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Local News Briefs: The Sea Cadets are looking for members

Plus a new service from The Equality Project, an anthology for young writers, and more.
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Members of the Sea Cadets on parade in 2016. Photo: Barbara Roden.

The Equality Project able to offer rides

Starting September 4, The Equality Project Society is able to offer a ride to those in need. On Mondays and Tuesdays, they can help people in Ashcroft who want to access the Project’s services in Cache Creek, or those in Cache Creek who need to get to Ashcroft for medical or dental appointments, hospital lab services, grocery shopping, and mail pick-up.

On the first and third Wednesdays of each month, they can offer rides to the Food Bank at the South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society office in Ashcroft.

Those wanting to use the service must be members in good standing of The Equality Project; have no other means of transportation; and make a donation each time they use the service, to help cover the cost of gas, time, and vehicle maintenance.

Other conditions apply. Please contact The Equality Project at (250) 457-6485 for details.

Sea Cadets

Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corp 347 Avenger parades weekly at Desert Sands Community School in Ashcroft, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday. It offers a free-to-join youth program, with no added cost for the uniform.

Activities of the Corp include sailing lessons and sail weekends, fun days, sports nights, summer training, and travel opportunities. Skills learned include leadership, instruction, public speaking, work ethic, and teamwork.

Anyone interested in more information about the Sea Cadets can contact the Commanding Officer, Darrin Curran, at (250) 319-3461.

Business Fundamentals Certificate program

Thompson Rivers University is offering the Business Fundamentals Certificate program, which prepares people for some entry-level office administration positions. The program—available in a full-time or part-time schedule—is available in Lillooet, or throughout the region via ITV (two-way interactive television) for anyone with access to a good Internet connection.

Upon successful completion of the Business Fundamentals Certificate program, participants will be able to transcribe data at a keyboarding speed of 50 net words per minute (nwpm) or more; write and/or edit grammatically accurate, well-styled business documents; prepare professional business documents, including memorandums, letters, and reports; use spreadsheet software to organize, analyze, and present operational data; use database management software to organize, analyze, and present operational data; use electronic mail and scheduling software to implement effective time management strategies; maintain the financial records of a small business; and interact successfully with clients, co-workers, and superiors.

There are 10 courses in the program, which runs from September 24, 2018 to July 4, 2019. For more information, or to register, go to www.tru.ca/regional, or contact Margaret Hohner at (250) 256-4296 or mhohner@tru.ca.

Calling young writers

Schreyer Ink Publishing is inviting young writers aged 13 to 19 to send submissions for a young writers’ anthology with the theme “Looking Ahead”. Stories should be original short fiction between 2,000 and 12,000 words in length, and set between the years 2038–2088.

The submission period opens on September 1, 2018 and closes on October 31, 2018. For more information go to www.schreyerinkpublishing.wordpress.com.

SD74 teacher recognized

Kim Halayko, a teacher at Lillooet Secondary School, is one of the 27 finalists in the inaugural Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education. The awards honour the efforts of those who go above and beyond to make life better for students in British Columbia.

The awards were launched on April 23, 2018, during B.C.’s Education Week. A total of 188 nominations were received in nine categories: seven honouring the dedication of teachers; one recognizing principals, vice-principals, and administrators; and another celebrating support staff.

Halayko is one of three finalists in the “Diversity and Inclusion” category. Finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony at Government House in Victoria on World Teachers’ Day (October 5). Premier John Horgan, Minister of Education Rob Fleming, and Lt. Gov. Janet Austin will be in attendance.

Each winner will receive a $3,000 personal bursary for professional learning, and a $2,000 contribution to their school community for professional learning.

Kamloops Patient Care Tower moves ahead

Kamloops and area residents are one step closer to the new Patient Care Tower at Royal Inland Hospital with the selection of the preferred proponent for the project.

EllisDon Infrastructure has been named the preferred proponen, following an extensive evaluation of proposals from three short-listed teams. EllisDon Infrastructure will design, build, and partially finance the Patient Care Tower project, as well as maintain it for a 30-year period.

“Premier Horgan and I are committed to getting the Patient Care Tower built at Royal Inland Hospital, the sooner the better,” says Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This state-of-the-art facility will enable us to deliver better public health care for Kamloops and the surrounding region.”

Construction is expected to begin in the fall, and the new tower is anticipated to be open for patients in early 2022.

“The selection of EllisDon Infrastructure brings us closer to concluding the selection process and to breaking ground on this important project for Kamloops and the entire Thompson Cariboo Shuswap region,” says Doug Cochrane, Interior Health board chair. “This project will help to modernize Royal Inland Hospital, and will improve patient care for residents of the entire region.”

The Patient Care Tower project will take place in two phases. Phase 1 will be the design and construction of the Patient Care Tower. Phase 2 will include significant renovation and expansion to the emergency department, pediatrics, post-anaesthetic recovery, and the morgue. New parking stalls will be added to the site.

“The Thompson Regional Hospital District is proud to be a funding partner of the new Patient Care Tower at Royal Inland Hospital,” says Ken Christian, Regional Hospital District chair. “Royal Inland has served the needs of regional residents for over 100 years, and its wards and specialty areas urgently need to be modernized.”

Looking for feedback from truckers

Truck drivers as a group have not benefited from the many studies about worker health and wellness. That’s because they are always on the move, making any regular sort of study difficult.

Dr. Mamdouh Shubair from the University of Northern BC wants to help Canadian drivers and fleets improve their workplaces. His research group is asking drivers and companies for their opinions, ideas, and experience. “We need to understand what health challenges Canadian truck drivers face,” he says.

It’s easy to speak up by using one of two online surveys. One is focused on drivers, and the other is for companies. Results from this study will be used by groups like SafetyDriven and others to help companies and drivers better protect their health on the job.

Any truck driver or fleet manager wanting to participate can follow these survey links: http://bit.ly/2C67ZYQ (driver’s survey) or http://bit.ly/2MHDI7z (company survey). For more information on the study, contact Dr. Shubair at truckingresearch@unbc.ca.

Moose hunt closed in some areas

The Province is taking additional action to manage moose in the Chilcotin part of the Cariboo region after a decade-long population decline, wildfire impacts, and concerns from First Nations.

Over the past 10 years, moose populations have decreased in the area from about 18,000 to 11,500 animals.

Under the Wildlife Act, the Province is closing the October 1 to 14 limited-entry hunt in management units 5-13A, 5-13C, and 5-14, and closing the moose hunt in portions of management units 5-03, 5-04, and 5-06. In addition, the use of motor vehicles for the purposes of hunting on branch roads or trails in portions of management units 5-12A and 5-12B is prohibited.

These restrictions are the result of discussions between the Province and the Tsilhqot’in Nation, and aim to address concerns related to decreasing moose numbers and increased vulnerability of moose to hunting following last year’s wildfires. Changes to the landscape from wildfire can increase sightlines for hunters, potentially resulting in higher success rates and more moose killed. The restrictions will be in place for all of this year’s moose hunting season, and will be re-evaluated after the season is over.

At the same time, First Nations are working with government and their communities to reduce the harvest of cow moose in the Chilcotin. The moose hunting opportunities that remain in place in this area are considered sustainable, and strive to balance the interests of Indigenous peoples and licensed hunters.

For maps of the affected areas, go to http://bit.ly/2LD7wNh.