merritt herald - february 24, 2015
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Merritt Herald - February 24, 2015TRANSCRIPT
B.C. BUDGET PAGE 2
ON THE RUNPAGE 9
DEVELOPMENT PERMITS UPPAGE 3
Nicola Valley’s News Voice Since 1905
MERRITT HERALDmerrittherald.com bcclassified.com
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS FREE
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A 29-year-old Merritt man is facing charges after police found two loaded handguns in his crashed car.
At about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 19, the driver of a 1998 Crown Victoria travelling southbound 20 kilometres south of Merritt along the Coquihalla Highway lost con-trol of the vehicle.
The vehicle hit a concrete
median and rolled to the other side of the road where it hit another vehicle, which was travelling northbound.
The four passengers of the northbound vehicle sustained minor injuries, as did the driver of the Crown Victoria.
Police arrested the driver of the Crown Victoria and charged him with two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.
He will appear in court on Monday, Feb. 23.
Man who crashed stolen truck arrested on
outstanding warrants
A man involved in a single-vehicle crash on Fri-day morning was arrested by Merritt RCMP on outstand-ing warrants.
At about 7 a.m. on Feb. 20, Merritt RCMP attended the scene of a car crash 40 kilometres south of Merritt on the Coquihalla Highway.
When the officers arrived,
they did not find any passen-gers, but a witness on scene said the vehicle had passed her going northbound at a high rate of speed.
The vehicle hit a dirt shoulder, turned into a ditch and rolled several times.
The witness said she then saw a man wearing a black hoodie and bright red sweatpants with a backpack exit the vehicle and enter the woods.
Police discovered the
crashed 2006 Chevy pickup truck had been reported sto-len from Abbotsford earlier that day.
At 8:30 a.m., police received a report of a man hitchhiking about a kilome-tre north of where the acci-dent took place. His descrip-tion fit that of the suspect driver of the pickup.
RCMP located the 21-year-old man and charged him with posses-sion of stolen property over
$5,000.He was taken to the
Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre for a knee injury and released into police custody, where he remains.
He also had two out-standing warrants for his arrest from Invermere for possession of stolen property under $5,000 and failing to appear in court.
Both files remain under investigation.
Loaded handguns in crashed car leads to arrestBy Michael Potestio
Local couple gets lucky on scratch ticketA hankering for beef
jerky changed the lives of two Merritt residents for the better on the weekend.
While working on some paperwork Sunday after-noon at the Nicola Valley Medical Centre, Dr. Drew Soderberg — who came to Merritt last year to work as a doctor — went down the street to the 7-Eleven where he bought his snack, and a couple of Set For Life scratch-and-win tickets.
Soderberg went back to the office to finish his work, but kept the tickets for his wife to scratch.
While watching TV at home later that night, Soderberg’s wife Deidre scratched the lucky ticket and screamed when she realized it was a winner.
“I thought she was screaming at a spider or something,” Soderberg said.
Deidre was in disbelief.
“It was just like, ‘Am I reading this right? Can you double check this?’”
she said Monday from the BCLC office in Kamloops, where they had the ticket
verified and collected their winnings.
Stunned at the winning
ticket, the two didn’t tell many people at first just in case the ticket wasn’t in fact
the big winner, Deidre said.“We couldn’t sleep last
night,” she told the Herald on Monday.
Even after the ticket had been validated, Soderberg said he and his wife still found it hard to believe they were $675,000 richer.
“My brain’s still not really with me right now,” he said.
The money will be a sig-nificant help to the couple has they’re expecting a baby in August, and Soder-berg has student loans to pay down from medical school.
The Soderbergs will use a portion of the winnings to pay off their house, they said.
Soderberg said their child will also have a nice education fund in place thanks to the cash.
The Soderbergs opted for the lump sum offered by Set For Life, which also gives the option for winners to receive $1,000 weekly for 25 years.
By Michael PotestioTHE HERALD
[email protected] Dr. Drew Soderberg and his wife Deidre will use their $675,000 windfall to pay off their house, Drew’s student loans, and to prepare for the child they’re expecting this summer.
Photo courtesy of BCLC
www.merrittherald.com 2 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
No registration fee, however early registration is
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Balanced budget doesn’t bode well for school districts
School District 58 will need to find six-figure savings as school districts are being asked by the provincial government to tighten their belts in 2015.
The provincial bud-get, announced last week, calls for a claw-back of $54 million over the next two years.
School District 58 board of trustees chair Gordon Comeau said this will result in his district needing to find about $350,000 in sav-ings over the course of the next three years.
He said this will limit the amount of surplus funds school boards can carry and use in case the need arises.
Comeau said he thinks SD58 is strong enough to “weather the storm” for a few years, but the cuts will force the district to be more frugal.
The district was looking to put more money into human resources, which is an initiative that will be put on hold for the time being.
These savings are being asked to come from administrative costs, he said.
Comeau said he thinks this budget doesn’t do much to help school boards.
“It’s definitely not a good news budget for school districts,” he said.
Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart said in the past, other minis-
tries have been asked to find efficiencies and in this budget it’s the edu-cation ministry’s turn.
This year’s budget has allotted more than $550 million more over the next three years for B.C.’s education sector to compensate for the new collective agree-ment with teachers.
MLA lauds budget highlights
Following the pro-vincial government’s balanced budget announcement last week, Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart believes there are a few highlights that should prove beneficial for Merritt-area residents.
The government will be ending its deduction of child sup-
port payments from income-assistance calculations come September — a move Tegart said will benefit single mothers.
There’s an addition-al $20 million added to the budget for income assistance and $100 million in additional funding over the next three years for Com-munity Living B.C., a provincial agency that assists adults with developmental dis-
abilities. These changes are
good news for people throughout the riding and B.C. who have a hard time making ends meet, she said.
New funding for hospice and palliative care for children and adults is an area that the government has heard concerns on and committed new funding toward in this budget as well, Tegart said.
