Williams Lake BC's trusted daily news source.

In the early morning hours of December 8th, suspect(s) broke into the Red Dog Beer and Wine Store located at 1114 Denny Road (off Dog Creek Road) and stole hundreds of dollars worth of liquor.

The culprits also caused thousands of dollars in damage to the business.

There will be limited laboratory services at Interior Health laboratories, including Williams Lake, on Monday, December 10, as a result of job action by members of the Health Sciences Professional Bargaining Association.

All labs affected by the job action will be operating at essential service levels, which will mean reduced staffing and possible delays. This may result in outpatients with non-urgent lab requisitions being asked to return at a later date.

In April 2012, Fraser Basin Council submitted a successful proposal to carry out a community-based arts engagement project that uses the arts to bring diverse groups together to interact and collaborate on a project that addresses racism, promotes multiculturism and builds an inclusive community.

Community art focuses on involving community members, who contribute a variety of talents, to design and create a public art piece. The content of the artwork usually reflects local issues that have been identified. The importance of any community art project is placed on the process of art making because of its ability to build relationships and involve all members of the community, helping to establish collective identity. Participation in community art projects builds bonds between all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities.

At approximately 11:00 this morning, members of the Cariboo Chilcotin Traffic Services Unit, the Williams like RCMP plus the RCMP North District Traffic Unit were called to a head-on collision which occurred 35 km south of Williams Lake on Highway 97, near Maze Lake Road.

Witnesses at the scene indicated that a southbound 2004 Dodge Ram pick-up had lost control and veered into the northbound lane striking a 2000 Ford F-150 truck.

Both drivers were taken to Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake. The 28-year-old female driver of the Dodge Ram was treated and released.

After the recent announcement that Tolko Industries would be closing the Creekside mill, the City wishes to clarify the implications to the City budget.

As a result of an application for a closure allowance for the Creekside operation by Tolko to the BC Assessment Authority, the City’s industrial assessment base will be affected in 2013. The City estimates a loss of $3.5 million in assessment.

A two vehicle collision 35 kms south of Williams Lake has closed the highway in both directions. DriveBC has estimated the time of opening to be between 4:00pm - 8:00pm tonight.  There is no detour in effect.

Emergency officials are on scene.

(Photo:  submitted.)

Last night near midnight, the Williams Lake RCMP responded to a rash of break-ins to and theft from vehicles in and around the Cariboo Memorial Hospital and the Coast Fraser Inn.

During the investigation, police observed two males dressed in dark clothing matching the description provided by a witness. After a brief foot chase, police arrested two males, 18 and 16 years old.

Both males were known to police and both were breaching court imposed conditions.

The RCMP are encouraging anyone who may have been in the vicinity and saw anything suspicious or has knowledge of what happened to come forward and report it to the Williams Lake Detachment.

Highway 997 is currently closed 2 kms north of Lac La Hache due to a crash.

Reports are that hydro lines are laying across the highway, and traffic is backing up in both directions.

Residents in the Dodge Road area, north of Lac La Hache, are currently without power. BC Hydro is currently assessing the scene and estimate the highway may be open again as soon as 4:00pm.

 

We will be presenting a series of articles from the RCMP on safety tips for the holiday season.

Around the house

• Remove snow and ice, and put sand or salt on walkways and driveways. Arrange to have this done even when you are away and for a neighbour to pick-up your mail.
• Discard packaging from big ticket items carefully, bundling cardboard boxes to conceal the nature of their contents.
• Keep a record of your valuables.
• Identify property by engraving an identifying mark.

Being safe doesn’t have to mean skimping on holiday cheer!

At 10:30 this morning, the Williams Lake RCMP responded to 3rd Avenue North at Cameron Street in response to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.

The investigation determined that while the pedestrian, a 16 year old female, was crossing the street on a marked crosswalk, an adult male driver who was starting from a stopped position at a stop sign on Cameron Street, turned onto 3rd Avenue and struck the female pedestrian in the crosswalk.

The female was transported to Cariboo Memorial Hospital where she is being examined for non-life threatening injuries, possibly a fractured arm. “The male driver has been charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for ‘Failing to Yield’,” said Inspector Warren Brown.  “This is not a speed related incident.”