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JANUARY 21, 2016
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Vol. 65, Issue 14
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Highway upkeep: the statistics, the verdict MLA, Highways District Manager, give the low-down on winter maintenance
B A R RY CO U LT E R
Public criticism of the state of maintenance of regional highways — especially during these past snowy
months — prompted a press conference Wednesday, held by Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett and Jack Bennetto, District Manager
at the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, to review the statistics and performance by Mainroad, the company with the
contract to maintain regional highways. “I’ve been the MLA for 15 years, every year you get some complaints about the roads
and the maintenance of roads,” Bennett said. “This year, up until Christmas, I’ve had fewer complaints about road conditions and
maintenance than any tractor is doing an unother year I’ve been usually bad job. “They MLA. get graded and scored “The evidence we on a regular basis by the have here today indi- Ministry. They get fairly cates that we’ve actual- high scores, they’re not ly had considerably perfect, every once in a fewer accidents than while they fail to do five years ago. I’m not something that’s the sure about fatalities. best practice.” The evidence would inBennett also spoke dicate that our roads, to Mainroad’s perforafter considerable in- mance, this year and vestment into our high- over the past few years. ways, our roads are ac“I know we’ve had tually safer today than some challenges with they were 10 years ago.” them, and we work with Bennett said there is them constantly. We no evidence that it’s monitor them. been a particularly bad year in terms of maintenance, or that the con- See HIGHWAYS, Page 3
Scientists, get cracking
Organizers put out the call for East Kootenay Science Fair TRE VOR CR AWLEY
SIOUX BROWNING PHOTO
An injured Great Horned Owl, found near Creston and brought to a volunteer home in Cranbrook, has been sent to O.W.L (Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society in Delta, B.C. But with two broken wings, he’s not out of the woods yet. See more, Page 4.
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Calling all young scientific minds in the area—the annual East Kootenay Regional Science Fair is fast approaching and organizers are encouraging all students from kindergarten to Grade 12 to participate. Hosted by the College of the Rockies, the fair will go down on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5, in the gymnasium. Last year, there were over 200 projects submitted that were eligible for hundreds of dollars in prizes and
scholarships. Anita Savage, one of the organizers on the East Kootenay Regional Science Fair Committee, says the fair is a great way for students to engage with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. “The Science Fair gives community kids the opportunity to exhibit their talent for science, which could take them to a Canada-wide science fair in Montreal,” said Savage.
See CALL, Page 5
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