July
6- New support group founded for those with brain injuries
When you suffer a brain injury sometimes the only people you can relate to are those who have suffered a similar injury, said Lac La Hache’s Mike Dewing.
That is why Dewing, who suffered three strokes in May of 2022, founded the Cariboo Brain Injury Support Group for those who have suffered strokes and brain injuries. Dewing said the goal of the group is to give people like him a place to talk about their experiences and struggles.
“I want to help other people. It’s not about me, it’s about helping other people,” Dewing said. “I want to make a difference, it’s important to me.”
13- Historic gold rush-era 153 Mile Store to be moved to 108 Heritage Site
The 153 Mile Store found a new home at the 108 Heritage Site near 100 Mile House.
In early July the 100 Mile and District Historical Society and longtime Cariboo rancher Roger Patenaude reached an agreement to move the historic building. Built in 1900 by Louis Crosina, the store contains well over 3,800 artifacts from the end of the Cariboo Gold Rush era all the way up to 1963.
Kelly Carnochan, president of the society, said they were excited to be taking stewardship of such an integral piece of Cariboo history. She described how the society’s “jaws dropped” when they first heard about the opportunity.
“It was very overwhelming and exciting. The store is packed with so much history and it’s going to be a great asset to the heritage site,” Carnochan said.
Carnochan said they planned to move the store to the heritage site within the next two years a project that would cost at least $2-million.
20- Community grieves for Carter Vigh
The BC Coroners Service investigated the unexpected death of 100 Mile House’s Carter Vigh.
Carter, 9, died on July 11 due to an asthma attack, aggravated by the lingering wildfire smoke in the region. His death came as 375 wildfires were actively burning across the province.
“The sudden and unexpected death of this young boy is a heartbreaking loss for his family and community,” the B.C. Coroner service said.
Carter’s mom Amber Vigh said her son “will always be remembered for his contagious smile and laugh and always ensuring everyone felt special, loved, and welcomed into his life.”
August
3- Collins will not see jail time
Former Peter Skene Ogden (PSO) teacher Vincent Collins doesn’t see any time behind bars following his sentencing in 100 Mile provincial court on Aug. 1.
Collins previously pled guilty to one count of sexual interference of a person under 16 and a lesser count of assault in connection with two female youths.
Judge Linda Thomas sentenced him to a 45-day conditional sentence on the count of assault and a nine-month conditional sentence on the count of sexual interference plus 12 months probation. Collins reacted emotionally when the verdict was read out to the court.
The sentences were to be served concurrently for a total of 21 months.
17- New pickleball venue indefinitely on hold in South Cariboo
Plans for pickleball courts in 100 Mile House appeared to have been put on hold indefinitely following a meeting of the South Cariboo Joint Committee on Monday, Aug. 14.
A delegation from the South Cariboo Pickleball Association (SCPA) presented a proposal for an indoor year-round facility after plans to build pickleball courts in Centennial Park were scrapped earlier this year.
SCPA president Bob Hansen and secretary Larry Davis cited numerous reasons for having an indoor facility. Such a facility would allow for year-round play and open the door to pickleball tournaments that could draw people from across the province to 100 Mile House. It would also serve as an incentive for professionals looking to move to the area.
SEPTEMBER
14- Permanent outdoor skate rink coming to 100 Mile House soon
A new outdoor skating rink at the South Cariboo Rec Centre came one step closer to reality.
A site west of the existing recreation centre, behind the ball diamonds, was identified as a suitable location for a roofed structure at a meeting of the South Cariboo Joint Committee on Sept. 11. Its total projected cost was $381,500.
A memo from staff stated that a reasonable budget allocation for this project should be $500,000 to allow for contingencies and soft costs. Both Mayor Maureen Pinkney and Cariboo Regional District Chair Margo Wagner indicated support for the project.
21 - Passing the fire chief hat at 100 Mile Fire Rescue
100 Mile Fire Rescue Chief Roger Hollander traded in one fire department for 14.
At the end of September, Hollander handed the fire chief helmet over to then deputy chief, Dave Bissat. Hollander left to become the Cariboo Regional District’s new regional fire chief.
“There are 80,000 square kilometers in the CRD, that’s bigger than some European countries, and there’s a large cadre of over 300 volunteer firefighters covering it,” Hollander said.
Bissat said while he wished Hollander could have stuck around for a little while longer, he was excited to be taking on the role of fire chief.
“It’s more of a challenge and there’s lots to do,” Bissat remarked. “I like being out in the public, helping people and solving problems.”
OCTOBER
5 - Donations pour in for family who lost home
A 100 Mile House couple who lost their home in a fire on Sept. 29 night set up a Go-Fund-Me campaign to help them recover from the loss.
