Editor Brian Lawrence compiled this brief look back at some of the goings on in the Creston Valley over the last 12 months, gleaned from the pages of the Advance.
6 — Kootenay East Regional Hospital District chair John Kettle said taxpayers wouldn’t be seeing a tax increase in funding for capital health projects in 2014. The hospital district’s annual budget is $8.74 million, two-thirds of which would go toward the intensive care unit project at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook.
•The Creston Valley Thunder Cats shut the Columbia Valley Rockies out of the first round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Eddie Mountain Division playoffs, defeating the Rockies in four consecutive games.
13 — After a months-long controversy about a petition to extend fire protection to West Creston residents, the final decision would be determined by referendum in November. A slight majority of property owners signed the petition to initiate certified fire protection, but the slim margin triggered concern. After consulting with Regional District of Central Kootenay management, Area C director Larry Binks said a concern arose that the province could reject the petition results because the numbers were so close.
•From January to March more than 120 Prince Charles Secondary School students took part in the first year of a swimming program at the Creston and District Community Complex. Sponsored by the donation from the Creston Valley Aquatic Society, the Energetic Campus Initiative was directed at Grade 10 students. The program cost $2,700 this year and enough was donated to allow it to run for seven more.
20 — For the first time since the Creston Valley Thunder Cats took to the ice in 2000, the team became the Eddie Mountain Division champions after defeating the Kimberley Dynamiters in round 2’s game 7, which swung from Creston being down 4-1 to winning 5-4.
•Cara Waddle proved that the third time really is the charm when she placed first in the March 13 finals of Creston’s Best Singer after competing in 2011 and 2012. Waddle competed against Taya Blackmore, Tamara Leavitt, Kyran Grant and Erin Collison, who faced off after judges named them the top five out of 20 singers.
•The Creston RCMP detachment regained use of the police station basement at the end of the month after all Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBET) were reorganized into a federal service organized crime unit. The Creston IBET office that occupied the space included three RCMP constables, a Canadian Border Services Agency member and a half-time clerical worker.
27 —Prolific offender Jason Beaudry was arrested in Kelowna a week earlier, his arrest made on a warrant obtained because he did not return to Creston as planned. When Beaudry missed a scheduled probation appointment in Creston, Kelowna RCMP acted quickly.
•The popular CBC drama Arctic Air, starring Prince Charles Secondary School grad Pascale Hutton, was one of several television shows that fell victim to the public network’s loss of lucrative NHL hockey rights.
“It was a surprise and it wasn’t a surprise,” she said, “because the series has been doing well but CBC losing
Hockey Night in Canada has a huge financial impact.”