Terri Clark moving back to Canada /25 Wildlife wanders free at Northwest Trek park /31

CN ordered to shorten length of trains /6
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2005

Kings come back to sting Vipers /8

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Northerners honoured in new almanac
Citizen staff The B.C. Almanac Book of Greatest British Columbians includes a handful of names of people who have made their mark in Northern B.C. On the list are the famous explorers Simon Fraser and Alexander Mackenzie. Pioneers Billy Barker and Jean (Cataline) Caux are also mentioned. Barker struck it rich in 1862 when he sunk a deep shaft at Williams Creek for about $7 million in today's dollars. Barker ville, B.C.'s first mining boomtown, sprang up in the area. Cataline was the most famous and reliable packer in B.C. He never lost a l o a d p ly i n g h i s trade in the InteJOHN rior. Quesnel photo g r a p h e r C . D . Hoy is also profiled in the book, authored by Mark Forsythe and Greg Dickson. Saik'uz First Nation elder Mar y John, a residential sc hool survivor, is also on the list. BENTLEY John, who died in 2004, is remembered for her tolerance and compassion. The book also includes Ike Barber and Peter Bentley, forest industry entrepreneurs who built up their respective companies, Slocan Forest Products and Canfor. Recently t he two companies merged. The late Bob Harkins, former local broadcaster and historian, is also mentioned.

Highways hazardous for haulers
by GORDON HOEKSTRA Citizen staff here's a new danger zone for log truckers -- the Northern Interior's highways. In the early part of the past decade, log trucking fatalities almost exclusively took place A Citizen investigation on the region's backroads. into the deaths Of the 22 log truck drivers t h a t h ave d i e d i n t h e p a s t of log haulers decade in northern B.C., 14 of the crashes have happened on backroads, the most recent in January. But five of the last six fatalities have been on pavement. "Highways are now the killing fields," says Workers' Compensation Board regional manager Bruce Clarke. The latest fatality was Dwayne Steinbach, 41, who died when his loaded logging truck crashed into a power pole on Queensway last month. The truck ended up in the front yard of a Prince George home. Another crash last January claimed the life of a log trucker north of Prince George when his rig went off the Hart Highway in slushy conditions. Two other truckers died in crashes at the end of 2004 in the Northern Interior. But the highway crashes are not subjected to the same scrutiny as backroad crashes, The Citizen has found. That finding is part of a seven-month Citizen investigation, as reported Friday, which raises questions of whether any lessons are being learned from the mounting death toll. The Citizen investigation included an examination of dozens of WCB accident investigations and B.C. Coroner inquiries, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. It also included a review of hundreds of pages from reports on logging safety and government regulations, a visit to several accident sites and interviews with truckers, and industry and government officials. A review of the WCB accident investigations, showed the WCB investigated only three of six highway fatals in northcentral B.C. in any depth in the past four years. A 2003 death on Highway 97 was not investigated at all because it involved a truck that worked in other provinces, which is not within the WCB's jurisdiction. Clarke, the WCB regional manager, said the WCB will only conduct full-blown investigations if the crash looks out of the ordinary where the driver is forced to work "unreal" hours or in unsafe conditions, or maintenance is an issue. Usually only a mini-investigation is done, he said. -- See RECOMMENDATIONS on page 3

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Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Olivia Beck, 7, B.C. Lions Society Easter Seal ambassador, looks over the three painted spirit bears on display at the Civic Plaza.

Spirit bears unveiled
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff Three unique Kermode spirit bears found a home Friday in Prince George at an unveiling ceremony at the Civic Plaza. Although the seven-foot high sculptures are unique in their art design, they all have a true northern spirit. Three commissioned artists -- Ken Ferris, Maureen Faulkner and Peter George -- have dressed the bears in themes and colours to represent Northern B.C., the only place in the world where the white Kermode is found. -- See BEARS on page 3

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Artisans shine at Studio Fair
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff Studio Fair opened Friday with creative magic by a number of new artisans from across B.C., Western Canada and the Yukon. You'll want to see Marionette Magic from Saskatoon, whose 100 different character puppets, created by Vaclav Sladek, can kick a soccer ball, ride a horse or dance up a storm. To view a thing of beauty, stop by the Vitreous Design booth, offering a display of glass handkerchief vases and aquariums. Bill Jamieson and Michael Crovato have created the intricate pieces with kiln-formed glass using the blown glass technique. Pat and Else Baker from Prince George have got right to the heart of the North with their creations made of bluestained beetle wood. Patrons can choose from a variety of shapes and sizes of bowls as well as dainty tea lights. Baker says it's no problem to find the wood. "I have 14 lodgepole pines right in my yard that have to come down due to damage by the mountain pine beetle." The couple has "his and hers lathes" in the shop where they manufacture many items, including laminated rolling pins featuring wood from Finland, the U.S., Mexico and Canada. From Mayo in the Yukon comes Esther Winter, with her Winterchild Jewellery. Her sterling silver earrings and necklaces, ranging from $18 to $28, feature Canadian images like the northern lights, midnight sun, wolves and even cranberries. Returning after 10 years is Claphams' Beeswax Products from Abbotsford where owners, Roger and Anne, are beekeepers. Along with beeswax candles, the booth offers beeswax furniture polish, leather dressing and body lotion, to name a few. "Our items are very popular at the shows we do all the time, but this show is well established with a comfortable feeling," said Roger. This year the food vendors are gathered in one area of the Civic Centre with returning vendors like Tree Mouse Edibles and Lone Willow wine-based jellies as well as a booth featuring garlic products. New this year is Sweet Tree birch syrup by Karen Ramsay of Big Lake near Williams Lake. The sweet bottled substance, that's a bit more tart than maple syrup, is used for pancakes, marinades, toppings and more. Ramsay and partner, Cherle Lynn Bailey, manufactures the syrup from tapping 200 to 300 birch trees in the spring. It goes through an evaporation process to get one gallon of syrup from about 75 gallons of sap. Those who are into Indian cuisine will want to visit Daksha's Gourmet Spices and have a look at the latest recipe book designed for vegetarians. The 29th annual Studio Fair, expected to attract about 2,000 people, continues today at the Civic Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for a weekend pass for adults and $3 for seniors and students. With admission tickets, at Studio 2880 or at the door, comes a chance to win door prizes, which include a round trip for four to Jasper, courtesy Via Rail, and a five-year, $500 term deposit from Spruce Credit Union.

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INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . . 18 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .42-44 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . .3,5,13 Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . 19-22 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 28,33,34 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Entertainment . . . . . . .25-27 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-16

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

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Vaclav Sladek demonstrated his marionettes Friday at Studio Fair.

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