Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Library brings back Food For Fines program for Holiday season

For those with overdue items from the local library, December offers up the chance for a bit of amnesty on your debt and all it will take is a donation of some food for the local food bank.

The Prince Rupert Library is clearing out a bit of space to received the donations for the annual community effort that runs from December 1st to the 30th.

The concept of Food For Fines is pretty simple, for every donation of food, library users can knock off 2 dollars from overdue fees, however there are some guidelines in place when it comes to the donations with good accepted under the following conditions:

Two dollars will be deducted per non- perishable, unexpired, undamaged, boxed or a canned food time.

The Library program is for overdue fees only and no change or credit will be provided as part of the month long project to help out the food bank.

You can find out more about Food For Fines, as well as other activities taking place over the holidays at the Library from their website here.

Notes on other Community events taking place on the North Coast can be reviewed from our Community Notes archive.

Another local business makes the Cow Bay Shift

Kaien Office Essentials is the latest of Prince Rupert businesses to
make the Cow Bay area their home


The growing commercial hub of the Cow Bay area has attracted yet another local business to the trendy shopping district, with Kaien Office Essentials having recently set up shop in the old Northern Industrial Sales storefront on 1st Avenue East just up the hill from the Atlin Terminal.

They migrated away from their long time home at Five Corners a few weeks back and have settled in nicely, with the 1st Avenue option providing for a larger display area and some all important front window space to better showcase some of the items that they have available.

The new location features a wide range of items for sale with an impressive array of office supplies, stationary needs, games, computers and other intriguing options that expand their offerings from the traditional fare of an office supply store.

A growing number of stores and services are migrating to the City's
Cow Bay District with 1st Avenue East now finding increased attention
For those that haven't checked out the Cow Bay District in the last little while, the need for a little bit of extra time to shop might be required, as a growing number of stores and services are expanding the footprint of the area. With new options attracting customers further up the bluff that First Avenue East marks as one of the District's boundary.

More items on the city's business scene can be found as part of Commercial Sector archive.

Prince Rupert RCMP to continue with Road Safety focus into December

Dangerous driving, speeding and using electronic devices while driving will be at the top of the list for member of the Prince Rupert detachment of the RCMP, as Canada's Road Safety Week launches on Thursday and continues until December 7th.

Additional members will be on the streets on December 3rd watching for impaired drivers as the local detachment joins others in the province in participation with National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day.

The extra attention comes as the annual holiday period approaches which also sees an increase in Counter Attack enforcement by police services across B.C.

In Prince Rupert, if you see a dangerous driver you can contact the RCMP and report the motorist  at 250-627-0700 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

More notes on the extra attention on the roads can be found from this information statement from the Prince Rupert RCMP.

You can find out more about the work of emergency service services on the North Coast from our archive page here.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

MP Nathan Cullen shows frustration with Liberal's approach to electoral reform

Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP had some sharp words for
the Liberals Maryam Monsef in Question Period Monday


The NDP MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley had a number of sharp comments for Maryam Monsef the Minister of Democratic Institutions, with Nathan Cullen rising in Monday's Question Period to take the Minister to task over recent comments and moves by the Federal Government when it comes to plans for electoral reform

During his Question Period time, Mr. Cullen chastised the Minister and the Liberals suggesting that they were undermining the work of the All Party Committee tasked to explore any potential change to how Canadians select their Members of Parliament.

Further to his exchange with the Minister, Mr. Cullen noted that the committee was just days away from delivering its report on the topic, clearly angered by the Liberals comments of the weekend that to Mr. Cullen have sidelined the importance of the committee's work.

On that theme, the NDP MP accused the Liberal Minister of throwing a Committee of the House of Commons under the bus and offered up a name change for her to that of Minister of Undermining Democratic Reform.

During his comments to the House, Cullen outlined some of the work that the Electoral Reform Committee had conducted in recent months, noting how thousands of Canadians had expressed their thoughts on the need for reform and asked the House why Minister Monsef had become the Voice of No.

For her part, the Minister observed that she was committed to the file since receiving her mandate and that the Federal Government was going to give the report the respect it deserves before developing a plan

The video of the Parliamentary exchange of Monday can be viewed below.




Mr. Cullen also took his concerns over how the Liberal government was backtracking on its commitments to his Facebook page, with a number of posts that highlighted his frustrations with the Minister of Deomcratic Reform.




The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP was one of a number of MP's who spent the summer and fall crossing the country to hear from the public on the theme of electoral reform.

During the consultation phase of the NDP MP released the results compiled from a survey across the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding, with the findings seeming to champion the concept of a test drive for change to the electoral process, before providing for a final decision with a vote.

In recent weeks however, Mr. Cullen and the NDP moved closer towards the concept of holding a referendum before any adjustments to the process are made, which would allow Canadians the final say before any change to the current first past the post system.