By Michael PotestioTHE HERALD
www.merrittherald.com TUESDAY, February 24, 2015 • 3
NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
Follow us on Twitter:twitter.com/MerrittHerald
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Opinion --------------------- 6-7Sports ------------------------- 9Classifi ed ------------------- 10
GOOD MORNING!
From the Herald archives: February 1993
Medevac service could be lost
A service that may have saved a local woman’s life could be lost to area residents if it isn’t utilized more.
The medevac air ambulance operating out of Kamloops was called into Merritt Sunday to transfer a medically unstable patient with low blood pressure from Nicola Valley Gener-al Hospital to Royal Inland Hospital. A reliable source indi-cated the woman had been brought into the local hospital early Sunday morn-ing, but her condi-tion wasn’t improv-ing so Advance Life Support paramed-ics were contacted around noon.
By the time she arrived in Kamloops, her blood pressure had apparently improved.
“We’re not get-ting enough flights to warrant our stay-ing here. It’s not bringing back the dollars expended,” explained pilot Sid Peltier.
REMEMBERWHEN?
Friends & Neighbours
The Merritt Herald is looking forCOMMUNITY-SUBMITTED STORIES
about your Friends & Neighbours.Ph: 250.378.4241 Fax: [email protected] www.merrittherald.com2090 Granite Avenue, P.O. Box 9, Merritt, B.C.
MERRITT HERALDPlease bring them in to:
Development permits show Merritt growthMerritt is experiencing a
spike in growth and develop-ment these days.
The city’s planning and development manager said there were 70 new businesses registered with the city in 2014, bringing the total number up to 585.
That’s about a 20 per cent increase in the number
of businesses from 2013, Sean O’Flaherty said.
The new Diacarbon pel-let plant and all the com-panies that worked on that project are included in those numbers.
With the Merritt Green Energy project under construction, O’Flaherty anticipates another increase in businesses operating in Merritt in the next year and a half, balancing out those
that may fall out of 2015’s numbers now that the pellet plant is up and running.
He said the anticipated building of new hotels in Merritt’s Gasoline Alley area should also yield a number of new business licences.
O’Flaherty said this upswing in development is the first spike of its kind in 10 years.
He said between 2005 and 2015, growth in Merritt
has been on a steady, slow increase.
The total value of build-ing permits in Merritt more than doubled in 2014 from the previous year’s number, and is expected to double again for 2015, O’Flaherty said.
In 2014, the valuation of building permits in Merritt was about $11.65 million, compared to $4.1 million in 2013.
The number of busi-nesses counted in Merritt includes storefronts, contrac-tors, home-based businesses and out-of-town trades.
City of Merritt chief administrative officer Allan Chabot told city council he thinks the majority of new job growth in Merritt will come from existing busi-nesses, and wants more focus placed on supporting their expansion.
By Michael PotestioTHE HERALD
Vancouver Island-based folk duo The Great Plains will play at the Merritt Seniors Centre Thursday.
Saskia and Darrel Delaronde, the married couple that plays Canadiana as The Great Plains, are stopping at the facility as the kickoff for a tour that will take them around B.C. into July.
Their country-tinged music draws on a variety of quintessen-tially Canadian influences, from Louis Riel, the renegade Métis rights fighter in Manitoba, to rodeos in B.C.’s grasslands.
Their crowd-friendly, engaging live show also features lyrics sung with gusto in Spanish, Dutch, German, French and Gaelic.
The duo has an extensive back catalogue, having recorded nine albums over their decade-long career, from which they’ll draw at their Feb. 26 concert in Merritt.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at 1675 Tutill Court.
Tickets are $10 and are avail-able by phoning 378-4407.
Folk duoplays at Seniors Centre Thursday
IN STEP The Dancing Divas from the Love to Dance Academy performed for residents of the Nicola Meadows retirement home on Feb. 18. The Divas performed to a handful of songs and even danced with some of the residents at the end of their performance. Their next stop will be at the Florentine at 2 p.m. on Feb. 25. Michael Potestio/Herald
Local MLA named caucus chairMerritt’s MLA is mov-
ing up the political ladder.Fraser-Nicola MLA
Jackie Tegart has been acclaimed as chair of the BC Liberal caucus, mak-ing her not only respon-sible for overseeing caucus meetings, but a liaison
between Liberal MLAs and the Premier’s office as well.
As chair, Tegart meets with Christy Clark once per week to discuss con-cerns, as well as the cau-cus agenda.
She said having this position is an opportunity to build relationships with the decision-makers in
cabinet and the Premier’s office.
“I think any time that we can build stronger rela-tionships, that bodes well for the riding,” she said.
Nominated by mem-bers of caucus, Tegart said she thinks her acclimation indicates her colleagues respect her and see her as a leader. Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart
By Michael PotestioTHE HERALD
www.merrittherald.com 4 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
Next council meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015Council agendas and minutes at www.merritt.ca
City of Merritt ★ 2185 Voght Street, Box 189Merritt, BC V1K 1B8 ★ Phone: 250-378-4224
Applications are invited for a temporary bylaw enforcement officer position.
The City of Merritt is seeking an individual to serve as Bylaw Enforcement Officer on a full time basis. The position is for a forty (40) hour work week with shifts rotating occasionally to include weekends.
For complete details, please see City of Merritt website at www.merritt.ca
Applications will be received by the undersigned until 4:00 p.m. Friday, February 27, 2015
Carole FraserHuman Resources Manager, City of Merritt
2185 Voght Street, Box 189Merritt, B.C. V1K [email protected]
As only those candidates short-listed will be contacted, we thank you in advance for
your interest in this position.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
2040 Mamette Avenue, Merritt
Programs at the Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre
AWSI – ASSISTANT WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR COURSE
The first step in becoming a swimming Instructor. Must be 15 years of age and strokes at a level 10.
March 16 - 19th, 8:30am - 4:30pm
NATIONAL LIFEGUARD RECERT must have proof of NL within the last 5 years.
