economy is expected to be the cause, according to Dave Byers, community service co-ordinator. The number of clients needing the food bank, however, is on the rise. Protein, like good old ground beef, is the item on the top of Byers’ list of much-needed donations.

Salmon Arm Nordic skier Alysson Marshall is honoured with the Premier’s Athletic Award. Marshall is one of 102 athletes from 56 sports recognized. A photo and plaque of Marshall, and other winners, will be displayed in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and Museum for the year.

The local Okanagan College student union holds a gathering to raise awareness about student debt which has grown to $13 billion in Canada alone. Tuition at OC is $600 more than the provincial average, says a Canadian Federation of Students rep.

Some area landscapers and arborists ask city council for an exception to the new pesticides bylaw due to come into effect in March. One local arborist asks for an exemption based on the fact that he holds an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) certificate, as do many golf courses who are generally exempted from such bylaws restricting pesticide use.

Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes reports he is pleased that the Conservative budget is supported by the Liberals, who demand some amendments. Mayes says he stands by the budget, including the government going into the red. The budget calls for a 33.7 billion deficit in 2009/10 and one for $29.8 billion the following year.

The Salmar Association celebrates the Salmar Classic Theatre’s 60th birthday with a showing of It Came From The Third Dimension, the world’s largest 3D film festival. The single-screen theatre was built in 1949 by the Salmar Community Association. For the past 60 years, the association has invested profits back into the community to support arts, health care and education.

Six schools in the Shuswap will benefit from a nutritious new program that gives fresh B.C. fruit and veggies to students. Schools included are Shuswap Middle School, Sorrento Elementary, Eagle River Secondary, Grindrod Elementary, AL Fortune and M.V. Beattie. Food items include fresh organic apples, sugar snap peas, plums, blueberries, grapes, mini cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. Schools receive enough fresh produce for two weeks. The program began in 2005 and now involves 739 schools and over 220,000 students across B.C.

The Shuswap Hospital Foundation’s ER campaign raises an astonishing $250,000 in only two months. The funds will go toward priority equipment and furnishings for expanded ER facilities. The foundation’s goal is to raise over $900,000 for the ER.

March

Over half a million in government grants are awarded to Salmon Arm by the province. Shuswap MLA George Abbott visits council chambers to announce $501,643 in funds from the Strategic Community Investment Fund, Trees for Tomorrow, the Infrastructure Planning Grant, and the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program.

Roots and Blues Festival organizers urge summer tourists, local residents, and everyone else with a love of music to attend the famous Roots and Blues festival to be held Aug. 14 to 16. In its 17th year, the festival offers an amazing musical line up, along with attractions for children and adults.

Salmon Arm school trustee Michel Saab declares his candidacy for the Green Party in the May 12 Provincial election. Saab says the Greens’ concern for the environment is a top priority. Other candidates declared are incumbent Liberal George Abbott, NDP candidate Dale Townsend, and Conservative candidate Beryl Ludwig.

Meanwhile, the Smart Growth report nears completion by the Committee for a Strong, Sustainable Salmon Arm (CASSSA). The report will examine where residents live, how they shop, how they transport themselves around town, and look at the natural environment.

Potentially explosive pot-growing equipment is found near an Eagle Bay road in mid-March. Two 45-gallon drums and 20 five-gallon drums had likely contained rubbing alcohol that is used to turn marijuana trimmings into ‘weed oil.’

Ten local churches participate in the World Day of Prayer. The country chosen as the focus of the prayers is Papua, New Guinea. A developing country, New Guinea is fraught with violence and high unemployment. About 70 people in Salmon Arm gathered to pray for peace and opportunity for the needy country.

Shuswap Search and Rescue acquires a speedy new air boat to aid in rescue calls out on the water or ice. The boat can be used for ice rescue and will navigate low waters, as well, says Search manager Don Reed. The long-awaited boat will have a boarding ladder, a crane, searchlights, and eventually a radio, radar and GPS equipment.

Eight men are arrested in a cross-border drug smuggling operation. Two of the men are from the Shuswap area: a 35-year-old from Salmon Arm, and a 37-year-old from Malakwa. Two helicopters were also seized, along with over 80 kilograms of cocaine, 20 lbs of ecstasy, and 750 lbs of marijuana. The chopper was reportedly stolen from Gorge Timber in Malakwa.