November 17 -- NDP Open to Referendum on Electoral Reform
November 16 -- Cullen says NDP would support a referendum on electoral reform
November 16 -- NDP now willing to back national referendum on electoral reform
November 16 -- New Democrats say they are open to referendum on electoral reform
November 16 -- NDP says it's willing to support an electoral reform referendum despite concerns

You can review some of their work through the last six months from the archive found on our political portal D'Arcy McGee.

More notes on Mr. Cullen's work in the House of Commons can be found on our House Archives here.

Prince Rupert Golf Club sets December 4th for AGM



A look back at the 2016 golf season and some thoughts for the one ahead in 2017 will be among some of the discussion points for the Prince Rupert Golf Club's Annual General Meeting set for Sunday December 4th.

The session open to all members in good standing will start at 1 PM at the club house at the 9th Avenue course.

As part of Sunday's AGM, members will receive Financial Year end reports for both 2015 and 2016, review a list of Special Resolutions and conduct an election of officers.

In addition to green fees and other revenue streams at the Golf Course, the Prince Rupert Golf Society receives funding from the City of Prince Rupert.

In June, the City released details for the grant distribution numbers for 2015.

The 2015 numbers show that $93,000 was directed to the Golf Society for operational uses, while  the Capital requirements for the Golf Society were provided with funding of $49,861.

City Council is currently reviewing its Community Grant requests for this year, and it's anticipated that they will be announcing the funding projections for the year ahead in January.

You can find more information about what the Prince Rupert Golf Course has to offer from their website here.

Notes on the golf scene around the North Coast can be found on our archive page.

Port Edward Fire/Rescue holding recruitment drive

The Port Edward Fire Hall is looking for some new members, with
Port Edward Volunteer Fire/Rescue hosting a recruitment drive

The Port Edward Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department is making the call out for volunteers as they look to expand the roster of those willing to step up and lend a hand to the community.

The openings for the team at Port Edward are open to residents of both Port Edward and Prince Rupert with applicants required to pass a criminal records check and have a clean drivers abstract.

The minimum age for applicants is 19 years of age.

The Port Edward department responds to fire calls in the community and is also responsible for a large area outside of the District's town site with Port Edward crews frequently called to assist for incidents along Highway 16.

You can find out more about the opportunities available with the department by contacting Fire Chief Shawn Pettitt at 250-600-7262.

Items related to the work of North Coast Emergency responders can be found from our archive page here.

Wind Warning in effect for North Coast

The weather systems are lining up off the Coast of British Columbia

A Pacific frontal system currently crossing over Haida Gwaii is going to bring Strong winds to the North Coast through the day, with the possibility of gusts from 90 to 110 kilometres anticipated.




The weather system is expected to slide southward towards the evening sending the strong winds to Central coast communities as it charts its course.

While the winds will diminish later in the day, the late November storm will bring Rain to the Prince Rupert area starting this evening and continuing through the weekend, with Environment Canada also noting that there is the possibility of Snow for the North Coast for Saturday night and Sunday.




You can access weather updates from the Environment Canada website here.

The ongoing weather off of Haida Gwaii has resulted in a Service Disruption for BC Ferries, as we outlined last evening, BC Ferries had delayed its departure from Skidegate to Prince Rupert, with the Northern Expedition still holding in port with an anticipated departure time now scheduled for 1-PM tonight, weather permitting.

For those with travel plans to Haida Gwaii, updates to the schedule can be found here.

Rampage gain hard earned split on road trip to Cariboo

For those that like to watch high scoring hockey, following the Prince Rupert Rampage around for twenty four hours or so this weekend would have filled your quota nicely we imagine.

However, if shut down hockey in the Rhino's end is something you are hoping to see, there is still a bit of work to be done when it come's to the teams defensive play it seems.

The Rampage scored 14 goals over the course of their two games of Saturday night and Sunday afternoon an offensive explosion that will boost the teams Goals For statistics heading into the homestretch of the CIHL season.

The weekend was a rough one for the Goals Against though, with the Prince Rupert goaltenders facing 84 shots from opposing teams, thirteen of them resulting in a  flashing red light.

Saturday night in Williams Lake saw the Rampage take an early 2-0 in the first frame, a margin that lasted until the 11:38 mark when the Stampeders finally began to show the form that has made them one of the leading teams in the CIHL over the years.

A 2-1 Rupert lead by the end of period one, would shift to a 3-2 Stamps advantage heading into the third, with the final frame completing a night that would become the Tyrel Lucas show. The Stampeders forward would account for five of the Williams Lake goals through all three periods as they knocked down a competitive Rampage squad by a final of 9-5.

