News Leader News for April 21, 2009
LOCAL MAN SURRENDERS AFTER STANDOFF
On Friday, April 17th members of the Princeton RCMP Detachment responded to a report of a man with a gun threatening to attend to the local detachment and shoot police officers.
No one was in the Detachment building at the time.
Local RCMP and officers from neighbouring Detachments along with an officer from the Emergency Response Team from Kelowna were all called to assist in a tactical standoff with the 18-year old man.
The man who indicated that he was armed with a handgun attended to the Princeton Detachment and forcibly entered the building looking for a police officer. The male then caused considerable damage to a parked police unit. During this time, a local officer established contact with the male and attempted to talk him into stopping and surrendering.
"It was clear that the male was intent on trying to attempt suicide by police," states Princeton Detachment Sgt. Mike Savage.
"Officers maintained a containment while waiting for the Emergency Response Team to arrive with additional support equipment."
The male escalated the situation when he walked from the Princeton Detachment to a local 24-hour service station. Police quickly evacuated the premises of workers and customers prior to the male's arrival. The situation became tense when a vehicle made its way around police roadblocks to attend to the service station unaware that the service station was the scene of a police incident.
"Police moved quickly to bring the innocent civilians out of harms way while still managing the threat and risk posed by the male suspect," Sgt. Savage explains.
"Shortly after this event the male agreed to surrender and threw down his weapon and walked to the police and surrendered."
Benjamin L. Coan, 18, of Princeton has been charged with two counts of Uttering Threats to members of the RCMP and public, Break and Entering to the RCMP Detachment and Theft of RCMP property.
Additional charges may be laid once the Provincial Crown has had an opportunity to review the matter.
Coan appeared in Princeton Provincial Court April 17th before Judge G. Sinclair who remanded Coan over to appear in Penticton Provincial Court on Monday, April 20th.
RCMP SHUT DOWN GROW-OP
On Thursday, April 9th, members of the Princeton RCMP Detachment, supported by members of the South Okanagan Traffic Services and IRSU executed a search warrant on a residence on Old Hedley Road near Princeton.
Police located a large indoor marihuana growing operation on the property.
"This commercial scale, illegal marihuana growing operation had been operating for some time," says Sgt. Mike Savage of Princeton RCMP.
"Police seized in excess of 800 marihuana plants, related growing equipment, drying equipment, a large quantity of cash and an unregistered firearm."
Three people were taken into custody and face charges of production of the marihuana and other charges related to the items seized. Police are continuing their investigation.
"Police would like to remind the public that if anyone has any information on illegal marihuana growing operations or drug activities in or around the Princeton area to contact local police at (250) 295-6911 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)."
TULAMEEN TURTLES AND THE GREAT COAL RUSH!
The Similkameen - an area as rich in history as it is in gold and coal. During the May Long Weekend (May 15-18) a special "geocaching" event will be held highlighting the history of Blakeburn and other historical areas.
What is "geocaching"? Well it is basically a worldwide high-tech treasure hunt with a GPS, but with better odds of finding the hidden treasure! You are given the latitude and longitude of where to search for the hidden container, inside you will find a log book to sign and if you like you can trade items. When you are done you re-hide the container so the next person can find it and go find the next one! There are over 10,000 hidden treasures in BC and over 700,000 worldwide.
Kris and Jordy Neilson, of Tulameen also known as the "Tulameen Turtles", are working in conjunction with local historian Terry Malanchuk.
They have been placing the hidden treasure containers, along with other local "geocachers", in areas of historical importance. Time has taken its toll and it is important that these areas be shared before nature makes them unrecognizable. They are highlighting the history of Coal in the area, areas of the amazing beauty and a few just for "fun".
The event is being held in a poker run style and they are expecting 150-200 people, some from as far away as Alberta, to attend over the four days.
The event attendees will primarily be staying in the Coalmont and Tulameen areas with a few in Princeton. The locations of cards (still a secret) vary and can be found anywhere from Brookmere to Coalmont to Princeton.
Those who have confirmed they are coming are most excited by the historical aspect and photo opportunities that await them. Terry will be on hand during the weekend to help answer questions and provide additional information. Blakeburn's history is mesmerizing, and the way that Terry has intertwined the personal stories of those that lived there will make you feel as you have gone back in time.
Imagine being given the location of the portal opening where the explosion occurred and while there being able to read
"After personally directing the erection of the brattice-cloth wall, but before its completion, Bill tore off a piece of the cloth and wrote "12 Men". Pinned it to a nearby timber so any rescuer would know that twelve men were behind this
wall". Wouldn't it be great if we could learn all history this way?
They do ask if you happen to find any of these containers by accident to simply sign the log book and put the container back.
As well if you happen to see people placing strange containers back in a hidden corner or "Ammo Cans" anywhere don't panic they pose no danger.
Geocaching and the event are open to anyone with a GPS and a desire to explore and find new adventures. Geocaching is about heritage, education, learning and preservation and this event fits perfectly within that goal. If all goes well they hope to repeat this highlighting new areas next year. There are some simple rules such as - take nothing and leaving nothing but footprints, if this sounds like something you would enjoy and you would like to take part please e-mail
tulameenturtles@shaw.ca
(Excerpt Blakeburn, British Columbia's Forgotten Ghost Town, Terry Malanchuk). (Malanchuk, 2008).
