myvalleysun.com
My Valley Sun
blog
October 17, 2013
Bullish on the real news in the Monashee
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local
planet
Online Community News for Lumby, Cherryville, Rural Coldstream and Highway 6
We update this website on a regular basis. We are eager to receive your news, events, advertising and letters by email at: mediaservices@uniserve.com
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Kid’s Space After School Program
Pro-D Day: Friday, November 16th with Kid’s Space
Sign your children up with Kid’s Space After School Program for the November 16th Pro-D Day! We will be going on a field trip into Vernon; visiting the Vernon Public Art Gallery for a tour/activity and the Vernon Rec Centre for public swimming!!
A Pro-D Day runs from 8:00am-5:30pm, for children ages 5 – 12. We are located at JW Inglis Elementary School in Lumby. We have a maximum of 30 spots for this trip (and need a minimum of 15 to go).
Cost is $30 for one child, with discounts for families with more than one child attending. (Price includes entrance fees and bussing!) *If your child requires a lifejacket, please bring one or provide $1.00 to rent from the Rec Centre.
Registration and payment is due Friday, November 9th by 4pm at Whitevalley Community Resource Centre (2114 Shuswap Ave. Lumby). For more information, please call Ashley at 250-547-866 or visit www.whitevalley.ca
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Monashee Arts Council to offer Songwriting Experience
October 15, 2012
Learn the tricks of the trade from a successful local songwriter and performer. We’ll cover everything from children’s songs to intellectual ranting in this course designed for everyone from beginners to those with songwriting/musical experience aged 13-100! This exciting course will be taught by talented local musician and songwriter Christine Kendal-Ward. Christine has performed regularly in the community including at the MAC sponsored events at this summer’s Lumby Market.
The course is scheduled to run on Tuesday evenings (7-9pm) from October 16-December 4, 2012 and will be held at the Lumby United Church Hall located at the corner of Hwy 6 and Park Avenue in downtown Lumby. The course cost will be $90 per student for 8 sessions. Students will be asked to bring any original writings they would like to incorporate into songwriting with them. The instructor will have guitar, ukulele, tenor banjo and an accordion available at the class for students to experiment with while songwriting.
Please contact Jennifer Greenwood, Arts & Culture Program Coordinator with the Monashee Arts Council by phone at 778-473-3029, by email at monasheeartscouncil@gmail.com, or in person at 1961 Vernon Street in downtown Lumby to register or for more information.
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Let's find "Suki"
Lost Dog
September 25, 2012
Suki is a very small 1-year old tan coloured female Yorkie–Chihauha–Maltese cross.
She was last seen Mabel Lake Road east of Lumby near the Okanagan Show Jumping Stables (910 Mabel Lake Road - Lumby) last night (Sunday 23 Sept 2012) around 9 p.m.
If seen or found, please call: 250-547-1433
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BC Hang Gliding Reunion and Lost Pilot Remembrance
Saturday and Sunday Sept 15th and 16th
The Freedom Flight Park near Lumby is hosting the BC Hang Gliding Reunion and Lost Pilot Remembrance this Saturday Sept 15th and Sunday the 16th.
Pilots are asked to bring their old wings and artifacts for donation to the Hang Gliding Museum as well as flying stories and any old photos for scanning and archiving.
The will be a spot-landing competition where the winner will receive the annual trophy and there will be a potluck and fireside jam Saturday evening followed by the Lumby Air Force Pancake Breakfast Sunday morning.
The learn more visit:
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Road to Monashee Provincial Park
and Rainbow Falls is now open
August 29th, 2012
The road to Rainbow Falls and the Monashee Provinical Park parking lot has been opened. The road had been blocked due to a slide or flood which has closed the road.
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Campfire Ban lifted
August 29, 2012
There are currently no campfire bans in effect for the Kamloops fire centre which includes the Monashee area of the North Okanagan.
Effective at noon on Aug. 29, 2012, the current campfire ban in the Vernon and Penticton fire zones will be rescinded due to a decreased risk of wildfires. Campfires will now be permitted throughout all of the Kamloops Fire Centre.
The public is reminded that campfires cannot be larger than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide. Anyone who lights a campfire must have a hand tool (such as a shovel) or at least eight litres of water available nearby to fully extinguish it. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure the ashes are completely cold to the touch before leaving the area.
There are currently no forest use restrictions in effect for the Kamloops fire centre.
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Wild fires in the Monashee
August 24, 2012
A number of wild fires have been reported in the Monashee. The Kamloops Fire Centre reports that a dozen fires were sparked by lightning Tuesday night and some are now being fueled by gusty winds.