The Ramapge spread out the goal scoring, with Cole Morris picking up two goals on the night, while Kory Movald, Mike Coolin and Tyler Ostrom all added to the Prince Rupert totals.

Assists on the Rampage scoring plays went to Kory Movald, Marcus Atchison, Tyler Ostrom, Josh Cook, Cole Atchison, Hyden Pederson and Craig Munro.

The key take away from the night in Williams Lake was the need to work on the team's power play, where the Rampage let some quality scoring opportunities with the man advantage get away from them. With the Rhinos wrapping up the night 0 - 9 when Williams Lake was short handed.

Williams Lake wasn't much better when it came to the power play, with the Rampage tightening up their defensive game while short handed, as they shut down the Stampeders on all five of their extra man advantages.

Brett Roth was left to stare down the seemingly never ending Williams Lake attack, wrapping up the night facing 49 shots in the Prince Rupert end of the rink, the Rampage fired 35 shots at Willie Sellars in the Stamps end of the arena.

The Saturday night score sheet can be reviewed here.

Sunday afternoon the Rampage had made their way northbound with a stop over in Quesnel and what turned into a frantic CIHL match up as the two teams battled back and forth through what became another high scoring game.

Craig Munro completed an impressive
comeback for the Rampage on Sunday,
picking up the 9th and final goal of
9-8 victory over the Kangaroos
Prince Rupert once again was the first to crack the scoring sheet, taking a 1-0 lead which lasted until
near the fourteen minute mark before the Kangaroos began to reassert themselves on home ice, with Quesnel taking a 2-1 lead into the dressing room after twenty minutes.

The middle frame would provide for the bulk of the goal scoring on the day, a total of  10 goals between the two teams that found the home town Kangaroos holding a 7 to 6 lead over the Rampage
heading into the final twenty minutes.

Prince Rupert would make an on ice statement in that final frame, while they surrendered a goal to the Kangaroos midway through the period, the final four minutes saw a Rampage comeback that no doubt left the Quesnel squad reeling.

Three goals in three minutes, the final one with but thirty seconds remaining secured a 9-8 victory for the Rhinos, a punctuation mark to a hard fought battle to leave the Cariboo with at least two points for their travels.

The Rampage goal scoring looked like this:

First Period

Kory Movald, assisted by Josh Cook

Second Period

Kory Movald, assisted by Josh Cook
Cole Atchison, assists to Jean-Luc Fournier, Mike Coolin
Tyler Matalone, assisted by Cole Atchison, Josh Cook (power play goal)
Jean Luc-Fournier, assisted by Craig Munro (power play goal)
Jared Carter, assisted by Jordan Venditelli

Third Period

Jordan Venditelli, assisted by Josh Cook, Kory Movald (power play goal)
Josh Cook, assists to Cole Morris and Marcus Atchison
Craig Munro, assisted by Cole Atchison, Mike Coolin

Two Rampage goaltenders shared the duties on the afternoon, with Jordan Vanderwiel playing 40 minutes, while Brett Roth took to the ice for the final frame and gets the W for the twenty minutes in Quesnel.

As there were power plays through the game, there clearly were penalties, however it would appear that the official scorer in Quesnel was so overwhelmed with tracking the goals and assists, that the final stats for what was expected to be a rough game were not listed in the official summary.

The Rampage returned to Prince Rupert in the early hours of Monday morning, they will hop back on the bus this weekend, as they head down Highway 16 for a match up with the Terrace River Kings.

The weekend split in the Cariboo moves the Rampage into fourth place with a 5-3-1 record and 11 points in the CIHL standings, one behind the River Kings making Saturday's game a chance to leap frog over the Terrace squad.

Results from the season to this point can be found here.

You can review more items related to the Rampage and the CIHL from our archive page here.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Weather delays affect Northern Expedition schedule



See Updated Ferry notice below

Adverse weather conditions between Haida Gwaii and the North Coast have BC Ferries revising their schedule tonight, with the Northern Expedition now in a holding pattern at Skidegate, with its departure delayed until 10 PM at the earliest, weather permitting.

A Storm Warning is currently in place for Hecate Strait with winds increasing to South 25 this evening and to Southeast 40 to 50 overnight. Seas are expected to build to 6 metres by tomorrow morning and to 9 metres by the afternoon.

The revised schedule which is weather dependant calls for a 10 PM departure from Haida Gwaii, with a 6 AM arrival at the Prince Rupert Terminal.



You can find updates on the crossing from the BC Ferries Service Notices page.

More items related to Marine transportation on the North Coast can be found on our archive page.

Update Tuesday November 29.

BC Ferries continues to hold the Northern Expedition in port at Skidegate, with the latest departure time now scheduled for 10 PM tonight, with a 6 AM arrival in Prince Rupert Wednesday morning.

