29 Years Ago (1990): Instead of a three-man crew in 100 Mile, the Forest Service was set to hire people as needed from a list of available individuals for the upcoming wildfire season. In addition to the regular staff, the service will have access to helitak – a forest service and 18-person summer helicopter crew out of Williams Lake. Assistance will also be provided from 12 volunteer fire departments and 12 fire wardens from the district. “Now is the time to get rid of ground litter, grass and slash,” said Mel Dodge from the local district office.
20 Years Ago (1999): In an effort to raise weakening moose populations, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) restricted moose hunting to a limited entry hunting draw this year. Rodger Stewart, MOE regional manager for Fish, Wildlife and Habitat protection, said within the past few years the moose population in the Cariboo dropped below target levels. “It’s essentially a conservation concern,” he said. The moose population is down 30 per cent from just five years ago.
17 Years Ago (2002): The Cariboo Regional District budget involved no tax increases for most residents. In fact, it was slightly lower than last year. Recreation services, however, increased by $145,000. This was largely attributed to the new South Cariboo Recreation Complex that was voted in through a Nov. 3 referendum. Residents within the Stan Halcro Area service boundary would pay $35 per $100,000 of 2002 property assessment. Property owners whose assessment remained the same and sit outside of the Stan Halcro Arena boundary, will receive no tax increase.
14 Years Ago (2005): The closed sign was going up on the Youth Resource Centre but only for a couple of weeks during a restructuring process. A key component of the restructuring was an emphasis on community input. “We want to have direct input from the community regarding services and direction of the youth centre,” said Brian Pugh, the executive director. Pugh also said the centre would have a new focus on safety. There would be strict rules and boundaries – those who do not comply would be required to leave.
11 Years Ago (2008): There are movers and shakers within the community, but none stepped as quickly and decisively as Tracey Norman. Moving to the area in September, Norman recognized a need and acted on it. Norman and her husband bought a six-bedroom house for women and their children who are in need. For example, it could be used for a woman who wanted to take her children and get out of an abusive relationship and start over but had no where to go.