Violinist Susan Aylard wins the 2009 Okanagan Music Award sponsored by the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan. Aylard has worked to promote arts in the Shuswap. She is a concertmaster with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and is first violinist for the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Aylard holds her bachelor of arts degree in Violin Performance, and plays with an all-women folk band, The Cats and the Fiddle.

Thanks to a Salmon Arm mother, girls in Salmon Arm Minor Hockey no longer have to change in an unsupervised referee’s room at the back of the Sunwave Centre without shower or ice access. Corrine Shykula-Ross filed a complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal on behalf of her daughter, against B.C. Minor Hockey and Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association, the Shuswap Recreation Society and the City of Salmon Arm. The two sides came to an agreement when the Shuswap Rec Society agreed to install a shower in Dressing Room #1. The complaint was to be withdrawn when the shower was installed.

 

April

The Lazar family mourns the loss of beloved son and brother, Shane Lazar, 19, after he is killed in a highway crash near the Federated Co-op mill. Lazar grew up and graduated in Salmon Arm. Close to 900 people add their names to a Facebook memorial for the popular youth.

Three Special Olympics athletes from Salmon Arm are proud to win ribbons at events around the Okanagan. Marcus Purdaby, Nick Anchikoski and Kathleen Nelson are all rewarded for podium finishes at area swim meets. Anchikoski also bowls, plays basketball and street hockey. Nelson played soccer before starting competitive swimming, and Purdaby says that swimming is the best sport in the Olympics. The three athletes welcome others to come and join them and many others with special needs who take part in the fun and social sport.

The Salmon Arm Jewels senior soccer team start the season with wins in Kamloops, despite frigid spring weather. At the 49th Annual Salmon Arm Fire Department bonspiel, 20 rinks attend the four-division event. Competitors range in age from 20 to 93. Many attend the event for enjoyment and socializing, but some more serious teams take part to bring home trophies. Organizers already talk about planning the 50th SAFD event.

An April 1 joke in the Observer is disguised in an article about a “floating big box shopping centre” for Shuswap Lake. Rather than constructing a big box centre on the west end of town, in the old Petty’s location, the article proposes a “green technology, grebe repellent,” dome that uses “clean energy” and solar panels. Waste water would be recycled into a yet-to-be-named cola beverage. The end of the article declares it a hoax for April Fool’s Day.

A slash burn is fanned by light winds in the 5000 block of Parkhill Road near Canoe. The property owner called 911 when he realized that his machine-piled tree and debris piles were drier than he anticipated. Thirty firefighters from four area firehalls were called to the scene to help avert the possibility of a wildfire. Some heavy timber surrounded the burning areas, which until two weeks previous, had been covered by snow. Even in spring conditions, which are often assumed to be wet, fires can spread rapidly, explained Fire Chief Brad Shirley.

Human rights advocate and speaker Eric Wong talks to youth at the Okanagan Mainline Aboriginal Youth Conference about rising above stereotypes. Wong addressed a crowd of 300, and spoke about social, economic and health factors that make it hard for those who are First Nations, as well as others who suffer from discrimination, to reach their individual goals in life. Wong described some of the prejudice that affects members of Asian and First Nations cultures. The conference was arranged by School District #83 First Nations support workers. As well as Wong’s message, the day also included some fun activities like a hacky-sack competition and Guitar Hero playoff.

Bruce Hunt, School District #83 secretary-treasurer, announces a million dollar shortfall in the district budget. Hunt originally foresaw a $700,000 short- fall, but then increased the figure. Major reasons for the projected loss are: lower enrolment figures, declining interest revenue from cash deposits, and an additional salary for a bus mechanic. Hunt predicts that the student population will continue to drop until 2013. The district calls for suggestions from the public on how to cut expenses.