City Council Preview: Monday, November 28, 2016



The clock is ticking down towards the final Council sessions of 2016, with tonight's work providing for the second last public session for the year.

Judging by the notes from the Agenda Package for tonight's session, the work load won't be particularly harsh as Council members wind down their November efforts.

The information package released on Monday morning, provides no extensive preview for the session that is ahead for the Mayor and Council when they gather tonight at 7 PM. Nor does it offer an update on the progress of past issues that had been deferred by Council from previous sessions.

You can review the background documentation for tonight's Regular Session from the Agenda notice here.

Tonight is also an Committee of the Whole evening, which includes an open forum opportunity for residents to raises questions or offer some thoughts for the Council members.

Council also will be holding a Closed Session for this evening starting at 5 PM, the city citing criteria from Section 90 of the Community Charter, noting that the public is to be excluded from those deliberations for the following reasons:

90.1 (k) negotiations and related discussion respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public.

As for the Regular  Council session that starts off with the adoption of agendas and minutes.

Petitions and Delegations and any Unfinished Business open up the evening as well as Reports and Recommendations

Correspondences for Action makes for the next item of business for the night followed by any items under the themes of Resolutions from Closed Meetings.

Bylaws mark the next item of the Agenda on the night

The evening then moves on to Additional Items from Council members, as well as Reports, Questions and Inquiries from Members of Council.

Council members will also offer up any items or concerns that they have for consideration on the night.

The Live broadcast of the City Council session can be found here, a video archive of past sessions is available here.

Our archive of items related to the November 27th session can be found here.

While our archive of all sessions of 2016  for council  is available here.




City Council Session, Monday, November 28, 2016




Our archive of items from the session can be found below.

Regular Session of Council for November 28, 2016

Home page and archive of sessions can be found here.

Live Broadcast of session can be found here

North Coast Review - Preview of Session for November 28, 2016

Agenda for Regular Council Session for November 28, 2016

Notice for the Committee of the Whole Session for November 28, 2016

Notice of Closed Meeting for November 28, 2016


Info to Council 

November 23
November 16

Attendance

Mayor Lee Brain -- Present
Councillor Barry Cunningham - Present
Councillor Nelson Kinney -- Absent
Councillor Blair Mirau -- Present
Councillor Wade Niesh -- Present
Councillor Gulvinder Randhawa -- Present
Councillor Joy Thorkelson -- Present



Minutes of Regular Session of Council November 28, 2016  (not available yet)

Video Recording of November 28, 2016

North Coast Review City Council Timeline, November 28, 2016


North Coast Review Items related to the November28, 2016 Session of Council 

Council hears Mayor Brain's take on recent affordable housing plans
Four days of planning sessions deliver many concepts for the Prince Rupert of tomorrow
City Council's "LNG conditions Wars' ... The Business Empire Strikes Back!

Media items from other sources for the November 28, 2016 session can be found in our Discussion Points from City Council feature 

Canadian Coast Guard embarks on recruitment drive on North Coast

The Canadian Coast Guard is currently recruiting for
positions available at the Seal Cove MCTS Centre at Seal Cove

The Canadian Coast Guard is putting the focus on First Nations and coastal community residents for its current round of employee recruitment, with the Coast Guard seeking applicants for positions with its Prince Rupert Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre at the Seal Cove base.

The call for applicants makes note of the unique knowledge of the region and experience on the water that First Nations and coastal residents may have, something which would be a valuable asset for delivering the marine services that the Coast Guard offers out of Seal Cove.

Coast Guard communications out of
Prince Rupert cover a large area of
the West Coast 
The MCTS Centre is what the Coast Guard calls the "eyes and ears" of marine traffic, ensuring the safety of the waterways.

Those that work out of Seal Cove provide first response to vessels in distress and communicate with both local vessels and shipping traffic along the North Coast.

As well as monitoring vessel traffic for a wide area from the North Pacific to Vancouver Island, the MCTS centre also offers weather bulletins and navigational notices to vessels at sea.

The Coast Guard hosted an Open House at the Seal Cove base last week which reviewed some of the careers that are available, including those at the MCTS Centre in Prince Rupert, as well as explaining how the process of application works.

Those that could not attend the information session can find more information about the kind of work that they perform on the North Coast from the Coast Guard Website, which features a look at the Prince Rupert Coast Guard Centre.






If interested in pursuing the current career opportunity with the Canadian Coast Guard now in recruitment mode, contact Robert Crooks, Regional Program Specialist, MCTS Western Region.

He can be contacted at Robert.Crooks@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

More notes on emergency service providers in the Northwest can be found on our archive page here.