What was a 1.5 hectare fire Thursday afternoon near Mabel Lake is now 4.5 hectares.
The fire is burning near Cottonwood Creek but is not threatening any cabins in the area.
"The challenge is, out there it's in very steep terrain," said Kevin Skrepnek, Kamloops Fire Centre information officer.
Despite rain overnight, Friday morning winds led to the increase in size of the fire. Air tankers were deployed to drop retardant and 30 personnel are currently on site.
"But it's still well in hand," said Skrepnek.
The other fires, east of Mabel Lake and northeast of Sugar Lake, are only .1 and .2 of a hectare in size.
North Okanagan residents, and tourists, are reminded that a campfire ban is still in effect for the area.The ban has been lifted for other areas of the Kamloops Fire Centre (Kamloops, Salmon Arm and Merritt).
But bans remain in place for Vernon and Penticton.
"A lot more rain fell everywhere else except for those areas (Vernon and Penticton)," said Skrepnek. "If conditions are still wet and cool next we will consider (lifting the ban)."
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.
Learn More:
For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: http://bcwildfire.ca
You can also follow the latest wildfire news:
On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
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Campfire ban throughout Okanagan and Monashee
August 16, 2012
Effective at 12 noon on Friday, Aug. 17, all campfires are banned in all areas of the Kamloops Fire Centre including all of the Okanagan and Monashee. The Clearwater Fire Zone is not included in the ban.
A map of the area covered by the campfire ban is available online at: http://bit.ly/Q0tEMK
This step is being taken to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. The fire danger rating is currently “high” throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre, with scattered pockets of “extreme.”
With the current trend of warm and dry weather, wildfires in the region have displayed very aggressive behaviour and required additional fire suppression resources. Human-caused wildfires can divert critical resources and crews from responding to naturally occurring wildfires.
Open burning is prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. This prohibition applies to open fires of any size, fires with a burn registration number, industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels. The prohibition does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.
The open burning prohibition covers all BC Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with local governments for any other restrictions before lighting a fire.
Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires, may be issued a ticket for up to $345. Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness may be fined up to $1 million, spend up to three years in prison and be held accountable for associated firefighting costs.
This prohibition will remain in place until the public is notified that it has been rescinded.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.
Learn More:
For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: http://bcwildfire.ca
You can also follow the latest wildfire news:
On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
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Abandoned campfires and hot weather cause concern
August 8, 2012
A surge in the number of abandoned campfires, combined with high temperatures throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, has fire officials urging people in the outdoors to be extremely careful with campfires.
Fire wardens responded to 34 abandoned campfires over the B.C. Day long weekend, raising the number of abandoned campfires to 133 this season. Abandoned campfires can start wildfires. This season, nine campfires have escaped and caused wildfires.
With lightning in the forecast and hot and dry conditions anticipated, it is critical that the public remains vigilant.
The Fire Danger Rating is currently high in the Southeast Fire Centre with the exception of the Columbia Fire Zone, which is low to moderate.
Quick Facts:
Since April 1, the Southeast Fire Centre has responded to 49 wildfires, 28 of which were person-caused.
Leaving a campfire unattended can result in a $345 fine. If your campfire causes a wildfire, you may also be held liable for suppression costs and damages.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.
Learn More:
For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: http://bcwildfire.ca
You can also follow the latest wildfire news:
On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
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Slide closes road to Monashee Provincial Park
July 31, 2012
It may become difficult to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Monashee Provincial Park – that is if you actually want to go to the park. MVS has learned that access to Rainbow Falls and Monashee Provincial Park has been blocked due to a slide or flood which has closed the road.
Apparently the slide occurred a number of weeks ago but has remained unreported to the public until now. Visitors to the site have reported to MVS that the damage is significant and that it appears to have been more of a flood than a slide. They report that a large creek at the Rainbow Falls/Park turnoff jumped its banks uphill from the bridge and then ran down the road carving new channels and depositing debris along the way.
The damage appears to have happened during a period of heavy rains on top of the melting snowpack. There are freshly logged cut blocks above the slide area but it is uncertain as to whether they are responsible for the flooding or slide.
MVS also has unconfirmed reports that the provincial government is currently negotiating a cleanup of the area but they need to re-align the creek before any road work and restoration can take place.
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Storms hit the Monashee and North Okanagan
July 21, 2012
A storm hit the Monashee on Friday that produced strong winds, heavy downpours and large hail pebbles in some places. In Lumby the big wind looked more like a tornado as tree branches and signs were cast through the village. The storm left many residents without electricity until Saturday morning.
