Looking back at what made headlines in 2018 from the pages of the Salmon Arm Observer.
Here’s a glimpse from December 2018:
• One man was killed in a collision that closed the Trans-Canada Highway west of Salmon Arm for close to eight hours on Sunday.
Cpl. Mike Halskov of BC RCMP Traffic Services reports that two trucks collided about 4:10 p.m. on Dec. 2 about 15 kilometres west of Salmon Arm near Carlin Hall.
Cpl. Halskov reported the eastbound Ford pickup truck crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a westbound Chevrolet pickup truck.
“Two other westbound vehicles were caught up in the collision. The lone male driver of the Ford pickup was deceased at the scene.”
• Morgan, the Shuswap’s snow-blower pushing dog, has added another skill to her repertoire.
Diving under a boat to rescue someone trapped has earned her top-dog status for the seven-year-old Newfoundland dog. Morgan, from Sunnybrae, passed the Newfoundland Club of America’s Water Test at the Pacific Northwest Newfoundland Club trials near Portland, Oregon.
Owned by Dean and Grace Edwards, Morgan has attained the highest level of water training available in North America.
• It was promising at the start, but bus service from Calgary to Vancouver, has all but ground to a halt. And getting information is almost impossible.
At the end of October, Rider Express Transportation announced that upon Greyhound’s demise, the company would provide daily bus service between Calgary and Vancouver. The reality is very different, something the company says is due to low ridership. But booking a trip is difficult.
• There are now four cannabis retail stores proposed for downtown Salmon Arm – the maximum number allowed by city policy.
The first of the latest downtown applications was from Jeff Horicks for a store at 191 Shuswap St. – the location of Eden.
The second was from applicant Mark Pugh for a cannabis retail store at the former Dough Boyz Pizza location at 81 Shuswap St.
Previously, council supported applications for the Greenery Cannabis Boutique at 190 Trans-Canada Hwy. (the former UPS location), and from the Salmon Arm Liquor Store Ltd. for a cannabis retail store at 111 Lakeshore Dr. NE.
There was also a Canoe proposal from applicant Jeff Phillips for a cannabis retail store in a separate space of the Canoe Village Market building at 50th Street NE.
• Community leaders shared the stage but the spotlight was on Salmon Arm.
A special gathering took place at the Salmar Classic to celebrate the formal launch of a new community brand: Salmon Arm - Small City, Big Ideas.
• Another Canadian icon has been signed to play Roots & Blues 2019.
Jim Cuddy, formerly of Blue Rodeo, is back, this time with an equally talented band consisting of Steve O’Connor, Bazil Donovan, drummer Joel Anderson, Ann Lindsay and Colin Cripps.
• The City of Salmon Arm is proceeding with work on a proposed ban of single-use plastic shopping bags.
Council voted unanimously in support of the resolution by Mayor Alan Harrison to direct city staff to draft a bylaw for the ban. Implementation of the bylaw would coincide with the start of organic curbside pick-up on July 1, 2019.
• After nearly a full day of a preliminary inquiry, Curtis Wayne Sagmoen will stand trial in Vernon on counts of assault and assault causing bodily harm.
Sagmoen’s next appearance on the assault charges is slated for Jan. 7, 2019, to coincide with a second fixed date appearance on five counts – disguising his face with intent to commit an offence; intentionally discharging a firearm while reckless; careless use or storage of a firearm; uttering threats and possession of a controlled substance – on which he was committed to stand trial in October.
• The Salmon Arm Secondary Golds Basketball team travelled to the Coast and put up a solid record in the No Regrets Tournament held in Vancouver Dec. 6 to 8.
The Golds began the tournament with a tough loss against West Vancouver High in front of West Van’s large and supportive home crowd.
In the Gold’s second game they defeated Seycove from North Vancouver, the number one ranked AA team in B.C., 77-63.
The Gold’s next win came at the expense of Argyle from West Vancouver. Although they were edged out of the tournament final, the Golds came away with the consolation win in their last game of the tournament, defeating Collingwood from West Vancouver 63-61.
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