Prince Rupert Salvation Army launches 2016 Christmas campaign

Over the course of the final days of last week residents around the North Coast received a note from the Prince Rupert Salvation Army, as Captains Gary and Nancy Sheils brought the community up to date on the start of the 2016 Christmas campaign, the last one as things turn out that the Sheils will be watching over in the region.

After fifteen years of service to the North Coast, the Sheils will be retiring in June, marking a long run of providing for some of those in the most need in the community, with the Christmas season the part of the year where the greatest demand for services is found for the Salvation Army and those that they partner with in Prince Rupert.

The numbers are startling for a city of less than 12,000 residents, last year at Christmas the Salvation Army called on the community for help and the response that they received allowed them to deliver assistance to more than 850 families, a total of 3,042 adults and children

From the generosity of the North Coast food cards, toys for children and a small gift for each adult were provided during the 2015 holiday season. 

With the economic situation found in the region this year much the same, if not a bit worse for many, the Salvation Army is preparing to meet the needs of the community once again for the Christmas season ahead.


Captains Gary and Nancy Sheils penned what may be their
last Christmas Appeal letter to the community, the Sheils
are set to retire in Jun 2017 after 15 years on the North Coast


Included in the letter to residents is an envelope should you wish to make a donation towards the Salvation Army's efforts both at Christmas and through the year. For the immediate need of the Christmas campaign, the annual appearance of the red kettles will soon start to be soon, offering the opportunity to make a donation at a number of locations set up around the city.

That along with a number of other plans from community groups and residents in the region will help to make sure that the Salvation Army can address the need for this season.

And while the focus is on the immediate need of the Christmas season, the work of the Salvation Army is a year long effort with a number of initiatives that are in place to lend a hand in the community.

Over the course of the last twelve months they have served over 41,000 meals at the Sally Ann Bistro, as well as providing help to some 2,100 families and singles through their Bread of Life Food Band. 

As well, 1,200 North Coast residents have received free clothing and housewares through the services of the city's Salvation Army Thrift Store on Third Avenue West.

All of those programs have been made possible through the support of people around the region, something to remember as you pass by a kettle through the next month, or thumb through the pile of mail that you may have put aside from last week's mail delivery.

You can keep up to date on many of the events in Prince Rupert from our Community Notes archive.

Real Estate Tracker: Week ending November 27, 2016


Our weekly review of the listings of the local real estate agents, tracking those properties which appear to be driving the local price structure for the North Coast.

Every Monday, we look over the listing prices of the past seven days and outline the Top 10 asking prices in the area, providing a snap shot as to where the Real Estate market may be trending on a week to week basis.

The listings below are purely for information purposes, for further background on the properties recorded, see our links page for access to the individual real estate listings.

The Archive for our weekly review can be found here.

Our list of the top ten priced homes for the week ending November 27, 2016 is below:


Prince Rupert Real Estate West Side week ending November 27  2016

Prince Rupert Real Estate East Side week ending November 27  2016

There were no changes to our listings of ten for the last week, leaving the east/west balance to remain with three properties found east of McBride, while 7 properties make up the listings found to the west of the divide.

The pricing remains constant from last week as well, with the lower range shifting upwards to a value of $455,800, while our top end from the last week remains pegged at $829,000.

Below find our findings as of the Week ending November 27, 2016

2280 Graham Avenue                   $829,000  --  Remax
1805 Graham Avenue                   $575,000  --  Royal Lepage
2062 Atlin Avenue                        $548,000 --   Remax
1725 West Second Avenue           $530,000 --   Royal Lepage
1724 Graham Avenue                   $515,000 --   Remax
1253 Conrad Street                       $499,000 --   Royal Lepage
1311-1313 Sloan                           $489,000 --   Royal Lepage
1325 7th Avenue East                   $489,000 --   Remax
129 Kootenay Place                      $459,000  --  Remax
2000 Seal Cove Circle                  $455,800  --  Royal Lepage


For more items related to Real Estate see our archive page here.

For background on Housing issues in the region see our past items here.


Sunday, November 27, 2016

Blog Watching Week ending November 27, 2016


Following the exploits of North Coast athletes proved to be the popular theme this week, as two of our list of five most read items over the last seven days featured a look at sports.

The review for the week starts with a look at the success of Judd Repole in the KIJHL, the former Prince Rupert Minor Hockey player is currently roaring up the scoring lists of the junior league in the Okanagan/Kootenay region.

Sports continued to grab the main of attention this week, as our look at the road to provincials for the Charles Hays Secondary Rainmakers found a large audience over the last seven days.

Housing issues also found some interest on the week, with an announcement on some affordable housing plans by the BC Government receiving a large audience.

Our notes on a University of Illinois scientific study into DNA and genome research which featured members of Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams also had some impressive results this week.