May

CSRD officials shop around for a better deal in fire dispatch services. The agreement between CSRD and the Salmon Arm Fire Department ends in 2009, and CSRD is seeking other options for locations and dispatch services. The existing system is a radio system that is close to obsolete and also lacks a back-up emergency system. The equipment used by the Salmon Arm dispatchers is owned by CSRD, which is responsible for maintaining the equipment. At an April board meeting, regional district directors agree to use $125,000 from reserve funds to install a fire emergency backup alert system. 

The five candidates for the 2009 provincial election voice their answers to two questions: “What is your solution to the concerns about motor vehicle accidents on the Trans-Canada Highway?” and “How can the provincial government eliminate the need for food banks and homeless shelters?” Liberal Candidate George Abbott, Marijuana Party candidate Chris Emery, NDP candidate Steve Gunner, Beryl Ludwig for the Conservative Party and Michel Saab for the Green Party all voice their different responses to these important questions. Marijuana Party candidate Chris Emery suggests legalizing pot and re-routing the TCH to bypass Sorrento. Also a hot topic during the provincial election is BC STV. Many lobby to bring in a new and sometimes hard-to-understand voting system.

RCMP Aboriginal Gang Co-ordinator Cpl. Mike Moyer speaks at the Linking Our Families Through Culture First Nations Parent Conference, held at Salmon Arm Secondary Jackson Campus. Moyer, a 12-year veteran of the force, tells the audience that it’s easier to keep gangs out of your community, than to get them out once they are established. For some youth who are searching to belong, gangs take the place of family, says Moyer. Many youth are influenced by the materialism that they see on TV and use the power and money from gang life to fulfill their “needs,” without realizing that the price for these goods usually includes violence, addiction and death.

 The Shuswap Men’s Choir – the only one of its kind in the area – and the School District #83 Community String Orchestra will join together for a fundraising concert at the First United Church. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Shuswap Lake General Hospital fund for operating room equipment, specifically a machine that helps detect and manage breast cancer.

MLA George Abbott returns for a fourth term as Shuswap provincial  representative. Abbott expresses delight at his win and the knowledge that he can return to the Victoria legislature, and his office on Alexander Street in Salmon Arm. Abbott says he worked hard to earn his voters’ support.

 Interior Health officials disagree with a Fraser Institute report saying that Salmon Arm residents die more than other B.C. residents who visit hospitals in the province. IH questions the institute’s methodology, which it finds misleading. The report’s hospital mortality index for municipalities indicates that Salmon Arm residents fair poorly when they visit acute-care facilities. However, the report notes that the municipal ranking is not a reliable reflection of any one hospital’s performance. Areas with below-average results, when compared to the rest of B.C., are:  heart attacks, congestive heart failure, acute strokes and pneumonia.

A broken sewer line shuts down Canoe Beach after a city employee notices effluent seeping out of the ground. Nine truckloads of saturated sand are hauled away from the area. Another six truckloads are slated to be removed as part of the clean-up effort.

 

June

Beach visitors are happy to be back at Canoe Beach, after the area is given a clean bill of health by officials. The popular spot was closed for several days after an effluent spill. For the next three weeks, water quality samples will be taken to ensure that recreational water quality guidelines continue to be met. A contractor working on the new water treatment plant will be responsible for paying for the clean-up and repair costs. The contractor neglected to properly pack bedding underneath the line, which then broke, resulting in the leak.

The Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life draws many local teams including the team from BDO Dunwoody, who is taking part in the all-night event in support of firm member Rick Hirtle, diagnosed with cancer and also a Relay for Life team member. The team is close to raising $9,000 to contribute to cancer research. The Relay for Life raises over $150,000. The BDO Bean Counters team raises a whopping $17,000 of the total.

Local author Kay McCracken launches her new book, A Raven in my Heart: Reflections of a Bookseller. McCracken moved to Salmon Arm from Vancouver in 1993 and opened a bookstore called Reflections. McCracken discovers that beneath the calm and small-town facade of Salmon Arm, lurk a few surprises. She encounters white supremacists, a bookstore ghost, and religious fundamentalists praying for her store to close. Woven into Reflections of a Bookseller are local First Nations mythology, Jungian psychology, and Salmon Arm history. Accompanying McCracken at her launch are musicians the Dust Puppets, an acoustic band that plays folk, blues, gospel and country music.