Andrew Schmah and Kaitlin Todd, owners of 100 Mile Tattoo, escaped the fire on Scott Road with their two children, Schmah’s brother, and one of their dogs. However, the family lost everything else in the blaze, including their other dog and their work iPads and computers.
Schmah and Todd started the fundraiser with a goal to raise $6,000 to help get their business back up and running. Schmah wrote in an online post that he hated to ask for help but that his family needs it. The couple raised well over twice that within a few days thanks to community support.
17 - Slopeline Bike Park levelled by District of 100 Mile House
The Slopeline Bike Park was bulldozed in mid-October.
Built over several years by South Cariboo youth, the park featured several dirt bike jumps and trails built into a hill in the forest on the back side of Centennial Park. Never officially sanctioned, the District of 100 Mile House had allowed the park to exist so long as no further development took place and liability insurance was secured.
In a statement after the park was dismantled, the district said these conditions had not been met, which forced them to undertake the demolition.
“We feel very sad about all the hours and hours of work and wish that we could have had communications with them so that this did not end up being the end result,” Mayor Maureen Pinkney said.
David Hill, one of the park builders, said becoming a part of the Slopeline community and building trails helped him develop his character.
“I wasn’t a hard worker but going up there every day kind of developed me into one. It taught me lessons about life, like you got to work to actually have fun. It wasn’t just about the riding, it was about the opportunities to meet people and learn some stuff,” Hill said. “It was the camaraderie we shared. We all genuinely enjoyed being up there.”
NOVEMBER
2- Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation takes control of children’s education
The Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation gained full authority to control their children’s education.
This came after signing an individual jurisdiction agreement with the Government of Canada on July 1, 2023, becoming one of seven First Nations to have control over the law-making authority for Kindergarten to Grade 12 education systems on their land.
Families came together on Oct. 27 to celebrate this landmark event.
“Traditionally our leaders were chosen when they were babies. Even when they’re babies their strength and their aura just shines and you can determine what path your child is going to take,” said Chief Helen Henderson. “And you’d start wrapping around teaching, and you’d start wrapping around mentorship so they could step into their rightful role.”
9 - 100 Mile House’s Carter Vigh still ‘moving mountains’ in B.C.
Thanks to Carter Vigh, children in small towns will have access to accurate, life-saving air quality information.
In November Carter’s parents, Amber and James Vigh, launched Carter’s Project in Partnership with the B.C. Lung Foundation. At the Wonder Gala in Vancouver, they raised $74,000 to get the project going. Carter’s mother said there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience as she and James shared his story.
“Unfortunately it took the death of our son (for people) to realize how incredibly important it is for people to have real-time accurate information about air quality, especially during wildfire season,” Vigh said.
After Carter’s funeral, Vigh said the B.C. Lung Foundation reached out to them and asked if they would be all right with them using his story to raise awareness and money to help monitor air quality in small communities across B.C.
“We have started Carter’s Project with the B.C. Lung Foundation and our goal before the gala was to raise enough money to install 100 purple air monitoring systems throughout 100 Mile House,” Vigh said. “It’s going to start in 100 Mile House and it’s going to give people the ability to check air quality in real-time in the actual area they’re in.”
DECEMBER
7 - Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson answers charges of hypocrisy from fellow MLA
Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson was accused of hypocrisy by Langford-Juan de Fuca MLA Ravi Parmar.
The B.C. United, formerly Liberal, MLA was criticized alongside B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon in an email sent to newsrooms on Friday, Dec. 1. Parmar, an NDP MLA, said that Falcon and Doerkson’s position on B.C.’s carbon tax is hypocritical and has changed in an effort to court supporters.
“For 15 years we have had Kevin Falcon proudly support the carbon tax. Four months ago he was chatting with CHEK TV in Victoria and said, and I quote, ‘I was always proud to be a part of a government that brought in North America’s first revenue-neutral carbon tax’,” Parmar said. “We’ve seen the Conservatives make announcements on axing the tax and Kevin has changed his tune.”
Doerkson said he was surprised that Parmar and the NDP were willing to talk about the carbon tax, but welcomed the opportunity. He said the tax has become punitive and that B.C.’s emissions are still rising, despite it.
“I think there is a reason for us to invest in the environment and a reason for us to try and reduce these emissions. The problem is this tax is no longer doing either of those things,” Doerkson said, clarifying that B.C. United opposed raising the carbon tax above the original $30 cap.
Doerkson said he and Falcon have pledged to remove the carbon tax from fuels used in agriculture or to heat homes if they form government.
