Last night and in the early morning hours, six more vehicles were broken into in Williams Lake.

Police were called shortly after midnight to a residence on Pigeon Avenue where a witness observed two males breaking into a vehicle. Both males fled the scenem but a short while later, two suspects matching this description were observed breaking into vehicles at the Coast Fraser Inn on Donald Road.

A 21 year old male was arrested at the scene while the second male suspect escaped.

The investigation is continuing and it is not yet known if the theft from autos the previous night is connected to this rash of criminal activity.

 

The Kamloops/Cariboo office of the Heart and Stroke hosting the Williams Lake’s annual Big Bike event, presented by Dairy Farmers of Canada, in Williams Lake today. Local organizations have created teams to take part in the 2km route around the community on Canada’s only 30 seat bike.

Last year Williams Lake’s Big Bike raised over $16,000. Since its community debut in 1994, Williams Lake’s Big Bike events have raised over $210,000. These funds have helped support life-saving research here in BC, by researchers like Dr. Karin Humphries. Dr. Humphries is investigating gender-based differences in cardiovascular disease, to build understanding and ultimately help improve the outcomes that women with heart disease face.

(Photo: The Curves BC team has raised $2,745.95 this year, according to Miranda Broomfield, who submitted this photo of the Curves Williams Lake team who ride the big red bike at 1:00 this afternoon.)

 

 

As part of the recent market and pancake breakfast the Williams Lake Lions /Lioness Club also hosted a raffle for two hanging flower baskets donated by Save-on Foods. The winners of the baskets were Jean Byer and Sue Moressette.

"We would like to thank Save-on Foods for donating the lovely flower baskets and also for donating the use of their parking lot for this annual event," said Lion Al Garlinge.

(Photo: Williams Lake Lion Al Garlinge presenting one of the baskets to Jean Byer.)

 

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations plans to aerially treat approximately 28,100 hectares of forest in the Cariboo region to reduce populations of western spruce budworm.

The biological agent Foray 48B will be applied by helicopter on or about June 18 to July 3, weather permitting, on about a dozen sites on the eastern Cariboo plateau and areas near Alkali Lake, Exeter and Big Bar Creek.

(The budworm has a one-year life cycle and overwinters as tiny larvae under bark scales. Adults appear from mid to late July, mate and lay eggs in late July or August. For more information on Western spruce budworm and its control, click here.  Photographs by D. Manastyrski and L. Maclauchlan.)

During the early morning hours of June 9, 12 vehicles were broken into in Williams Lake.

Most vehicles broken into had windows smashed and then the culprits rummaged through them stealing various items including two bicycles, a GPS unit, a back pack, and other miscellaneous items.

The locations where these vehicles were targeted were included Cariboo Memorial Hospital, the Coast Fraser Inn, and on 3rd Avenue South downtown.

Sometime overnight on June 8, a Polaris ATV was stolen from a residence on Fox Mountain. The ATV was recovered a short distance away as it appears the thieves could not get it started.

If you have any information about these incodents, you are encouraged to call the Williams Lake RCMP at 250-392-6211 or CrimeStoppers.

REcently the Cariboo Regional District’s (CRD) Central Cariboo Search and Rescue members participated in a Roadside Rope Rescue Operation course hosted by Rescue Canada.

Rescue Canada instructors Chris Armstrong and Adam Laurie spent the weekend with the team teaching and training them to National Fire Protection Agency standards.

 

By Amber Stuart

What is the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)?

The HBP allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 from your RRSP to buy or build a qualifying home. You can make withdrawals from more than one RRSP as long as you are the annuitant (plan owner).

Your RRSP issuer will not withhold tax on these amounts when you withdraw the money. You are required to repay the withdrawals to your RRSP over the next 15 years in installments or alternatively some portion will be included in your income each year and you will be taxed on it.

For a small, remote town, police officers at the Alexis Creek RCMP Detachment encounter some unique challenges, one of which is the over population of dogs. Though many dogs have good homes, there is still a large population of strays that run freely about the area and can pose as a nuisance.

Constable Krista Mangan has been a member of the RCMP for 11 years and was recently posted to the Alexis Creek Detachment in August 2012. She recently became aware of a litter of puppies in the community who were in need of a good home. Constable Mangan wanted to help the furry seven and through her determination and social networking, she was able to find safe homes for six of them within a matter of days. One pup has yet to be claimed, but Constable Mangan is positive that it too, will find a good home soon.

A formal ceremony was held at the end of May 2013 at the Williams Lake Detachment where the Officer-in-charge (OIC) Inspector Warren Brown, recognized police officers, auxiliary members, detachment staff, volunteers and civilians for exceptional accomplishments in performing their duties with professionalism and dedication, serving their communities with innovation and for going above and beyond their areas of responsibility.

North District Commanding Officer, Chief Superintendent Rod Booth was also on hand at the awards ceremony and presented Retired Sergeant Moe Monita with the 35 year Long Service Certificate.