A former SilverBack captain, Josiah Anderson, 23, originally from Kelowna, pleads guilty to charges from a December 2006 incident involving drunk driving. Anderson was sentenced to a 12-month driving prohibition and a $600 fine. Anderson played for the ’Backs in the 2006-07 season and was arrested while driving in Salmon Arm. Anderson initially pleaded not guilty. His lawyer was unsuccessful in attempting to have breathalyzer results excluded as evidence.

A new arts centre is proposed for Salmon Arm by the Shuswap Theatre Society. The proposed venue would seat around 600 arts enthusiasts, who could see ballet, theatre acts and other performing arts. This multi-purpose performance facility would meet the community’s needs for the next 50 years, says committee chair Jake Jacobsen, who took the proposal to Salmon Arm council. The current theatre venue is aging and has limited space, said Jacobsen. The new building would ideally include two stages. Costs could run anywhere from $3 to $7 million for the proposed facility. The Shuswap Theatre Society will look at three options to show to council in the future: a simple replacement of the existing building, a slightly expanded new building, and a vastly improved new version over three times the size of the existing theatre.

The Mall at Piccadilly is closer to having a Save-On Foods at the south end of the mall, after council approves a variance in the mall’s current addition and facade improvement project. Shopper’s Drug Mart will be the new occupant of the existing Overwaitea space.

 

July

The Interior Health Authority declines to confirm whether the Shuswap has had any H1N1 cases to date. Local health administrator Kirstine Hill talks about improved infectious disease control and urges anyone with flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention.

A sudden fire at an Eagle Bay holiday sleeping cabin claims the life of three youngsters, devastating their families: 14-year-old Fergus Conway, 10-year-old Phoebe Conway, and their cousin 14-year-old Azra Young perish during a blaze that began early in the morning hours. Family members attempted to rescue the children and suffered burn injuries. The families have owned the holiday property for years, and are well-regarded by local residents. Azra’s parents, Jonathan Young and Kim Collier, are active in the Vancouver theatre community, which establishes a memorial for the couple’s young daughter at Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival.

A beer can tossed at the Silver Creek Stomp hits a woman in the temple, knocking her out. The woman, the organizer of the “wet buns” contest for men, says the incident was caused by “one bad apple in the crowd,” and doesn’t reflect on the majority of Stomp attendees. 

Two well-known teens, Austin Blackburn, 18, and Eric Higgins, 19, are killed when the car they were passengers in hits a utility pole at the end of Black Road on Highway 97B. The 18-year-old driver suffers minor injuries, and an 18-year-old passenger suffers major injuries. Blackburn and Higgins were both SAS 2008 grads. Higgins’ father, Tom Higgins, “hopes and prays,” that kids will learn to wear seat belts and be careful when driving. Tragically, speed and alcohol were factors in the crash. None of the occupants of the vehicle wore seat belts.

A new group, the Shuswap Pro-Development Association, forms to advocate for development in the Shuswap. SPDA’s mandate is to work with industry, the province and local government to create and stimulate responsible development. The group is formed after considerable opposition to the proposed SmartCentres shopping development. The group boasts about 50 members who will support those seeking rezoning for industrial, commercial, recreational and residential opportunities.

Five dynamic women, all local artists, band together to gather inspiration and raise public awareness and concern about the potential threats to the Shuswap’s world-famous Adams River Sockeye run. Tracey Kutschker, Lisa Figueroa, Miranda McLaws, Diana Pratt-Johnson and Lin Maxwell all walked, sketched, painted, photographed and wrote about the Adams River and Roderick Haig-Brown Park. Their work was displayed in a showing at the SAGA Public Art Gallery. The women’s collective work, named Jade, hopes to illustrate the beauty of the area, and the threat that it faces from development.

For the first time, the province is involved in selling – not just renting – homes to qualified buyers at 60 per cent of market value. This affordable housing is available to those on lower incomes. A second block of studio and one-bedroom units is available to those living with mental health issues, and those at risk of homelessness.

The local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Housing, and Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union are partners in this affordable housing pilot project.