Sunday March 15th 12:30 - 4:30pm
STANDARD FIRST AID March 24th & 25th 8:30am - 5:30pm
STANDARD FIRST AID RECERT
must bring proof of SFA March 26th 8:30am - 5:30pm
THE FIRST STEPS TO BECOMING A LIFEGUARD BRONZE STAR, MEDALLION, CROSS
March 23 - 27th 9am-5:30pmBronze Star: 8 - 12yrs of age, ability to swim 100m
Bronze Medallion: bronze star or 13 yrs of ageBronze Cross: bronze medallion
FREE TEEN SWIM
13 -18 yrs - Friday Feb 27th 9 - 11pmFREE PRE-TEEN SWIM
7-12 yrs - Saturday Feb 28th 5:30 - 7:30pm
Come hang out with your friends, pizza, pop, prizes and fun!
AQUA JOGGING
Need a change in routine? Too cold to run outside? Tired of running on a treadmill? Joints sore from too much impact? Try Aqua Jogging! Great Cardio workout, the water provides extra resistance with no impact! Come give it a try!
Excellent program for triathlon athletes. Wednesday Mornings 6:15 - 7am
For more information on any of these courses give us a call at the
Aquatic Centre 250-378-6662
SUMMARY OF
CITY OF MERRITT SNOW
REMOVAL POLICY
This procedure outlines the responsibility of the City, residents, businesses and contractors as it pertains to snow removal in Merritt.
NOTE: For purpose of this procedure “Area 1” is designated by heavy black line and “Area 2” is all remaining streets..
Service Level based on Snow Accumulation:0 – 5 cm: Area 1 only sanded AS PRIORITY5 – 20 cm: City streets are graded and sanded in the following time frame: Area 1 – within eight (8) hours Area 2 – within thirty (30) hoursOver 20 cm: Exceptional Snowfall – will call out such manpower and equipment as
may be available and required to maintain city streets in as passable conditions as possible.
Priorities:No.1 Emergency access routes to essential services such as hospital, police,
fire, ambulance, City services. Dangerous roadways including hills and intersections.
No.2 Schools;No.3 Downtown Business Core;No.4 Highway Commercial properties;No.5 Residential properties
Disposal:Residents, businesses and contractors are not permitted to blow or plow snow from private property onto right-of-ways, streets, lanes or walkways.Residents and businesses in areas with City sidewalks adjacent to roads shall be permitted to place snow from the walk on the road.
Sidewalk Clearing:Every owner or occupier of residential zoned property shall remove snow or ice from sidewalks or pathways abutting the said property within twenty-four (24) hours of accumulation except for weekends and holidays.
Every owner or occupier of real property shall immediately remove snow, ice or rubbish from the roof or other part of a structure adjacent to a highway or pathway or sidewalk where such snow or ice or rubbish presents a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
Every owner or occupier of commercial or industrial zoned property shall remove snow or ice from sidewalk or pathways abutting the said property by ten (10) a.m. of any day and, as needed, following the accumulation of snow or ice.
Complete copies of this procedure can be obtained at City Hall during regular business hours.
Community life begins with Public Works: NPWAThe following is an excerpt from the City of Merritt regu-lar council meeting agenda from Feb. 24, 2015.
Dear mayor and councillors,
The Public Works Association of British Columbia (PWABC) is seeking your support to recognize and promote National Public Works Week (NPWW) by acknowledging May 17 to 23, 2015 as National Public Works Week in your community. This year’s theme is “Com-munity begins here.”
National Public Works Week is observed each year during the third full week of May and this is the 55th year. NPWW calls attention to the importance of
public works in com-munity life and seeks to acknowledge the efforts of tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain civil infrastructure and services. NPWW also allows councils to remind the public of the 24-7 services that they are responsible for and are proud of. Many coun-cils and public works departments make this an annual celebration in their communities.
The APWA encour-ages public works agen-cies and professionals to take the opportunity to celebrate the week with parades, displays of public works equipment, high school essay con-tests, open houses, pro-grams for civic organiza-tions and media events.
The occasion is
marked each year with scores of resolutions and proclamations from mayors and premiers and raises the public’s awareness of public works issues and increas-es confidence in public
works agencies like yours, which are dedicated to improving the quality of life for present and future.
Deryk LeePWABC president
www.merrittherald.com TUESDAY, February 24, 2015 • 5
NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
Come o
ut & help support M
arcel in his fi ght against melanoma cancer! He would love to see you there
Marcel Haller has been diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer. His illness is progressing and the family is now
facing large costs to continue treatments in Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops. It has now come time for his wife, Donelda, to take leave from her employment to continue her support for Marcel.
At this time, their family is requesting your help to cover costs for travel, expensive medications and loss of wages. Family and friends are pulling together and starting a fundraiser campaign. We are hop-ing to raise $5000.
SPAGHETTI DINNER CANCER FUNDRAISER FOR MARCEL HALLER
Saturday March, 21, 2015$10.00/Plate
3:00pm - 9:00pm at the Lower Nicola Band School 201 Horn Rd. Lower Nicola Merritt, B.C.
If you are interested in
volunteering or helping out in any way please call or
text Angie Haller at 250-315-5400
To donate a raffle prize or any donations please
contact Marcel or Donelda Haller at 250-378-6312
Your help is much appreciated
Loonie Auction• 50/50 Door Prizes • Live Entertainment
And More!!
Child care assistants provide support to children and their care providers in community centres on
an outreach basis. CTFRC has casual on call positions available for Child Care Assistants in our
Supported Child Development program at our Merritt location.
Qualifications/Requirements:
developmental disabilities
Salary starting at $18.95/hr
Thank you for your interest in this position, only short listed candidates will be contacted.
CASUAL CHILD CARE ASSISTANTS
Please submit resumes to:
Sarah MorrisonAdministrative Assistant
Annual women’s conference focuses on self-esteem
Journeys Into Tomorrow transition house is holding its annual women’s confer-ence on Saturday, offer-ing women from around the Nicola Valley a free day of fashion advice and self-esteem building workshops.
