News Leader News for February 10, 2009
LONE BATTER SMASHES WINDOWS
Princeton RCMP report receiving a complaint at 10:30 PM on Tuesday, February 3rd “of an individual walking down Bridge Street armed with a baseball bat.”
Princeton Detachment Sgt. Gary Macahonic says the suspect was at first believed to be intent on striking a vehicle with the bat until further investigation revealed a total of eleven incidents of property damage.
“It is believed that the male - apprehended at the scene, and a resident of Princeton, was emotionally disturbed and used the baseball bat to smash windows in a number of businesses,” Sgt. Macahonic states.
Windows were broken at Pizza Party, Dairy Queen, Work Zone, Peoples Pharmacy, Princeton Laundromat, Princeton Paint & Decorating, Realty Executives, Cowboy Coffee, the Ministry of Human Resources, Quick Pick Grocery and Princeton Loonie Bin.
“The male has been charged and is scheduled to face eleven Criminal Code charges of property damage on April 16th in Princeton Provincial Court.”
IH RESPONDS TO VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAM
I understand many Princeton residents are concerned about the future of the Victim Services program. Let me assure you that Interior Health believes this service is important and beneficial to our community.
A historical arrangement has been in place for Interior Health to administer a contract on behalf of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (MoPSSG) to deliver Victim Services in Princeton. As you know, this program operates out of our local RCMP Detachment.
Victim Services is not an Interior Health program. Interior Health simply administers the contract. In Keremeos, for example, the contract is administered through the Lower Similkameen Community Services Society. In fact, Princeton is the only community in the BC Interior where Interior Health administers the Victim Services contract.
Interior Health is responsible for the delivery of health services to our community. The Victim Services Program provides victims of crime with information about the justice system, practical help, emotional support and referrals to other appropriate programs. Interior Health believes these types of services would be best managed by another agency in the community, allowing Interior Health to remain focused on our core business - the delivery of health services.
Therefore, Interior Health has informed MoPSSG that we do not wish to continue to administer the contract for Victim Services.
Interior Health is working closely with MoPSSG to discuss options to ensure this valuable program continues to be available to the Princeton community.
START RIVERWATCH NOW
There is a lot of ice in the rivers of the Similkameen watershed. The ice poses a potential danger to residents living along the rivers. There is a danger of ice jams and subsequent flooding.
As the weather warms, ice jams occur when anchor ice (ice anchored to the riverbed) prevents the surface ice from flowing downstream as it breaks free of the river banks.
Floating ice then stops at this obstruction. When enough floating ice builds up behind the stationary ice, an ice dam is created. This dam begins to back up water, causing flooding if the dam does not break from water pressure.
At present, there are many locations along the Similkameen River where some ice jamming has occurred.
There is an area adjacent to Copper Creek Ranch, approximately one kilometre in length, where there is no open water. There is evidence of water backed upstream. There are similar blockages and backed up water near Wolfe Creek, downstream of Bromley Rock and downstream from Lulu Reserve.
Although most of the blockages occur in the upper Similkameen area, there are a couple of blockages further down the river. The Tulameen River ice has not begun to melt loose from the shore.
Although there are many open areas in the river, these areas do not prevent an ice jam.
The major danger arises if the temperature spikes for several days. Past history shows the warmer weather begins freeing the ice far upstream in the Tulameen and Manning Park areas. The ice then pushes downstream, slowing at every blockage until enough water backs up behind the flow and the pressure forces the ice jam further downstream.
Ice jams cause a lot of flooding.
One of the worst ice jams occurred in early March 1986, flooding the Noppe property and the fields of Copper Creek Ranch. A few years later, a fast-moving, powerful ice jam shook residences along the river as if an earthquake was underway.
This ice jam ripped fully mature cottonwood poplars from the river bank and churned them in the ice, snapping them like toothpicks. On one occasion, enough water backed up high enough near the mushroom farm to mangle a sprinkler system and put floe ice on Highway 3.
Who can forget the most recent ice jam, which sent flood water and ice through fields just west of Keremeos and caused severe damage to Don and Anna’s Greenhouses, homes and orchards?
The big warming trend in the Similkameen Valley can start as early as mid-February. If you live near the river, or drive along the river on a regular basis, watch what the ice is doing. If you see water or ice suddenly backing up to flood levels, notify nearby residents and the nearest Town Hall or
RCMP.
GARDENERS: PLANT FOR THE FAIR
This is the time of year when gardeners start planning and buying seeds.
This year, the Fall Fair Association offers a new opportunity to local gardeners to show off what they can grow.
For the first time in many years, the Fall Fair has a new date: August 29 and 30. These dates occur before the anticipated first frost and the Fair Board is hoping gardeners will present a broader range of vegetables and flowers at the fair.
Frost has been a discouraging factor to most gardeners, as it is nearly impossible to protect every frost-sensitive plant in the garden.
In some years, the flower display has been pitifully lacking in exhibits.
This year, the frost factor should be minimal.
The Fair Board encourages gardeners to think about exhibiting the broadest possible range of vegetables, fruit and flowers at the fair.