Co-valedictorians Spencer Duncan and Lisa Body offer 380 of their fellow SAS grads of 2009 an upbeat address about the fast-paced fun of high school. Grads met and mingled with family at McGuire Lake for photos before heading off to the Sunwave Centre grad ceremony. Adams Lake Chief Nelson Leon, on a more somber note, talked to the grads about uncertain economic times and reminded them to be patient as they make their way into the world.

 

August

The 39th Annual Shuswap Soccer Tournament is held under blazing sun on the August long weekend. A total of 22 men’s and women’s teams gather from as far away as Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Prince George and Alberta. In the Women’s Competitive category, the Edmonton Angels triumph, while in the Men’s division, the Salmon Arm Courvas take top spot.

Though a campfire ban has been in effect for two weeks, fire protection officer Kirk Hughes is disappointed that some campers continue to light fires. Lighting a campfire during a ban can net the offender a $345 ticket. Starting a wildfire can lead to a three-year jail term and up to $1 million in fines. At this time, firefighters are working on controlling lightning-caused blazes at Wap Creek, Perry River and Seymour Arm. Only small amounts of rain are forecast, not enough to reduce the extreme fire hazard.

Fire destroys Custom Window and Door Millworks in the Salmon Arm Industrial Park. Several fire departments attended the blaze, which was reported by callers from as far away as Tappen and Gleneden. Some 300,000 gallons of water are used to douse the blaze, the cause of which has not been determined. Insurance adjusters and the fire department begin to investigate.

A GPS device left on leads RCMP investigators right to a Lee Creek couple’s residence, where the police recover a stolen Caterpillar excavator as well as $1 million worth of other stolen property. Numerous charges are pending against the couple.

The Notch Hill fire grows, and an evacuation order remains in effect, as aircraft and ground crews continue to battle the blaze. The category four fire and the resulting evacuation order affects 160 homes in the Tappen-Notch Hill area, mainly north of the fire area. The fire is spreading on the southwest and northwest corners.

“Friendly” no-smoking signs will go up in Fletcher Park, after council supports a suggestion from Interior Health, encouraging the city to discourage smoking in public places like parks and beaches. Mayor Marty Bootsma, “speaking as a smoker who is constantly on some quitting campaign,” lends his support to the idea.

Two sheep and 11 lambs are killed by two pit bulls on a rampage in the 5400 block of 10th Ave NE. The pregnant owner of the animals under attack feared going outside to intervene, in case the dogs turned on her. The dogs were eventually seized without incident by animal control officers, who have requested that the dogs be put down. The dog owner will likely face fines.

 

September

As numerous wildfires blaze in extremely dry conditions, police arrest a suspect in an arson spree that took place in Sorrento, Scotch Creek and Celista. About $10 million in property damage is caused between Aug. 28 and 30. The suspect apparently stole a Ministry of Forests vehicle, a government uniform and ministry identification left in the vehicle. A local volunteer firefighter recognized the vehicle and reported that it was not being driven by its usual driver. The lone occupant of the vehicle was arrested later without incident.

Derek Woodhurst is one of seven Shuswap residents to finish the Subaru Ironman Triathlon in Penticton. Racing in the age 50 to 55 category, Woodhurst attains a personal best in his third Ironman competition. The principal of Malakwa and Parkview elementary schools finished the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, and 42.2 km run in 10 hours and 53 minutes. Along with Woodhurst, other local Ironman athletes were Terry Wallensteen, Jan Kehl, Sean McEvoy, Juliann Aitchison, Deitmar Penkert and Ray Warner.

Life gradually returns to normal for Notch Hill residents after a fire ban is lifted. An alert could again be issued for the area, including Turtle Valley, if conditions worsen with drier weather and risk life and property once again.

Attendance at the 112th annual fall fair increases over last year. Fair chairperson Phil Wright says that 12,000 people attended the event over three days. That’s 2,000 more than the previous year. Due to cutbacks from the province that totalled around $35,000, the fair committee found themselves in a financial pinch. Volunteers were asked to purchase their own fair passes, but will be treated to a thank-you barbecue.

