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25 YEARS AGO: Glad to find him alive

Back in time: A snapshot in history
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40 YEARS AGO:

The Regional Hospital Board approved the cost estimate and planned proposal of the 20-bed expansion for Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional Hospital District approved in principle the provision of additional acute care beds in Merritt.

It will also request permission to commence planning jointly with the Ministry of Health for future additional acute care beds in Kamloops.

35 YEARS AGO:

“Is there any place in Canada without a school district?” asked Hugh McGreeghan at the regular meeting of School District 26. “If there is, I might consider moving there.”

He and close to 20 other members of the general public were attending the meeting to express their concern over possible large tax increases to homeowners to meet school district requirements for the next financial year.

Board chairwoman Jean Nelson explained that the proposed increases would depend on two factors: whether or not the provincial government continued with its proposed fiscal framework for funding to the various school boards, and whether the board was prepared to cut more programs, etc.

30 YEARS AGO:

Staff at the Clearwater Forest District office have begun a public input process to develop a new five-year plan for the Kamloops Timber Supply Area (TSA).

The TSA includes both the Kamloops and Clearwater Forest Districts, and stretches from west of Cache Creek to north of Blur River.

Results of the public participation will be used to develop an overall, long-term resource management strategy for the Kamloops TSA, and to determine its annual allowable cut (AAC).

Representatives of about 100 local groups and companies have been invited to meetings to have the planning process explained to them.

25 YEARS AGO:

They were just glad to find him alive.

“We were afraid we’d get there and he wouldn’t be,” said Barriere Search and Rescue responder Aimee Campbell, who helped pack injured hiker Norman Bellavanci out of rugged terrain west of Westsyde Road late Saturday morning following a three-hour hike to reach the Bellavanci the previous evening and a night on the mountain. “But he’s okay. I thought exceptionally good compared to what we heard when we were called out.”

For Bellavanci, 53, the ordeal began almost 24 hours earlier at approximately 2 p.m. Friday afternoon as he and his wife, both experienced hikers from Kamloops, explored the Skill Creek area, nine kilometres south of Barriere off of Westsyde Road.

20 YEARS AGO:

Local residents should pressure the provincial government to build Clearwater’s long-awaited multi-level health care centre, said Bert Walker.

“Fax the Premier, the Minister of Health, (Kamloops MLA) Cathy McGregor and (NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson) Dwayne Hartle,” said Walker, Thompson-Nicola Regional District director for Area A (Clearwater-Vavenby).

Walker felt that the problem is that the new hospital was promised six years ago for a certain budget. That amount has not been increased to match the increase in prices.

“Dollars from 1995 just don’t fit for 2001,” he said.

15 YEARS AGO:

After 13 of growing her hair, Jessica Toscano made the decision last week to cut it all off and donate it to the Canadian Cancer Society in her grandfather’s memory.

“I thought to myself, why not try to help a cause,” she said.

Ready for a change, this mother of four stopped in at Turn Stylz Beauty Salon in Clearwater March 24 to make an appointment and set a wheel in motion.

When aesthetician Marlene Barlow heard what Toscano wanted to do, she and business partner Jamie Bryce joined forces to turn the generous act into a fundraising venture.

10 YEARS AGO:

As of press-time late last week the decision by major media companies to bar Green Party leader Elizabeth May from the national leaders debates was still being discussed, a situation that local Green hopeful Donovan Cavers described as “ridiculous.”

“As they did in 2008, I hope the current heads of ‘big media’ get their heads screwed back on soon,” said the candidate for Kamloops- Shuswap-Cariboo.

Cavers pointed out that more than 840,000 Canadians voted for the Green Party in the last federal election.

5 YEARS AGO:

Clearwater hosted the Russian national women’s hockey team last week as team members prepared for the world championships being held in Kamloops this week.

A total of 36 members of the team, including 23 players, arrived Sunday evening, March 20 after 18 hours of travel and an 11 hour time difference.

Monday evening they attended a reception at Clearwater Lodge. Mayor John Harwood gave a welcoming speech and Minor Hockey players gave each visitor a gift package. A special treat was the presence of Cst. Jay Meyer in RCMP red serge.

1 YEAR AGO:

This year’s weekly farmers market in Clearwater is facing some hurdles, but organizers are trying to work on solutions to keep locally produced food in the hands of customers.

Due to COVID-19, many public functions have been cancelled or postponed, but food producers and community gardens have been deemed essential services, though markets are not restricted to food sales only.

The B.C. Association of Farmers Markets recently announced it was creating an online model so customers can choose items and pay online, and the B.C. government will also provide some funding to help markets around the province pay the fees associated with getting on the platform.



newsroom@clearwatertimes.com

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