The event, which begins at 10 a.m., fea-tures two presentations in the morning: one on how to refurbish a wardrobe, and the other on sewing tips.
Various booths will also be set up through-out the day, from ones that have accessories for women to try on to ones that help women iden-tify properly fitting bras.
Local consultant Rona Sterling-Collins, who specializes in work-ing with aboriginal communities, will lead a workshop on self-esteem in the afternoon.
Dinner will be served beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the day will wrap up with a fashion show.
Snacks, lunch and supper are provided.
There is no cost to attend the event, but pre-registration is rec-ommended.
Journeys Into Tomorrow women’s support worker Dale August said women who register are advised to bring a change of clothes they’d like to show the designers at the event.
August said it’s important for women to develop self-esteem, and being happy with how they look is one way to increase their self-confidence.
“We try to show the ladies there are different options and how to feel good about themselves and not get into these kinds of relationships,” she said. “Violence pre-vention — that’s what our house is all about.”
The event runs at the Coldwater Band School from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 28.
Directors for the Thompson-Nicola Regional District are looking at ways to gain regulatory control over biosolids activities in their district — a move that would be the first of its kind in B.C.
To do this, TNRD directors would need approval from the provincial govern-ment, Area M director Randy Murray told the Herald.
No other regional district has this kind of jurisdiction, he said.
Under current pro-vincial regulations, the TNRD doesn’t have to be notified that a pro-ponent intends to use
a piece of RL1 zoned land for processing biosolids as it is a per-mitted use. No public consultation process is required either, and only the Ministry of Environment and IHA need to be notified and give approval for such a practice.
Murray, who pre-sides over the part of the Nicola Val-ley where biosolids are currently being processed, said the TNRD needs to look to alternative methods of management to spreading biosolids on land as fertilizer.
Murray said the TNRD also has the option of passing a bylaw prohibiting the export of biosolids
produced on their land.
On Feb. 5, the TNRD board of direc-tors heard presenta-tions regarding biosol-ids from the Ministry of Environment, Inte-rior Health Authority (IHA), biosolids indus-try representatives and the anti-biosolids group Friends of the Nicola Valley.
“It was a good information session that helped the board understand the issue better,” Murray said.
The TNRD is expected to have a strategic planning ses-sion at the end of this month where it will identify top priorities, and Murray expects biosolids to be one of the top five.
TNRD looks at options for biosolids management
By Michael PotestioTHE HERALD
www.merrittherald.com 6 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
Educators across the country have their eyes on Québec’s education min-istry as it investigates the circumstances surround-ing the strip search of a 15-year-old girl at a high school in Québec City.
The girl was suspected of selling drugs and was brought into a room, where a female teacher held up a blanket in front of her
while she undressed. She handed over all
her clothes to the princi-pal, who’s also female, to search.
Oddly, whether the school staff members actu-ally found any drugs isn’t a prominent feature of the story.
Instead, what has taken off is the news that strip searches are allowed in schools in Québec, and that province’s minister of education even stood up or the process in the media, stating it was done by the book.
The book, it turns out, is a 2010 policy created by the province with input from police that states staff can search students’ per-sonal belongings on reason-able grounds a school rule has been broken in order to
locate evidence.Under the policy, a
student must be shielded by a screen or cover while undressing, and only clothes are to be searched — not the student’s body. No direct contact is allowed.
Two staff members, preferably of the same gen-der, must be present for the search.
While officials with the school and government feel the strip search fell within the rules, the girl and her mother certainly didn’t.
The girl told media she felt degraded and humili-ated, and her mother has said she’s considering legal action.
Schools are tasked with ensuring safe and healthy environments for everybody within their walls, and
that’s a responsibility they obviously take seriously.
However, the limits of how far they can take the role of ensuring that safety without infringing on another person’s rights is the matter at stake here.
In 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled a school that searched a male student and found a bag of marijuana did not violate his constitutional rights.
However, that student wasn’t strip searched. He was brought into the prin-cipal’s office and made to turn out his pockets then pull up his pant legs, which revealed a bulge in his sock. The sock bulge turned out to be a bag of pot, and the RCMP officer in the room arrested the boy.
The Supreme Court ruling came back with a
bunch of complicating fac-tors that are resurfacing in the debate surrounding this recent incident in Québec.
Among things school staff members must con-sider before they conduct a strip search are the nature of the threat, the age and gender of the student, and their task to keep buildings safe.
Three years later, the Supreme Court heard arguments for and against police officers’ use of a strip search to bust a man for crack cocaine possession.
In the decision, the Supreme Court called strip searches “inherently humili-ating and degrading for detainees regardless of the manner in which they are carried out.”
HERALD OPINION
Individuals and political parties
As I have commented in the past, many of the major issues on Par-liament Hill are often very different from the concerns heard back at home. MPs who are suspended from their cau-cus, satellite office expenses, costs of inappropriate partisan mailings, and most recently an MP floor-crossing are issues that receive a considerable amount of media attention in Ottawa but are less frequently raised by citi-zens in Okanagan-Coquihalla.
All of these issues are quite rare, but floor-crossings are unique as they tend to involve an MLA or an MP leaving one party (which they were presumably a member of when elect-ed) to join another party they were not a member of when first elected. As some may know, the NDP have a long-standing position that any floor-crossing should automatically trigger a byelection, which is a position that we were reminded of last week and which continues to be the subject of debate.
In this conversation it is important to recognize that citizens can be elect-ed without a party affiliation. Often we refer to these citizens, once elected, as Independents. Likewise, there may also be an MP or MLA who was elected as a member of a political party who decides to leave that party or join another. These can be very difficult decisions for all involved. However, they are legitimately recog-nized positions in public office. In fact, the House of Commons Procedure and Practice manual confirms that “members are not obliged to retain that party label during the whole of their mandate” and further states “a member who changes party allegiance is under no obligation to resign his or her seat and stand for re-election.”