An 80-year-old man pleads guilty to aggravated assault after he stabbed another man in an argument over $10 and a television set. Gordon Tulloch awaits sentencing. The victim, who was stabbed three times in the arm and torso, needed 27 stitches. The victim says Tulloch was known at his housing complex as a sometimes belligerent resident who would threaten others.

After their first proposal is defeated in October, SmartCentres submits another application to build a shopping development on its property at the west end of Salmon Arm. In October, public hearings for the proposed shopping venue spanned 26 hours over five days. A total of 213 residents spoke: 191 of them against the development. Couns. Alan Harrison, Ivan Idzan and Chad Eliason voted against the development, while Couns. Kevin Flynn, Debbie Cannon and Mayor Marty Bootsma voted in favour of the application. Coun. Marg Kentel didn’t vote due to conflict of interest rules.

Fire crews are run ragged after a one-hectare fire pops up on Black Road in what is thought to be a blaze started by an arsonist. Firefighters from several area departments including Ranchero and Deep Creek have to stretch hoses up steep terrain to fight the blaze and keep it from spreading into surrounding dry timber.

October

Internist Dr. Danny Myers is optimistic about service for his patients in Salmon Arm. Myers is excited that some steps, albeit slow ones, are being taken to aid patients with liver disease. Procedures like liver biopsies can now be performed locally. A new CT scanner is now in service, along with a new portable ultrasound. A new pain clinic is also a benefit to patients. Another $30,000 piece of equipment is still needed but funding must be secured.

A 25-year-old Edmonton man, Pierre Wesley Nault, admits to starting fires in Sorrento, Scotch Creek and Celista that resulted in millions in damages to valuable homes, several vehicles and a commercial building. The arson spree happened at the same time as extreme fire conditions were in effect. Shuswap volunteer firefighters were able to contain the blazes from reaching surrounding forested areas. Nault also impersonated a forestry employee, stole a ministry vehicle and obstructed a police officer.

Local Ironman finisher Derek Woodhurst finishes the Kona, Hawaii Ironman World Championships. Woodhurst completes the gruelling race, held in hot and humid conditions, in just under 13 hours. With only six weeks between each of the demanding competitions, Woodhurst knew he had to pace himself.

A Salmon Arm man, Michael Barry Yuill, 36, faces federal drug trafficking charges in Washington, USA, after he caught the attention of employees at the Spokane International Airport. Yuill, who was later followed by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents, will be held without bond at the Spokane County Jail pending the filing of charges. 

High risk groups, like pregnant women in the second half of pregnancy, and those under age 65 with chronic medical conditions, will be the first to receive H1N1 vaccinations. Some scientists continue to question the validity of the wide-spread immunization campaign.

Fifteen thousand pounds of powdered Rotenone, along with 37 30-gallon drums of liquid Rotenone, are dumped into Gardom Lake. Within hours, fish are struggling and eventually die at the surface of the small lake, formerly a popular fishing spot. This fish kill-off is one more step in the Ministry of Environment’s Alien Invaders project to stop invasive species from taking over the lake. The chemical dump will kill off bass and perch that have been illegally introduced into the lake. In spring, the lake will be stocked with young trout. 

An 18-month-old infant girl perishes in a three-car highway collision on Friday, Oct. 23. The accident happened about seven kilometres west of Salmon Arm, on the Trans-Canada Highway near Tappen. The baby’s father, a 27-year-old Tappen man, is in serious condition in hospital. Alcohol consumption by the father is believed to be a factor in the collision. This accident was followed by two others that disrupted highway traffic for four hours. The three collisions within a short time span stretched police and emergency response resources in the area.

A Canada-wide warrant is issued for a Salmon Arm man who was serving time for the killing of 24-year-old Dylan Raper. JR Johnny, 22, is being sought by police after he walked away from a Vancouver halfway house. Johnny is not considered to be at risk for violent behaviour. Johnny expressed his remorse for Draper’s killing and took part in counselling while in custody to help combat drug and alcohol addictions.

November

Linda Howarth Memorial Preschool loses a beloved log playhouse and a storage shed after a 12-year-old boy, experimenting with smoking, sets off a blaze, later extinguished by local firefighters who were on the scene within five minutes. The child will do community work and his parents will pay for the damages.