While the list of five wraps up with our Monday morning item that previewed a week of consultation with Prince Rupert residents by the Ontario based Planning Partnership, with the urban designers in town to share thoughts on 3rd Avenue, Seal Cove and some city owned waterfront properties.

However, the top story of the week takes us to the rinks of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, where a Prince Rupert players is making his name on the scoring sheets for the 2016-17 season.

Prince Rupert's Judd Repole keeping to torrid scoring pace in the KIJHL -- Following the success of a former PRMHA player is proving to be a popular item for the blog, with some impressive numbers checking out our latest note on Judd Repole currently with Osoyoos of the KIJHL (posted November 24, 2016)

That article was followed by:

Charles Hays Rainmakers Soccer with 1-1 record after Day One of Provincials --  A Prince Rupert high school soccer team headed south for the first time in decades this weekend and readers followed the efforts of the Charles Hays Rainmakers all week long both with our Day One notes and with our wrap up to the Provincial tournament. The theme of the week of tracking local athletes also gives an honourable mention to Justin McChesney, our item highlighting his rookie year to this point with the UBC T-Birds came in at just under the fifth spot cut off point for the weekly review. (posted November 21, 2016)

Five North coast projects included in BC Government's affordable housing announcement from Tuesday --  The province looked to address some of the affordable housing concerns on the North Coast announcing partnership arrangements with local First Nations and the District of Port Edward this week. (posted November 23, 2016)

Members of Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams part of University of Illinois DNA and genome study -- An interesting study from the University of Illinois has put the spotlight on genome study on the North Coast with the participation of members of the communities of Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams. ( posted November 21, 2016)

Four days of consultation on civic land use start today in Prince Rupert -- The City of Prince Rupert hosted a four day look at what the future of some areas of the city may one day look like, as the Toronto based Planning Partnership arrived in town for a number of consultation sessions with the public. (posted November 21, 2016)

You can find our Blog watching featured posted every Sunday morning by 9AM, a handy way to catch up to the week that was, at a leisurely weekend pace.

You can also review the full listings of the week just past from our Blog Archive index page found on the right hand side of the page.

For those looking for updates to items as they are posted to the blog, don't forget about our email alert access.

A daily review of the latest items on the blog can be delivered to your email in box, simply by entering your email address into the information bar, items posted to the blog will be delivered to your e-mail account each day.

You can find the link to that feature on the upper, right hand side of the blog. It can be found underneath the Follow the North Coast Review by Email indicator.

Our archive of weekly Blog Watching can be found here

Friday, November 25, 2016

Cariboo calling for the Prince Rupert Rampage

The longest road trip of the season is on the horizon for the Prince Rupert Rampage as the western most outpost of the CIHL, makes the lengthy trek to the southernmost point of the CIHL map this weekend.

The always challenging Cariboo road trip makes for the weekend schedule for the Rhinos who will take to the ice against the Stampeders in Williams Lake on Saturday night, before reversing their travel plans back to the North Coast. 

A journey home that will also include a stop in Quesnel for a Sunday afternoon match up with the Kangaroos.

In years past the Cariboo road trek has played a pivotal point in the Rampage season, the results from the CIHL south having a significant role in where the Prince Rupert squad would finish the season in the standings.

That  may be the case once again for the Rampage, who head into the weekend having come off a tough 5-4 Overtime loss on home ice to the Terrace River Kings

That match up from last Saturday evening marked by a strong comeback by the River Kings who took advantage of some undisciplined play by the Rhinos in the second period, storming back to snatch the two points away from Prince Rupert.

The second period from Saturday's play notable for how the Rampage had let their 3-0 lead from the first evaporate almost from the drop of the puck from the middle frame. An issue that the coaching staff will most likely be looking to address as the team takes on one of the top rosters to be found in the CIHL.

That need to remain focused for all three periods will be key for the Rampage as they head into Cariboo country for their first game Saturday night. 

The Stampeders are sitting atop the CIHL standings with a 6 and 1 record to this point hosting a league leading 47 Goals For, along with a stingy Goals Against total of 22

When it comes to time sitting in the penalty box, the Stamps are either receiving some serious benefits of a doubt from the referee staff, or they are the most disciplined squad in the league with only 82 minutes of penalty time recorded after seven games of play.

That's the opposite of the Prince Rupert story which has found Rampage players sitting in the penalty box for 225 minutes so far this year, making them the second most penalized team of the six team circuit.


The journey into Quesnel on Sunday does offer up the chance for some success, with the hosts for the day currently hosting a 3-3-1 record two points behind the Rampage. 

Sunday however could make for a rough afternoon for the Rupert lads, the Kangaroos currently hold the lead when it comes to penalty time, with 227 minutes assessed in their seven games of 2016-17.

Which would seem to suggest that the one-two placement when it comes to Total Penalty minutes will most likely see some additions before the weekend comes to an end.