Strip searches not school appropriate
2090 GRANITE AVE., PO BOX 9, MERRITT, B.C. PHONE (250) 378-4241 FAX (250) 378-6818MERRITT HERALDCopyright subsists in all display advertising in this edition of the Merritt Herald. Permission to reproduce in any form, must be obtained in writing from the publisher. We acknowledge the fi nancial support of the Government of Canada, through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.
This Merritt Herald is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org
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See ‘Tactic’ Page 7See ‘Nomination’ Page 7
DAN ALBASView from the HILL
www.merrittherald.com TUESDAY, February 24, 2015 • 7
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It also states the general rule is strip searches are, at first glance, unreasonable.
The decision con-tinues: “It is necessary to have a means of preventing unjustified searches before they occur, rather than simply determining after the fact whether the search should have occurred.”
Now, unfortunately, that’s exactly the posi-tion this school, its board and its provincial education ministry find themselves in.
The education min-ister has since softened his staunch support of the strip search proto-col, saying there will be an investigation into its
place in schools.It is not clear if the
school had attempted to have the matter sorted by police, who, after all, deal with mat-ters relating to illegal drugs.
But when the baseline for use of strip searches for even police officers — who have strict protocols when it comes to that technique — is not generally believed to be reasonable, surely these types of invasive searches do not belong in schools.
When the starting line is not to go there, proponents of school-based strip searches certainly have an uphill battle in proving they are fair practice in schools.
NEW AT THE LIBRARY
Fiction
M.C. Beaton Death of a LiarAlex Berenson Twelve DaysLisa Gardner Crash & BurnKristin Hannah The Nighingale
Dear Editor: Re: Bear spotted at Rotary Park, Merritt Herald, Feb. 19
When you reported a bear sighting in Rotary Park, you also reported the conservation officer to have said there were children in the park, but no one was hurt in this incident.
This must raise a question in everyone’s mind. When was a child last hurt by a bear and its cub in Merritt?
When was an adult last hurt by a bear and its cub in Merritt? When was a senior citizen last hurt by a bear and its cub in Merritt? Just wondering.
Neil MacLean Merritt
I disagree with the NDP position that a member cross-ing the floor should trigger a byelection. Ultimately, a party cannot exist if it does not elect members to a Parliament or legislature in electoral ridings.
For individually elected members, to retain the right to leave a party, sit as an inde-pendent or join another party are all means that a member can use to help ensure a party is held accountable. I mention this as also coming back before the House this week for debate is Conservative MP Michael Chong’s private member’s bill The Reform Act of 2014 that seeks to rebalance Parlia-ment by increasing the powers
available to party caucuses, individual MPs and electoral riding associations. This has been a widely debated bill but one that most citizens I have heard from are supportive of and one that I have also sup-ported within the House of Commons.
Over the past few months as the federal election approaches, we have witnessed how some willing candidates have been summarily dis-missed and blocked from run-ning for a particular party. In some cases, cause is given but in many cases, no cause is pro-vided. In extreme circumstanc-es, litigation has occurred.
From my standpoint, I have observed how some who are supportive of the democratic
reform act have turned a blind eye to arbitrary candidate blocking. Ultimately, this serves as a reminder to why the dem-ocratic reform bill is one that should be taken seriously not just by elected officials but by those who are actively involved in various political parties and organizations.
Democracy should be an open process. Nomination battles, as they are sometimes called, can be challenging but they are an important part of our democratic process. For further comments and con-cerns, I can be reached at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-800-665-8711.
Dan Albas is the member of Parlia-ment for Okanagan-Coquihalla.
From Page 6
Nomination battles part of democratic process
Tactic crosses line in ensuring schools safe
Bear sighting raises injury question
From Page 6
ANNUAL DONATION Members of the vintage car club stopped in at the food bank last Tuesday to drop off a $500 donation. Pictured are (back row, from left): Neil McLeod, club president Jack Cross, Marguerite Lund, food bank manager Marlene Fenton, Lionel Nunn, Ted Lund, (front row, from left) Kim Jurriet and Linda Nunn. Michael Potestio/Herald
Jonathan Kellerman MotiveJ.D. Robb Obsession in DeathErica Spindler The First WifeAnne Tyler A Spool of Blue Thread
www.merrittherald.com 8 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
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Donations desperately needed for spay and neuter services.
Donations can be to made to The Angel’s Animal Rescue Society at The Interior Savings Credit Union, Account #1193739.
Adopt a Pet
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Dominic BennyDom is a handsome, well trained boy who loves most people and most other dogs. He is very shy at first so needs to meet people and new dogs slowly. He is ready to go to a home that is familiar with the breed. He would do best in a home with older children, no cats or small rodents as he is a typical terrier.
Buck is fun and outgoing, very affectionate, loves kisses and hikes down to the river. Great with most other dogs. He has been at Angel’s for some time now and would really like to find his forever home. He requires a patient home that can teach him basic house manners.
Very timid but has come along way. Must have a female k9 companion and a human that is understanding and patient. The city would not be a good place for Ben.
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Federal tax credits target LNG investment
The federal govern-ment is offering tax breaks for equipment and buildings for lique-fied natural gas produc-tion.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the tax breaks in Surrey Thurs-day with Industry Min-ister James Moore and three B.C. MPs.
LNG producers will be granted capital cost allowances of 30 per cent on equipment and 10 per cent on build-ings, which reduce their income tax to offset construction costs. The standard rate for capital cost allowance is eight per cent for equipment and six per cent for buildings.
B.C. took a similar approach with its LNG income tax, offering credits on corporate income tax until initial plant investments are paid off.
Premier Christy Clark welcomed the
federal move, which she said B.C. has lobbied hard to get as interna-tional producers have delayed final investment decisions. She said the drop in oil prices has made the decision more difficult for big com-panies that get part of their revenue from oil, but B.C. is competitive on LNG.
“We’re already more competitive than Australia,” Clark said. “Our real main compe-tition in the world is the U.S. and the west coast of North America.”