According to BC Hydro, the storm left numerous trees on power lines, cutting service for about 5,000 homes in Coldstream, the BX, Lumby and Spallumcheen. During the outage, BC Hydro told MVS that the North Okanagan including Lumby, Vernon and Cranbrook were hard hit by the windstorm that blew through the southern part of the BC Inland.
Some local residents were impacted by the power outage while others were not - making troubleshooting difficult for BC Hydro. Many homes were without power north and east of Lumby as well as parts of Whitevale from late afternoon on Friday to early morning on Saturday.
According to the PowerOn call centre when Hydro crews repaired part of the outage area near Lumby, they went back to Vernon believing power had been restored to the whole area. When customers, still without power, had called BC Hydro again then the service crews were dispatched to return to the area.
Environment Canada’s weather office had issued a severe storm warning for the south and central Okanagan regions, advising that two curtains of torrential rain were advancing across the Interior, one from south of Nelson moving northeast and another from Washington state heading toward the eastern edge of the Okanagan Valley.
More than 23,000 homes and businesses within the inland region were without power Friday night; according to BC Hydro and there have been continuing concerns about flash flooding and mudslides.
At this point, while better weather had been moving into the Monashee these sudden heavy rainstorms cause concern for BC Hydro. The rains are placing additional strain on BC Hydro dams in the region, which are struggling to keep water within their walls following record precipitation in June, torrential rains in July and run-off from higher-than-normal snowpack.
On Thursday afternoon, BC Hydro said it has had to increase flows by 10 per cent from the Hugh Keenleyside Dam on the Arrow Lake Reservoir. By Sunday, that is expected to bring the Columbia River to its highest level since the dams were built.
The Castlegar-Trail area, where parks are already under water and some homes are threatened, remains under the greatest risk of damage from spilled dam water. Only a small additional amount of water can be stored behind other reservoirs in the area.
BC Hydro’s Kelvin Ketchum told the Vancouver Sun, “We’re running out of room - it’s not a dam safety issue. At some point, we’ll have to pass all the water. But we’d prefer to do that when that results in less impacts downstream.”
Showers ended early Saturday morning, according to Environment Canada’s weather office, there’s a chance of showers on Sunday with light rains expected Monday and Tuesday but then sunny skies are set to return.
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FLOOD REPORT
Flood alert lifted in the Upper Shuswap
July 10, 2012
According to the Regional District of the North Okanagan high waters are finally receading.
As of Tuesday morning, the RDNO has rescinded the evacuation alert for the Shuswap River from Sugar to Mara lakes.
"The Rivers Forecast Centre has also downgraded the advisory along the river as well," said Gord Molendyk, with the local emergency response centre.
Emergency personnel would like to remind residents that while the alert has been rescinded, they should monitor the river regularly as it is still running high.
"It could remain that way for a bit longer with the hot weather causing the last of the snow melt," said Molendyk.
Officials would also like to remind everyone to be careful along the Shuswap River when involved in recreational activities.
"The Tube Taxi company in Enderby has a warning on its website that it isn’t thinking of opening until at least late July," said Molendyk.
"This is subject to the river dropping considerably. Private tubers should be aware that this is not a normal year and it’s likely the river won’t be safe to navigate for several weeks yet. There is a lot of debris in Mabel Lake that is still making its way into the river system. Boaters and tubers should stay off the river until it settles down considerably," said Molendyk
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Unmanned drones help watch
Shuswap River and they take pictures
July 3, 2012
There is still a flood watch along the Shuswap River. Sugar Lake Road is still being examined by geo-technical experts 6-7 km north of Franks Store and motorists are asked to be cautious.
Gord Molendyk, the information officer for the North Okanagan Regional District (RDNO) says there has been a slight increase in flows for the Shuswap River after Monday night's rain and a flood watch state is still in place by the BC River Forecast Centre.
This year's flooding problems along the Shuswap River prompted North Okanagan Emergency Management to be the first Emergency Operation Centres to use state of the art technology to gain situational and planning awareness of flood affected areas.
Molendyk says North Okanagan Emergency Management hired a local company, Flat Eight Productions, to fly their remote controlled helicopters known as a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) over many sections of the river and over several creeks to take digital photographs of the area.
"These remote helicopters allowed staff to get a very close hand look at bridges and areas of concern where a much larger aircraft would not be able fly. The photographs that were taken could become very important at a later date when it comes to looking at repairs to not only the infrastructure, but also to private property in the area.
