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FRIDAYSEPTEMBER 6
POLICE: Targeting prolific properties and offenders
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GET OUT OF JAIL AT A COST
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Remembering a former P.G. teen
Paving projects are all complete Allan WISHART/Free Press Kim Chartrand, left, is given the terms of her jail sentence by Sherry Pattie of the Canadian Cancer Society. Chartrand, who works at the Ministry of Children and Family Services, was the first person ‘arrested’ in Thursday’s Jail and Bail to raise money for the Tour de North bike ride. She was charged with failing to answer e-mails and stubbornness.
Back to school Delynda Pilon newsroom@pgfreepress.com Education Minister Peter Fassbender says there has been a lots of talk about negotiations and the possibility of strike action among school support workers in the last weeks. “I hope they will find a resolution during their September talks,” he said. However, preparations are being made for worst-case scenario outcomes. “With the possibility of a strike, all preparations are being made to keep the schools functioning,” Fassbender said. “Our goal is no disruption. If we can find a resolution, that is what we want. Ministry staff and the districts are looking at how we need to prepare, but I’m optimistic we won’t have to do that.” Although the minister had no specific information at his fingertips on replacing Highglen school, he will have more specific information soon. “I know we’ve been working with them,” he said. “I will be in Prince George in October, and one thing we will discuss is where we are on all our capital projects.”
Enrolment is continuing to decline in the province. In a preliminary report, statistics show there are almost 9,000 fewer school-age full-year students in the province’s public schools than stated in the 2012-2013 forecast and 5,824 fewer students than the final 20122013 actual enrolment. The special needs students category is down 81 students compared to the 2012-2013 actual enrolment number. There are 125 fewer Aboriginal students. The English language learning students category is down 77. Adult students increased by about 1,000 people. The decreases continually affect the bottom line. “It’s always a challenge with funding,” Fassbender said. “We would all like to see more, but we are still within a fiscally restrained environment.” He said the ministry is asking districts to look at projections as well as core services. With a looming skilled labour shortage, Fassbender agrees the option of a career in a skilled trade needs to be introduced to children as young as those in Grade 6. “Our view is we need to start opening up the world of opportunities for young people, those in Grades 6 and 7,” he said. “There are more wonderful opportunities in the province today and in the future. The earleir we show them that, the better.”
Great Canadian & TOUCHLESS CAR WASH
All of the paving projects set to be completed by the city this year are done, with the exception of Chief Lake Road. “We have completed our original list of capital projects for this year,” Mick Jones, superintendent of street operations for the city, said. “Chief Lake Road has been postpones to 2014. A water main is being installed, and that’s supposed to happen this year.” Jones said he expects more paving will be done once a closer look is taken at what’s left in the budget. “We will be assessing the budget numbers to see where we are at,” Jones said. “Then we will be doing some more paving.”
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