NDP natural gas critic Bruce Ralston said the front-end tax credits are the right approach to take, but
the federal tax break doesn’t change the eco-nomic conditions for B.C. trying to enter a global energy market.
“Our objections are the same,” Ralston said. “If LNG proponents want, as one proponent did, 70 per cent tem-porary foreign workers, and 70 per cent of the [greenhouse gas] emissions are not being counted, then we don’t support the plan.”
David Keane, presi-dent of the BC LNG Alliance, said the fed-eral decision is encour-aging and the industry continues to work with First Nations and other local governments to develop.
Which came first: the consistently high gas prices in Merritt or people willing to pay them?
That’s a question Merritt’s city coun-cil and Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Dan Albas sat down to talk about on Feb. 10 at a committee of the whole meeting.
Committee of the whole meetings are pub-lic and involve members of council, but council does not make any motions or decisions at them as it does at regu-lar council meetings.
At the meeting, Albas and councillors discussed how gas prices are set and potential reasons why prices in Merritt are typically higher than those in neighbouring communi-ties.
Albas said four main components influence the price consumers pay at the pump: the price
of the crude product (in B.C.’s case, bitumen from Alberta); refining costs; taxation at the provincial and federal levels; and local compe-tition.
He said the introduc-tion of Costco in Kam-loops created a price war in that city that has driven the prices to be among the lowest con-sistently in the province.
“You’re seeing less and less independent operators now,” he said. “Not every com-munity is going to be able to accommodate a Costco.”
The individual busi-ness owner’s strategy also plays into the end price that users pay at the pump, he said.
However, in many cases, the prices at Mer-ritt’s gas stations are set by head offices in larger centres and not by the station operators.
Albas said the local gas stations fall on a supply chain that’s inter-national in scale and a bump anywhere along
that line can raise or lower prices.
While the Fairness at the Pumps Act is a piece of federal legislation designed to ensure con-sumers get the quantity of gas they’re paying for, any further regula-tion of prices would fall under provincial juris-diction.
He said the federal government’s jurisdic-tion over the issue comes into play via arm’s-length investiga-tive bodies that can look into anti-competitive or anti-consumer behav-iours such as collusion or price fixing.
The federal gas tax constitutes about 40 per cent of the total gas tax, while the other 60 per cent of the gas tax is provincial.
Part of the federal portion of the gas tax is also redistributed to municipalities, and it was gas tax funding that was used to beautify Gasoline Alley several years ago.
The roles of different
levels of government combined with fluctuat-ing prices can make it difficult to pinpoint any long-term differences in prices in B.C., Albas said.
At the local level, Merritt Mayor Neil Menard said gas prices are a road block in council’s ‘buy local’ agenda.
Coun. Kurt Chris-topherson said the gas prices are a two-way street: if corporations lower their prices in Merritt, more local people will support the stations here.
He said it’s a matter of corporations setting their prices to prioritize the local population over the travelling pub-lic.
Coun. Mike Goetz uses part of his report to council at regular coun-cil meetings to recite gas prices in communities around B.C.
“How does one com-munity consistently miss the boat all the time?” he said.
Province digs deeper into ICBC, Hydro piggy banks
By Tom FletcherBLACK PRESStfl [email protected]
Politicians puzzled over high gas prices
By Emily WesselTHE HERALD
The B.C. govern-ment intends to pull more money out of ICBC in the years ahead.
The annual dividend from the public auto insurer – which goes into gen-eral government rev-enue despite repeated demands from critics for lower premiums instead – is estimated at $160 million a year in each of 2015, 2016 and 2017, according to budget documents.
That’s an increase from estimates of $155 million for 2015 and $125 million for 2016 in last year’s budget.
By the end of 2017, the province will have taken $1.5 billion from ICBC coffers since 2010.
— Jeff Nagel, Black Press
www.merrittherald.com TUESDAY, February 24, 2015 • 9
By Ian WebsterTHE HERALD
A total of 12 Grade 4/5 teams represent-ing six area elementary schools took part in the SD 58 handball champi-onships last Wednesday.
All six girls’ teams
converged on the for-mer Coquihalla Middle School gymnasium for their half-day tourna-ment, while the six boys’ teams were divided into two pools, with games held at Central and Collettville Elementary Schools.
By Ian WebsterTHE HERALD
A trio of runners with ties to Merritt took to the roads on Feb. 15 in the Starting Block 10K race, held in Lavington on the outskirts of Vernon.
Hans Aabye, 37, who lived and worked in the Nicola Valley for several years before transferring to West Kelowna, placed first in a field of 206 participants with a time of 33 minutes and 40 seconds — 25 seconds better than his winning time one year ago.
Second place went to 31-year-old triathlete Nathan Champness from Vernon (34:02), while top female finisher was Calgary’s Maria Zambrano, who finished fifth overall in a sparkling time of 36:36.
Thirty-sixth overall finisher, and first in her age group (F40-44) was Merritt’s Marie-Josée Bedard in a time of 44 minutes and 18 seconds. Bedard is currently the principal at Collettville Elementary School.
Not far behind Bedard was former SD 58 superintendent Bob Peacock (M65-69) in
forty-second place overall with a time of 45:17. Peacock retired last summer and now calls Vernon home.
For the six-foot eight-inch Aabye, the Starting Block 10K was his first competition in almost a year after taking seven months off from training due to a heel fracture in one of his feet. Entering the race was a last-min-ute decision.
“Because I had worked so hard to get close to where I was last year, I didn’t want to run this course if it was going to be at all treacher-ous,” Aabye told Lorne White of Okanagan Sports Page. “But the conditions could not have been bet-ter. The course was dry, the sun was shining and the turnout was great...and super competitive. There were no freebies,
that’s for sure.”As White stated in his
article, Aabye looked like his old self again — rac-ing to an early lead, and then maintaining it the rest of the way for his third straight victory on the Lavington course.
