Indoor Rodeo in the books
May 1
The 29th Annual Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo, as always, kick off the BC Rodeo Association season.
Thousands in cash were awarded at this year’s rodeo, with several Cariboo cowboys and cowgirls raking in some dough for their efforts. All three days of indoor saw the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex pack to the rafters, including Sunday’s performance where BC Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees Willie Crosina, Lawrence Elkins and Phillip Camille were honoured and recognized to kick things off.
Rail Ties Be Wise group appeals to city council
May 3
Appearing as a delegation at a city council meeting, lakecity resident Angie Delainey received a big round of applause from fellow Rail Ties Be Wise supporters following her presentation urging councillors to do what they could to oppose the burning of rail ties at Altantic Power Corporation’s biomass facility in the city limits.
Delainey, who spoke as a private citizen but is currently both a CRD director and SD 27 trustee, delivered her speech on behalf of Rail Ties Be Wise which initiated the investigation into the power plant’s initial application to burn up to 50 per cent rail ties per year with no daily limit.
Williams Lake Indian Band breaks new ground at Coyote Rock Estates
May 3
The Williams Lake Indian Band and Coyote Rock Limited Partnership embarked on a new housing project offering over 90 high-quality homes just above Highway 97, with a gorgeous view of Williams Lake, beside the golf course of the same name. A groundbreaking ceremony was held, opened with a prayer and traditional song, led by WLIB Coun. Lennard Supernault. The development is the culmination of an eight-year-old dream of Chief Willie Sellars, he said.
Three Punjabi-Canadian sisters tell story of sexual violence
May 3
Three Punjabi Canadian sisters who grew up in Williams Lake are the focus of a heart-wrenching yet hopeful new movie that documents the impact of sexual violence they endured over many years while growing up in the lakecity.
One of the siblings, Jeeti Pooni, who now lives in Cloverdale, led the effort to have Because We Are Girls made, in an effort to shed light on the cultural stigma that is still attached to sexual abuse victims within Punjabi-Canadian communities.
The sisters — Jeeti, Kira and Salakshana Pooni — were abused by an older cousin beginning in their childhood years, but didn’t tell the entire family about it until 2006. As their relatives and police were made aware of the incidents, a court case slowly developed, as did the documentary film.
Campsall, Streleoff, medal at Canadian indoor championships
May 3
A pair of Cariboo Archers once again nabbed podium and medal finishes on the national stage.
Fred Streleoff and Al Campsall finished with gold and bronze medals, respectively, April 26-27 at the Canadian Indoor 3D Championships in Brandon, Man. The duo, along with four other B.C. archers, joined 170 of the top archers in Canada for the event.
Cherry Docs provides a stark look at bigotry and forgiveness
May 8
If everything is funny, nothing is funny and Cherry Docs, the final play in the Williams Lake Studio Theatre’s 2018-2019 line up, is anything but funny.
Cherry Docs tells a powerful tale of racism, hatred, redemption and hope played between only two actors on stage for the entire performance. Such small plays can be a challenge but the cast and crew of Cherry Docs have more than met it.
Danny Dunkleman (Shane Tollefson), a public defender and devout Jew, is a content, but ambitious lawyer living in Toronto with his wife happily until a new case comes across his desk. He’s asked to defend the troubled young Mike Downey (Gabriel Zamorano), an open neo-Nazi and member of the skinhead movement, on trial for the drunken beating that led to the death of a South Asian man.
From there Danny must decide how he can defend a man who openly wishes to exterminate him, while Mike must rely on someone he views as evil if he has any chance of a normal life. Sparks fly as the two confront their prejudices and hatred for the other all while preparing for a legal battle …
Cariboo Festival celebrates end of another successful year
May 8
Eight Cariboo Festival participants were selected to move on to the Provincial Festival in Chilliwack this past May. They were: Lauryn Marklinger for Junior Piano, Georgia DiMarco the alternate for Musical Production, Cooper Amos for Intermediate Classical Voice, Bethany Nairn for Intermediate Strings, Olivia Rowse for Intermediate Strings, Isaac Shoults for Intermediate Musical Production, Eloise Hobi for Junior Classical Voice and Cassius Ford for Junior Musical Production.
Williams Lake plays host to best young rodeo athletes at high school rodeo
May 8
Hundreds of rodeo athletes from throughout the province converged in the lakecity at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds for the Williams Lake High School Rodeo.
From the Cariboo, junior high school competitors included Will Roberts (junior saddlebronc riding, boys goat tying, ribbon roping, boys breakaway roping, team roping and chute dogging), Paityn Rogers (barrel racing, pole bending), Kagen Russell (boys goat tying, boys breakaway roping, chute dogging), Brandon Loring (chute dogging) and Brady Wood (chute dogging).