The Regional Emergency Operations Centre is currently working with the Provincial Government to put the process in place to apply for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) as a result of the flooding.
The RDNO is asking residents to record the damages with photos, and to keep documentation and receipts to show the damage from the flood waters.
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Sugar Lake road still open
Evacuation alert still on for Upper Shuswap
UPDATE: Sugar Lake Road has now been reduced to single-lane traffic 6-7km noth of Franks Store. Drivers are warned to reduce speed and to be very cautious of road shoulders. Geotechnical experts are still examining the site and have yet to make an assessment.
June 27, 2012
As of Wednesday morning Sugar Lake Road remains open despite worries from residents about the river carving into the road bank 6-7 km north of Frank’s Store. The Shuswap River has now become the primary source of flood concern in the North Okanagan.
Evacuation alerts remain in place covering residents along the Shuswap River from Sugar to Mara lakes, at least until the end of the week while alerts have been lifted for Duteau Creek which runs trough Lumby and Ashton Creek east of Enderby.
Information officer Gord Molendyk says the levels are still in the flood range.
"As we've said for the last while, it takes a couple days for the water to come out of the hills into the system, and now we're seeing that pattern. It looks like it has peaked and is on its way down."
Meantime, RCMP and Conservation officers are stressing the need for boaters to slow down within 30 metres of shorelines in flood areas.
Molendyk says boaters not slowing down has led to some damage.
"We have received complaints from property owners upset at the lack of consideration of power boat operators on several of our lakes."
He says boaters can still enjoy activities, but they should do it in the middle of lakes.
"Residents are sandbagging and trying to protect their property, and some of these boats put out a two foot wake."
Offenders can be fined between $230 and $575.
MVS will be providing a futher update later today
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Sugar Lake Road compromised
Residents say that the road may wash into the
Shuswap River and is not yet closed
Updated 10:20am June 26, 2012
Update - MVS has learned that Sugar Lake Road has been compromised by the Shuswap River and is at risk of completely washing away 6-7 km north of Franks Store.
Local residents have reported to MVS that power poles are about to fall into the river as it cuts a wider channel that is carving into the road which has lost all of its shoulder.
Residents are reporting that full logging trucks are continuing to travel on the road and there is a fear that the road will collapse and may cause a truck and its load to plummet into the raging river.
There have been requests to close the road, however emergency authorities have yet to respond. Approximately 100 residents live north of the compromised road and are at risk of losing power and being cut off.
Peter and Renske Kruijk own property that’s being impacted by the washout and according to Renske Kruijk it was a scary day on Monday but it all started Sunday night.
“The rumbling started and we first thought it was thunder, but then in the morning we saw it was something else and still bits and pieces are still coming down now; we lost about 45 feet of land over a length of about a 100 meters”.
She told MVS that their neighbors are also being impacted.
“A passer by stopped at our house yesterday evening, telling us there was a tree on fire over the powerline. My husband called 911 and I went to have a look. The tree slid down the bank into the river as I was looking, putting out the fire itself, and no damage to the lines, but the river kept eating away towards the road and is now about 5 meters from it,” she said.
Kruijk is surprised to hear logging trucks still go by this morning and says the river banks are like cliffs, straight down and not very stabile. She says it looks like the river went down a bit but is concerned if the rain continues that it will rise and take even more land away.
“So we cross our fingers and hope that it won't happen.”
There are also unconfirmed reports of homes being flooded along the remote parts of the Upper Shuswap and residents are waiting for public statement from BC Hydro as to the present condition of the Sugar Lake Dam.
MVS will provide updates on this story.
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Roads closed – long ferry waits
Update: Highway 1 is now open with some delays, Highway 97A at Sicamous remains closed - Click Here for Current Updates. To learn regular wait times for the Needles and Galena Bay Ferry - Click Here.
June 25, 2012
Highway 6 is now a main route for getting in and out of the Okanagan, and is handling an uptake of traffic traveling from Calgary to Vancouver; there are delays of up to two hours at Needles Ferry on the Arrow Lakes and delays of up to eight to 10 hours are expected at Galena Bay.
A number of major highway routes are disrupted because of weather-related conditions.
Highway 97A, three kilometres south of Sicamous at the Two Mile Bridge, is closed in both directions because of flooding. As of 6:36 a.m., there was no estimated time as to when the highway may reopen.
Because of a mudslide, Highway 1 is closed between Perry River and Revelstoke. As a result, the Ministry of Transportation says there is high traffic volume on alternate routes, including the ferry crossings on Highway 6 at Needles and Highway 23 at Galena Bay.