“By the time that I reached the top of the hill with about two kilo-metres left to go, I knew I still had 20 seconds on Nathan, and that he would have to do some-thing special to catch me at that point,” Aabye said.
As for Bedard, she was quite pleased with her time for the 10K run. She credited team-mate Cindy Rhodes
from Kelowna for setting a brisk early pace that helped her get going.
As for Zambrano, her appearance in the Starting Block 10K came two weeks after she was declared the official win-ner of last year’s Calgary Marathon following a positive drug test by the original victor — Emily Chepkorir of Kenya.
This year’s Starting Block 10K was the first race in the 2015 Canadian Tire Road Race Series put on by the Interior Running Association. The second event will be the The River’s Spring Runoff 10K in Kamloops on March 15.
HERALD SPORTSmerrittherald.com bcclassified.com
Have a sports story tip? Tell us about it by calling 250-378-4241 or emailing [email protected]
Merritt runners past and present take to the pavement
FLEET OF FOOT Hans Aabye (left), MJ Bedard (top left) and Bob Peackock all put in good performances at the Starting Block 10K run in Lavington on Feb. 15. Photos courtesy of Lorne White/Okanagan Sports Page and Dirk Handke
INTERIOR RUNNING ASSOCIATION
Canadian Tire Road Race Series
February 15 Starting Block 10K Lavington, B.C.
March 15 The River’s Spring Runoff 10K, Kamloops, B.C.
March 29 Okanagan College Half Marathon, Kelowna, B.C.
April 12 Wine Capital of Canada 10K, Oliver, B.C.
May 10 Blossom 10 Miler, Naramata, B.C.
May 24 Blackwell Dairy 15K, Kam- looks, B.C.
July 1 Beach 10K, Peachland, B.C.
July 6 Midsummer 8K, Kelowna, B.C.
July 27 Kamloops Half Marathon, Kamloops, B.C.
September 21 Peak to Beak 18K, Kelowna, B.C.
For more information on the Interior Running Association and the Canadian Tire Road Race Series, go to:
www.interiorrunningassociation.com
Elementary handball takes the spotlight
BALL BATTLE Nicola Canford’s Madilyn Hewton plays keep-away with Collettville’s Cienna Warrington-Wright during Grade 4/5 girls European handball action last Wednesday. In the background are Collettville’s Maya Starrs (left) and Hannah Hedrick. Ian Webster/Herald
GRADE 4/5 EUROPEAN HANDBALLTOURNAMENT RESULTS
Girls Boys (at Central)
1. Bench 1. Central #12. Diamond Vale 2. Nicola Canford3. Nicola Canford 3. Vermilion Forks4. Collettville5. Central Boys (at Collettville)6. Vermilion Forks (Princeton) 1. Diamond Vale 2. Central #2 3. Collettville
WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN THE OUT-OF-DOORS? The lack of snow in the Kane Valley didn’t stop the 18 participants who signed up for PacificSport Interior’s one-day winter XploreSportZ camp on February 20 from having a great time outside. Instead of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, the youngsters did a forestry walk with Ministry of Forests biologist/forestry tech-nician Jordan Carbery, learned all about wilderness survival from Jack and Lynne Broekhuizen of Nicola Valley Search and Rescue and carried out a huge nature scavenger hunt. Above, Sports Development Coordinator Josée Warren cooks up a whole mess of hot dogs for (from left) Isaac Joe Manuel, Charlie Ware, Tyrese Basil, Ava and Hayden Spinks. Look for more coverage of the XploreSportz winter session in an upcoming issue of the Merritt Herald. Ian Webster/Herald
MERN150224_A
www.merrittherald.com 10 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
Job Posting: Sales ConsultantWe are currently looking for an outstanding individual interested in continuing their career with Murray Chevrolet Buick GMC in Merritt, B.C. We welcome any person that is interested in the business as well as seasoned veterans. Some reasons why we're an excellent company to work with:
New, simplified professional pay plan with guaranteed income based on volume. Work with one of Canada's 50 best managed companiesGreat team environment Comprehensive training program with industry experts Health care plan with full benefits
Please contact in confidence our General Manager Richard Antonenko at, 1-250-378-9255 or apply online at
www.murraygmmerritt.com
SALES CONSULTANTMurray Chevrolet GMC Buick Merritt – Merritt, BC
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 58 (NICOLA-SIMILKAMEEN)
RELIEF FIRST NATIONS SUPPORT WORKER
School District No. 58 (Nicola-Similkameen) is accepting applications for a Relief First Nations Support Worker in Merritt. This is an on-call position.
The successful applicant will be responsible for providing counseling support, communicating with students and parents/guardians, tutoring, and cultural education.
Application forms are available at the School Board Of ce, 1550 Chapman Street, Merritt, BC or on-line at www.sd58.bc.ca , click on Jobs/Support Positions/Job Postings, listed under Job Code # 897434, and follow the prompts. Applications, including a detailed resume with a minimum of three references, will be accepted until March 4, 2015. Please forward to:
Attn: Secretary TreasurerSchool District No. 58 (Nicola-Similkameen)
P.O. Box 4100, 1550 Chapman St. Merritt, BC V1K 1B8Fax: (250) 378-6263
Only those applicants being interviewed will be contacted.
Guaranteed Approvals
IF YOU WORK,YOU DRIVECall Steve Today
1.855.740.4112 murraygmmerritt.com
Need a Vehicle? Call the
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Downtown 1200 sq ft COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT in busy area.
Rent is dependant on length of lease. Please call Colin Gage at 250-315-8670
and leave message.
Commercial/Industrial
Auto Financing
Help Wanted
Announcements
InformationCANADA BENEFIT Group - Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888-511-2250 or www.canada benefi t.ca/free-assessment
PersonalsMEET SINGLES right now! No paid operators, just real peo-ple like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and con-nect live. Try it free. Call now: 1-800-712-9851.
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Employment
Business Opportunities
HIGH CASH producing vend-ing machines. $1.00 Vend = .70 Profi t. All on location in your area. Selling due to ill-ness. Call 1-866-668-6629 for details.