A sweep of the weekend would go along way towards a statement by the Rampage for the season to this point. Capturing the four points that are on the ice for less than 24 hours, could vault the Prince Rupert squad to the top of the standings by the time the bus heads back down Highway 16 westbound.

You can look over the Rampage results so far this year from our Results page here.

More notes on the Rampage and the CIHL can be found on our Rampage Archive page.

Charles Hays Jr Boys Volleyball at Provincials in Kelowna


It's Day Two of competition for the Charles Hays Rainmakers Junior Boys Volleyball squad, with the team set to head back to the court along with 23 other competitors in Kelowna.

Day One provided for some tough battles for the Junior Boys who came out of the first day of play with an 0 and 3 record, that after a full schedule of games against their Pool C challengers from Abbotsford Christian, Sands and Burnaby Central.



The Junior Boys Rainmakers in action against Burnaby during Day One
play at the Provincial Tournament in Kelowna

(photo from the CHSS twitter feed)

It wasn't all about the spikes and volleys however, as the opening day of the competition also featured a Skills competition and Banquet taking place in the evening.

The first volley of Day number Two took place at 10AM and you can keep track of the action on the court through the CHSS twitter feed.

A large archive of Photos and videos of Day One have been posted to that portal for those looking to keep up with the Junior Boys on their journey at Provincials.

The Rainmakers now move into the Placement category of the tournament for the remainder of their play in Kelowna. The tournament comes to an end on Saturday afternoon.


The Scoreboard of Charles Hays Games at the Provincial tournament can be found below:

Day Two
Friday, November 25, 2016

CHSS vs Constable Neil Bruce
CHSS 28 - Constable Neil Bruce 26
Constable Neil Bruce 31 - CHSS 29
CHSS 15 - Constable Neil Bruce 11
(Rainmakers Finish 23rd overall in Provincials)


CHSS Rainmakers vs Penticton
Penticton 25 - CHSS 13
Penticton 25 - CHSS 18


CHSS Rainmakers vs Mount Baker
CHSS 25 - Mount Baker 14
CHSS 25 - Mount Baker 25

Day One
Thursday, November 24, 2016

CHSS Rainmakers vs Burnaby Central
13-25
10-25

CHSS Rainmakers vs Sands
13-25
22-25

CHSS Rainmakers vs Abbotsford Christian
26-28
25-22
12-15


More items of interest related to the Provincials can be found from the Tournament website here.

Further notes on Rainmaker sports can be found on our Archive page here.

NWCC to offer Cook's Helper course at Prince Rupert Campus starting in December

A three month Cook's Helper program is set to launch in Prince Rupert as NWCC's  Workforce training program brings a full range of instruction to the city, designed to give North Coast residents the training to find work in the hospitality industry.

The funded program is directed towards those who are unemployed or under-employed and will help to develop the skills required for entry-level work in the food industry.

The Cook's Helper program which takes place from December 5 to March 17th will provide training in a number of areas including FoodSafe, First Aid level 1, WHMIS, World Host, Serving it Right and Cashier training to name a few areas of study.

Seating is limited for the funded program and the December 1st deadline for applicants is fast approaching.  Those that may have an interest in taking the program should note that an assessment is part of the application process.

The Prince Rupert Campus of NWCC is hosting a Cook's Helper
Training program running from Dec 5 to March 17

The Cook's Helper program is part of an initiative funded by the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement, that arrangement provides for tuition free, group-based training for unemployed individuals who need to upgrade their skills in order to find employment.

Some background on the Cook's Helper program can be found here.

You can explore if the program is the right fit for you and find out more information it by contacting Dawn Blake at 250-624-6054 extension 5715

More items related to education notes and opportunities through NWCC can be found on our archive page here.

BC Assessment conducting property assessments in the city

BC Assessment is using new photo technology to update
their Prince Rupert housing listings for 2016

The process of assessing properties on the North Coast is underway for another year, with representatives of BC Assessment in Prince Rupert to take photos that are used as part of the approach that the Assessment agency makes property valuations in the city.

This year BC Assessment is making use of new technology to approach their work on the North Coast, with representatives of the agency working out of a BC Assessment identified vehicle making the rounds of the North Coast region to update the photos of the 5,369 or so family residences that are on their roll call in the city for 2016.

BC Assessment outlines how the process works and reviews some of the safeguards that they take towards privacy, through an information sheet available here.

Some further background to the project can be found from the video that BC Assessment has posted to their You Tube page.



Further information about BC Assessment, as well as links to their on line data base of property assessments can be found here.

Property assessments are delivered to home owners in January, setting out valuations that are used by municipalities as part of their budget planning and property tax calculations.