In the senior high school rodeo representing the Cariboo were: Ryan Roberts (saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, team roping), Nic Flinton (saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping), Cordell Pinchbeck (bull riding), Michael Gulbranson (bull riding), Brianna Billy (barrel racing, breakaway roping, pole bending, team roping), Hailey Waterhouse (barrel racing), Conway Pinchbeck (tie-down roping, steer wrestling), Brock Everett (tie-down roping, steer wrestling), Anna Best (goat tying, pole bending) and Reese Rivet (barrel racing).
Passeri taking soccer skills to West Van FC
May 10
Williams Lake soccer player Dylan Passeri, 16, took her talents to the Lower Mainland’s West Van Football Club Metro Soccer League team for the 2019/20 season. Passeri was selected for the team this past April after attending tryout sessions in West Vancouver.
Passeri prefers to play striker, outside midfield, or stopper, depending on what the team needs, she said.
“It’s going to be a real change of scenery and so much of a great opportunity for playing in the future for me,” she said.
“There are scouts and all that, and great schooling opportunities.”
Possession of cocaine, loaded handgun nets Williams Lake man 3.5 years prison
May 15
A Williams Lake man will serve three and half years in jail for a number of drug and firearm related charges.
Dominic Gelowitz was sentenced in Williams Lake Supreme Court on May 6 after he pleaded guilty on Jan. 30 to three charges connected to a seizure in a Windmill Crescent home in November 2016.
Anthony G. Varesi, counsel for the Public Prosecution Service Of Canada, said Gelowitz was sentenced to 30 months jail for possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine (1.44 kilograms), 42 months jail concurrent for possessing a loaded restricted 9 mm semi-automatic firearm and 44 months, 5 days jail concurrent for possessing a loaded prohibited 9 mm semi-automatic firearm, less credit for 2 months, 5 days jail served.
“He received a global sentence of 3.5 years jail new time,” Varesi said.
Sanford selected by Kelowna Rockets in WHL Bantam Draft
May 15
Williams Lake’s Max Sanford has been drafted by the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets.
Sanford was selected eighth in the sixth round (118th overall) of the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft held Thursday, May 2. The 15-year-old, six-foot, 185-pound right winger played the 2018/19 season with the North Central Zone Bobcats of the BC Hockey AA Bantam League.
Local talent comes out for Portraits From a Fire
May 17
Over 40 Indigenous actors turned out to the Sandman Inn Wednesday for the first round of auditions for Tsilhqot’in filmmaker Trevor Mack’s upcoming feature film Portraits From A Fire.
People of all ages, backgrounds and experience showed up to try their luck, including Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake Indian Band. Mack said that he had people show up from across the Interior, including actors from Prince George and Kamloops.
Mack describes the film as a coming of age drama-comedy centred around an Indigenous teenager who stumbles upon a secret that unravels the story of his parents and how it affects who he is today. Set on a reserve modelled off of Mack’s home community of Tl’etinqox, he said it’s filled with endearing characters and heartfelt moments, with a heavy overarching theme of promoting dialogue within families across the country about trauma they may be going through.
Ranching focus of 91st BC Cattlemen’s AGM
May 22
Williams Lake played host to the 91st annual BC Cattlemen’s AGM May 23-25 at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
Hundreds of people attended the trade show with the theme: “Ranching Strong: Managing for Profitability in the Cow/Calf Operation.”
Lakers cruising in style for 25th annual Spring Roundup
May 22
The Lakers Car Club marked its 25th anniversary in style with its annual Spring Roundup in Williams Lake.
The community once again came out in droves to celebrate the club’s silver anniversary of hosting the wildly-popular event over two days – May 25-26 – in the city’s downtown core where roughly 200 cars were entered.
Participants flocked from throughout the Cariboo and abroad, including from places such as Terrace, McBride, Fort St. John, Quesnel, Prince George, 100 Mile House, Alberta and a regular group who travel from Washington to attend.
Lakecity hosts North Central golf zones
May 22
High school golfers from throughout the Northern Interior converged at the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club for the North Central Zone Golf Championships.
Teams of five golfers from Lake City Secondary School, Prince George Secondary School, Nechako Valley Secondary School of Vanderhoof, Kelly Road Secondary School and Fraser Lake Secondary School teed off May 13 for the event.
Representing the Lake City Falcons were Indie Nicklin, Carson Menzies, Evan Trotter, Boston Pierce and Brette Kerley.
Williams Lake students strike over climate change concerns
May 29
Dozens of students in Williams Lake left school late May to stage climate action strikes.
A few dozen students from LCSS’s Columneezta campus led by student Ella Kruus met at city hall in the morning and marched through the downtown core.
In the afternoon it was LCSS’s Williams Lake campus students’ turn to protest, setting up at Herb Gardner Park.
The vocal group chanted for change and held up signs for passing motorists on Oliver Street.
Their voices joined the choir of students around the world taking to the streets to pressure governments to make meaningful steps to stop climate change.
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