Well-known community member Dorothy Askew, 87, passes away. Born in Kamloops, she married Lloyd Askew in 1945. Both Askews, Dorothy and Lloyd, served as Askew’s Foods presidents. Dorothy Askew assumed this position in the family food business after raising her three children, and after her husband passed away. Askew was an active volunteer and community supporter.  She was known for making many generous contributions to community organizations in need of donations.

Due to a shortage in H1N1 vaccine, some Interior Health flu vaccination clinics are cancelled much to the chagrin of many people who have lined up to get the shot. Police were called to escort one disgruntled elderly man from a clinic site. In one clinic day, public health nurses administered 1,500 seasonal flu vaccinations, and just over 500 shots for the prevention of H1N1. Vaccination numbers were similar the following day, with 1,000 seasonal flu shots administered, and 500 H1N1 shots given.

Bonnie Thomas, Neskonlith band member and daughter of the respected late elder, Dr. Mary Thomas, voices concerns for Neskonlith land donated by her mother for a cultural and educational centre. She said the land might be threatened if a SmartCentres development goes ahead on adjacent property. If the land next door is raised and filled for the development, the Neskonlith land could be vulnerable to flooding and the Salmon River may be forced off course. An employment counsellor by trade, Thomas said she understands the need for more local jobs, as well as protection for the environment.

School counsellor Pat Wilson, along with illustrator Tanya Harrington, collaborate to produce a children’s book, I Am Amazing. The book promotes self-esteem, for both the reader and listener. Wilson was prompted to write the book after working with a young suicidal student who resisted the notion of valuing herself. Harrington, also a school counsellor, and Wilson hope to show their audience, particularly youth, that each person is amazing and important in their own way.

Much to the relief of many local residents, three proposed animal by-products composting facilities will not go ahead. The province announced that the three proposed plants – at Spa Hills in Silver Creek, Westwold View Farms in Westwold, and Robertson Farm in Grindrod – have been turned down. Karen Dittloff, spokesperson for those opposed to the facilities, said the sense of relief was great.

Two young Carlin Elementary First Nations students, Destiny and Miykhaela Tomma, appear in A Common Experience, a film production about the traumatic residential school experience.

December

City council has requested that Salmon Arm residents aren’t saddled with an almost five per cent tax increase. After spending hours going over documents, council sent papers back to staff, asking that the increase resemble something less significant, like two or three per cent.

Salmon Arm Secondary student Megan Hegganstaller takes gold at the BC High School Swim Championships in the 50 metre breaststroke. Though Hegganstaller says she prefers the longer races, she says the breaststroke is her best stroke.

A Quilt of Love is being sent to Africa in memory of young Eric Rand, who tragically perished along with his grandmother Dorothy Thalhofer in a motor vehicle accident. The special quilt is being pieced together by retired United Church minister, Lorraine Powell. The quilt blocks – one of which Eric made – came from children attending a summer camp in 2008. Eric was a student of King’s Christian School in Salmon Arm.

Kody Penner, a junior rugby player, is selected to play on the U17 Canadian team. Penner, coached by Nanci Penkert and Greg Seed, also plays football with the Salmon Arm Golds. Penner will head to Santa Barbara, California to play in some training games, then he will go to Wales, in the UK, to compete against teams from Portugal, England and France.

A fire-setting spree lands Pierre Nault in jail for two years less a day. Nault will also serve three years probation. In sentencing, Judge Dev Dley said the best way to protect the public was to provide rehabilitation for Nault who suffers from a mental illness. Under a maximum probationary term, Nault will be required to seek counselling, take psychiatric medication, and will be banned from possessing matches, lighters, and flammable liquids. Nault is responsible for blazes that caused $10 million in property damage during the already fire-ravaged 2009 summer season. Fire fighting resources were strained by the additional work.

Some locals will hoist the Olympic torch. Among those taking part are community torch bearer Roy Sakaki as well as Nel Peach, Phil Wallensteen, Terry Michell, Vivian Morris, Tanya DeDood, Erkki Keski-Salmi and Gregg Patterson. Some will be carrying the torch in other communities. A full list of local torch bearers has not been made available.