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The recommended route between the Okanagan and Alberta is Highway 3.
For more information on Highway conditions, go to www.drivebc.ca.
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Flood Watch
June 24, 2012
The Evacucation Alert has been lifted but there remains a Flood Watch condition but that may change if rains continue. Especially vulnerable are low lying properties along the Shuswap River from Sugar Lake through to Mara Lake as well as the Duteau Creek area.
Gord Molendyk, North Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre spokesperson told media, “There is localized flooding in several areas.”
"Many of the residents have followed through with sandbagging their properties and are moving their animals out of the immediate flood threat."
The Emergency Operations Centre is reminding residents that the danger of flooding is not over and now a sandbag pick up location has been set up at 205 Aumond Rd. in Cherryville.
"With weather forecasts of sunny and 30 degrees for Thursday and then rain for the weekend, water levels could continue to rise along the river," said Molendyk.
"Take the necessary measures to protect your families and livestock, by sandbagging homes and buildings, set up water pumps if need be. Prepare your family to leave your home if an evacuation order is declared. Emergency personnel should be your last resort to assist you in an evacuation should it become your only means of getting out."
For other sandbag locations and flood updates, go to www.rdno.ca and www.vernon.ca/em/index.html. You can also call a pre-recorded information line at 250-550-3232.
Contact MVS to post your observations regarding weather, road and flood conditions. Send your obervations by email at mediaservices@uniserve.com or call 250-547-9812 and leave a message on the voicemail.
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Lumby Days this weekend
June 8, 9 & 10th, 2012
Lumby Days begins today and runs until Sunday June 10th. This year’s theme is Fiesta Time. Click here for the event schedule The family festival includes the Lumby Air Races an international event that is open to Hang Glider and Paraglider Pilots and will feature closed circuit triangle racing around the village of Lumby and area. There is $2000 – $3000 in prize money. Click here to learn more about Lumby Air Races
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Gold Fever:
There's Gold in Them Thar Hills!"
Cherryville Days 2012 - June 1, 2 & 3
A reminder to everyone that “There's Gold in Them Thar Hills". Cherryville is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Gold Rush at Cherry Creek. Make sure you come out and join in the fun!
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Interested in getting ideas for a Greenhouse?
Join Bee SAFE Saturday May 5th to tour local Greenhouses.
Bee SAFE is organizing a tour of 3 different models of greenhouses in rural Lumby on Saturday May 5th, starting at 1:30 PM and ending around 4 PM. If you are interested in participating to this free event, please contact Bee SAFE at 778-473-3029 or info@beesafemonashees.org to register since places are limited.
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A Conversation About:
Restructuring Secondary Schools to Personalized Learning
School District No.22 (Vernon) is hosting community sessions for input into how our secondary schools may look in the future.
A feedback session will be held on:
Tuesday, May 8th
5:00—7:00 pm (light dinner provided)
Charles Bloom Cafeteria
RSVP by to Judy Sedge at:
Email: jsedge@sd22.bc.ca
Phone: (250) 542-3331
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Building a Creative
Rural Economy in Lumby
Conversations on how to revitalize our village and region through linking sustainable agriculture with arts and culture and small businesses and tourism
A presentation with Huguette Allen, and Q.&A. with resource persons from Bee SAFE and Monashee Arts Council (MAC).
This is the last wondercafe event.
Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Lumby United Church (corner of Park Avenue and Vernon Street/Highway 6)
Everyone welcome. By donation. Refreshments of tea and Free Trade coffee are available.
For further information call Nina at 250-547-2488.
________________________________________
What’s Your Vibrational
Energy Level?
Ever wonder how you can get
out of the rut you are in?
By raising your vibrational level, you raise your energy level, in turn releasing yourself from the hamster wheel. Learn to manifest your life instead of letting your life run you. Through visual exercises and toning, you can increase your vibrational level. In raising your vibrational level you will remain calm and centered through out your day. Communication with yourself and others will come from a more centered and loving basis, thereby improving relationships. Learn how to bring more peace, harmony and prosperity into your life with Intro to Raising Your Vibrational Energy presented by Victoria Willard on April 25th at 7 PM at The Center For Spiritual Enlightenment and Sustainable Living in Lumby.
Victoria has been working and teaching in the Metaphysical & Spiritual arena for over 30 years. As a Shaman of the Seven Fires, she works with many forms of energy healing & communication. Having just returned from Teacher’s training in Maui, she is well versed in vibrational enhancement, and Unity Consciousness
Contact Victoria for more information 250-547-2316 or eaglesway.victoria@gmail.com, pre-registration is required
