Aug. 12, 2020
Tl’etinqox chief and TNG tribal chair recovering after ‘life-altering’ open heart surgery
Chief Joe Alphonse is acknowledging and thanking everyone who sent prayers and well wishes to him following a recent heart attack and emergency open heart surgery.
The Tl’etinqox (Anaham) Chief and tribal chair of the Tsilhqot’in National Government said it is always great to know that so many people care and are considering him in his current situation.
“For the last three years, I have been experiencing low-energy levels and seeing doctors and getting various tests and nothing showed up. Over the last month, my stamina and my breathing, had become an issue. After my third visit to the ER in three days, they finally took blood work and determined that I had a mild heart attack.”
Alphonse was flown to Kelowna General Hospital for the surgery.
Aug. 12, 2020
Province purchases ranch for Xat’sull First Nation as part of ongoing treaty negotiations
The B.C. government announced Friday, Aug. 13, it has purchased a ranch in the Cariboo region for Xat’sull First Nation as part of ongoing treaty negotiations.
Bought from owners Roger and Alison Patenaude, the $8-million purchase includes the ranch, located in the 150 Mile House area, its Crown land range tenure, cattle, hay and equipment.
It will be leased to Xat’sull First Nation (Soda Creek Indian Band), one of four community members of the Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw (NStQ).
Once a treaty is reached with the NStQ then ownership will transfer to Xat’sull First Nation.
The purchase includes 1,574 hectares of deeded land, 113 hectares of additional pasture, more than 500 head of cattle, extensive outbuildings and two residences.
There are 486 hectares of hay production and ample irrigation.
It was formerly known as the Carpenter Mountain Ranch, but the name was not part of the sale and is still held by the previous owners who had purchased the property in 1986.
Aug. 19, 2020
Hot real estate market hits Williams Lake
Talk to realtors in Williams Lake and they will say they have been busy.
“It’s nuts,” said Anita Crosina, who has been in the Williams Lake real estate business for more than 40 years. “I’m going to say it’s been like that for a year or more.”
She said she is not exactly sure why the industry is so busy, except that it is almost impossible to find a rental unit in Williams Lake and there is not a lot of residential building going on.
The average home price has gone from $286,048 in 2018 to $306,249 in 2019 and $318, 783 in 2020.
Aug. 26, 2020
Volunteer fire chiefs overwhelmed, in ‘non-compliance’
Volunteer fire chiefs in the Cariboo Regional District are so overwhelmed with administrative paperwork that many are ignoring the safety playbook – such as documenting training – and are opting to buy “desirable” items like water pumper trucks to fight wildfires rather than upgrading personal protective equipment, according to a CRD-commissioned review of the regional fire service.
The review, by retired Pitt Meadows fire chief Don Jolley, found that while fire chiefs at the CRD’s 14 volunteer fire halls should be commended for the job they’re doing, many either don’t understand or are ignoring their expanded administrative roles, putting the regional district at risk for safety liability.
“The role of the fire chief is dramatically different than it was 30 years ago,” Jolley told the CRD Committee of the Whole. “There are areas of non-compliance going on at volunteer fire departments. It puts you at serious risk as the authority having jurisdiction.”
Aug. 26, 2020
Williams Lake drug trafficker sentenced to two years probation in dial-a-dope case
Family was the biggest thing drugs took away, a 33-year old Williams Lake woman told the B.C. Supreme Court before she was sentenced to two years probation for her involvement with a dial-a-dope operation.
Janine Alphonse pleaded guilty July 13, 2020 to one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking and was sentenced Friday, August 21.
Alphonse was one of seven suspects arrested by the Williams Lake RCMP who had worked with various units over several months in 2018 investigation targeting a multi-layered cocaine trafficking operation.
Because of various breaches she committed after her conditional release, Alphonse has been in jail ever since.
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Northern Shuswap Tribal Council senior treaty manager Hank Adam (from left), Chief Sheri Sellars and Xat’sull First Nation treaty manager and negotiator Gord Keener were thrilled to celebrate the purchase of the former Carpenter Mountain Ranch on Friday, Aug 7. (Rebecca Dyok photo)
”It’s taken five years but we’re very pleased to see this happen,” said former owners Roger (right) and Alison Patenaude. (Rebecca Dyok photo)