THE DISABILITY Tax Credit. $1500 yearly tax credit. $15,000 lump sum refund (on avg). Covers: hip/knee re-placements, back conditions and restrictions in walking and dressing. 1-844-453-5372.
Career Opportunities
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONis an in-demand career in Canada! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online train-ing you need from an employ-er-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-888-528-0809 to start training for your work-at-home career to-day!
Help Wanted
Employment
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HELP WANTED
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Home Care/Support
CAREGIVERSDengarry Professional
Services Ltd.is seeking caregivers for 24hr. support within the caregivers hm. of individuals with mental / physical / developmental disabilities. Basement suites and / or accessible housing an asset.Contact Kristine at(1)250-554-7900 for
more detail.
Medical/DentalMEDICAL Transcriptionists are in huge demand! Train with the leading Medical Tran-scription school. Learn from home and work from home. Call today. 1.800.466.1535 Online: www.canscribe.com. Email: [email protected].
Trades, TechnicalRETIREMENT home in Osoy-oos seeking FT maintenance person. Resume and cover let-ter to [email protected]
Services
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1-877-987-1420 www.pioneerwest.com
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TAX FREE MONEYis available, if you are a homeowner, today! We can easily approve you by phone. 1st, 2nd or 3rd mort-gage money is available right now. Rates start at Prime. Equity counts. We don’t rely on credit, age or income.
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Home ImprovementsFULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, re-liable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. 1-800-573-2928.
Merchandise for Sale
Heavy Duty Machinery
A-STEEL SHIPPING DRY STORAGE CONTAINERS
Used 20’40’45’53’ and insulated containers all
sizes in stock. Trades are welcome.
40’Containers under $2500!DMG 40’ containers under $2,000 each. Also JD 544 & 644 wheel Loaders & 20,000 lb CAT forklift.
Wanted to buy 300 size hydraulic excavator.
Ph Toll free 1-866-528-71081-778-298-3192 8am-5pm
Delivery BC and ABwww.rtccontainer.com
Misc. for SaleSAWMILLS FROM only $4,397 - Make money & save money with your own bandmill - Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info & DVD: www.NorwoodSaw mills.com/400OT 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT.
STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for bal-ance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 or visit us online: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.
Misc. WantedFIREARMS. All types wanted, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed Dealer. 1-866-960-0045 or visit us online at: www.dollars4guns.com.
Private Collector Looking toBuy Coin Collections, Silver,Antiques, Native Art, Estates +Chad: 778-281-0030 Local
Rentals
Townhouses3 Bedroom Townhouse,
renovated, w/garage, large yard. Looking for mature,
responsible, clean, N/S, N/P. References required.
$1,100.00 plus damage deposit. 250-936-8538
Transportation
Off Road Vehicles1998 Jeep Sport 4dr. 4x4,
Black, No Rust. Head Rebuilt in 2010. 2 sets of tires new.
214,000km. Asking $2,900.00 obo. 378-3648 or 525-1212
Commercial/Industrial
Auto Financing
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fax 250.378.6818 email classi [email protected]
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Business ServicesPets & Livestock
Merchandise For SaleReal Estate
RentalsAutomotive
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FIND IT CLASSIFIEDSIN THE
If you see a wildfi re, report it to
1-800-663-5555 or *5555
on most cellular networks.
19,951
Fetch a Friend from the SPCA today!
That’s how many companion
animals will need loving, new homes this year.
Will you open your home to
one?
spca.bc.ca
www.merrittherald.com TUESDAY, February 24, 2015 • 11
FUN FOR EVERYONE THE EVENING INCLUDES:
Saturday, February 28, 20154:30 - 11:30 p.m. at the Civic Centre
Team of 4 entry fee still only $120.00
presents the
BEST COSTUME PRIZES
Rotary Club of Merritt Sunrise
www.merrittherald.com 12 • TUESDAY, February 24, 2015
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ed w
ith
luxu
ry-b
ased
opt
ions
, in
clud
es a
full
wal
l slid
e ou
t an
d m
uch
mor
e.
2015
Ad
ven
ture
r Ea
gle
Cap
995
Stoc
k #:
415
59N
ow: $
39,8
49
Keys
tone
RV’
s H
ideo
ut u
nits
can
be
des
crib
ed a
s “Ri
ght F
eatu
res,
Righ
t Pric
e, R
ight
Now
.” Thi
s un
it ha
s A
/C, a
wni
ng a
nd s
tabi
lizer
s pl
us th
e lu
xury
feat
ures
and
ca
mpi
ng c
onve
nien
ce th
at
Hid
eout
offe
rs.
2015
Key
sto
ne
Hid
eou
t 16
5 LH
S
Stoc
k #:
421
54N
ow: $
16,9
95
2014
Fo
rest
Riv
er P
alo
min
o H
S 29
11
Stoc
k #:
395
01N
ow: $
29,9
68
This
har
d si
de, d
oubl
e-sl
ide,
w
et b
ath
cam
per i
s m
ade
for l
ong
bed
truc
ks a
nd c
omes
load
ed w
ith
all t
he s
tand
ard
feat
ures
and
op
tions
we’
ve c
ome
to
expe
ct fr
om P
alom
ino.
2013
Fo
rest
Riv
er G
rey
Wo
lf 1
7 R
P
Stoc
k #:
403
03N
ow: $
13,8
21
Enjo
y yo
ur to
ys w
hile
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ng w
ith
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er.
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ond
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icle
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t has
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ities
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ome
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rer s
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ures
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d op
tions
.
Built
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Fore
st R
iver
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s a-
fram
e ha
rd to
p tr
aile
r fea
ture
s no
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es fu
lly e
quip
ped
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s lo
ts o
f sto
rage
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nd
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atur
es th
is
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ffer.
2015
Fo
rest
Riv
er R
ock
wo
od
122
S
Stoc
k #:
414
55N
ow: $
14,9
67
015
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