How the information related to past assessments has been delivered can be examined from our Housing archive page, while some background on how the City makes use of those assessed values can be reviewed from our Council Archive on Taxation issues.

NDP bearish when it comes to grizzly protection

BC NDP Leader John Horgan is making the protection of the province's grizzly bears a campaign issue.

Thursday, Mr. Horgan outlined the plans that the NDP have, should they form the next government, to put in place a ban on trophy hunting of the bears that wander much of the provinces coastal regions and back country.

In a media statement released yesterday the NDP leader pulled together the themes of leadership and respect when it comes to how his government would address the issue.

NDP Leader John Horgan speaking on
Thursday on issues related to the
BC Grizzly hunt
“It’s time for some leadership here,” ...“We can look after our natural environment, respect the outdoor traditions of this province and grow the economy if we make the right choices. That should start now with a change in how we treat the iconic grizzly bears of B.C.”


The full statement from the NDP can be viewed here.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice, also spoke to the topic on Thursday, calling on her experiences along the Central Coast to throw her full support towards the leaders plans.

In her own information statement, Ms. Rice outlined her belief that keeping grizzly bears alive is vital not just culturally, but economically to her constituents.

Ms. Rice also included a video of her time touring the Great Bear Rainforest with Chief Doug Neasloss, highlighting how the NDP stand on trophy hunting can help to build communities and develop new economies.


  


Ms. Rice also expanded on the grizzly hunt ban through a number of posts to her Facebook page through the day Thursday.

More notes from developments out of Victoria and across the North Coast riding can be found on our Legislature Archive page.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Rainmaker Soccer puts a wrap on Provincials with 2 and 3 record

Prince Rupert was represented well at the Provincial Soccer Zones
as the Charles Hays Rainmakers took on some of the best 
in the province during AA tournament play 
(Photo courtesy Brian Cameron)

The Charles Hays Rainmakers have wrapped up their journey to provincials with some impressive results, as head coach Simon Ruperto's boys picked up two wins and three losses on the week, two of the losses close affairs that could have gone the Makers' way with a bounce or two.

The week in Burnaby started off Monday with a 1-0 victory over Bodwell in a morning match up, with the Rainmakers coming close to an upset of highly regarded Pitt Secondary in the Monday afternoon showdown eventually finding themselves on the wrong end of the 3-2 final.

Tuesday saw Charles Hays back on the winning side of the ledger with hard earned 3-1 victory over Richmond, but once again the afternoon would provide another challenge when Kamloop's Sa-Hail Secondary topped the Rainmakers by a 3-1 margin.

Wednesday's final game of the five game tourney for Charles Hays would prove to be the toughest for the boys, as a hard playing LV Rogers from Nelson dominated much of the play on the way to a 6-2 victory.

Still, putting aside the final result, the Charles Hays squad showed some strong results on the pitch, taking their disciplined play and never give up approach from the season into the provincial tournament.

Securing for themselves a championship berth that High School Soccer in Prince Rupert had not reached in almost thirty years.



Such is the nature of competition on the pitch that but for a bounce here, a post there or a just miss from time to time, the Rainmakers may have been in the mix for the top tier heading into the finals of Day three.

That Provincial finale featured a showdown between the St. Micheals and Bodwell with the Blue Jags of St. Micheal's claiming the championship with a 2-1 score.

When the final tabulation of results was complete, the Rainmakers were listed at 14th in the provincial ranking from the tournament.

Charles Hays Sherangad Sahi was singled out from the Rainmakers roster for his work through the tournament one of the sixteen players to receive the accolades of BC Secondary Soccer at Tournament Award time.

Former Charles Hays Secondary teacher Brian Cameron now lives in the Lower Mainland and he stopped by the pitch through the tournament to cheer on the Rainmakers, he forwarded some of the action shots below to the North Coast Review to be shared with the Rainmaker Nation.








More or Mr. Cameron's photos can be viewed from the CHSS Twitter feed

The team is making its way back to the Prince Rupert today and here's a reminder that you can help the team reduce the financial load that comes from such a journey, joining other North Coast residents an making a donation through a Go Fund Me page created to help out the soccer squad.

Rainmaker fans now turn their attention towards tournament play this weekend.

The Junior Boys Volleyball team is currently in the Okanagan  taking part in the Provincial Volleyball championships.

You can follow their tournament path from the Glenrosa Gymansium in West Kelowna, thanks to a stream of updates available through the CHSS twitter feed.

The schedule the tournament can be found here.

The Senior Girls will be keeping their game in shape through the weekend with an eye towards their own Provincial Championship in Abbotsford next week.

The Rainmaker Girls claimed the Northwest Zones last weekend with a string of wins over Kitimat and Smithers at the competition held in Kitimat.

More notes on Sports at Charles Hays can be found on our archive page.