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TICK WARNING
RODEO ROUNDUP
A local father is warning others after his child’s tick bite turned into a medical emergency.
The Herald breaks down the Nicola Valley Rodeo’s AGM, including the addition of a rodeo producer to the mix.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2026
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MANUEL REELECTED IN UPPER NICOLA Dan Manuel has been named to his second term as Upper Nicola Band Chief. JAKE COURTEPATTE
newsroom@merrittherald.com
The results are in, and the Upper Nicola Band (UNB) has its new council. The polls were busy last weekend as members voted right up until 8p.m. on March 21 to elect its incoming council, filling both the office of the chief and the nine seats available as councillors. When the smoke cleared, Dan Manuel had been re-elected as the band’s chief, unofficially garnering 249 votes compared to 91 for Yvonne Ned, the only other member in the running for the office. It was the second time that the two ran head-to-head, after Manuel won his first term as chief in 2023 by a margin of just under 100 votes. Advance polls as well as online saw UNB members casting votes as early as INCUMBENTS: continued on page 3
PHOTO/MICHELE SIDDALL
A suspicious fire is under investigation after sparking in the area of Priest Avenue on March 23, 2026. MORE on pg. 5.
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