Looking back at what made headlines in 2018 from the pages of the Salmon Arm Observer.
Here’s a glimpse from October 2018:
•For a day-and-a-half beginning on Sept 30, 140 people participated in the first Shuswap Salmon Symposium dedicated to exploring how best to improve conservation efforts in the wake of persistently grim news regarding declining returns.
A joint effort of the Adams River Salmon Society and the Little Shuswap Lake Indian Band, the event held at Quaaout Lodge and Conference Centre included presentations by experts, videos, storytelling and small group discussions.
• Salmon Arm paramedic Shannon Thernes is used to caring for others.
But the 43-year-old single mother is now in need of a great deal of care and financial support.
On Sept. 13, her birthday, Thernes was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer that had intruded into her brain. A Go-FundMe account has been set up for Thernes at https://www.gofundme.com/let039s-rock-for-shannon, for anyone who wants to help her financially.
• Business was brisk at Eden and Starbuds on Tuesday morning.
The marijuana dispensaries located on Lakeshore Drive NW were to close at the end of the business day on Oct. 16 as required by the province.
Starbuds manager Chris MacMillan says their application to sell marijuana is not 100 per cent complete as they are waiting for documents to arrive in the mail.
Clayton Beadle, Eden’s regional manager, says Eden will stay open for informational purposes only.
• With the sockeye run nearing its end, fisheries officials say the numbers returning to spawn on the Adams River will likely match the 2014 dominant run.
In the third week of August, the late-run sockeye salmon run was estimated to be nearly seven million returning to various spawning grounds in the Shuswap.
• She’s back! Danielle Dunn-Morris, an actress and director well-known to Salmon Arm audiences, has returned to Shuswap Theatre to direct “Odd Jobs,” a play by Canadian playwright Frank Moher.
“It’s fun; when I first read it, it really touched me, it’s about dreams, people putting forward their wishes,” she says. “But sometimes wishes don’t transpire the way you think.”
• Retired school principal Alan Harrison has been called to the mayor’s office.
Come November, the City of Salmon Arm councillor will be switching seats in council chambers after winning the mayor’s chair in Saturday’s municipal election, with 59.3 per cent of the vote.
During his speech he congratulated the new council: Debbie Cannon, Chad Eliason, Kevin Flynn, Tim Lavery, Sylvia Lindgren and Louise Wallace Richmond.
Salmon Arm’s new trustees are Marianne VanBuskirk and Amanda Krebs.
• A referendum regarding borrowing for the Ross Street underpass received approval from a majority of Salmon Arm residents, with 3,486 voting yes and 2,069 voting no.
• After a two-day preliminary inquiry in Vernon Law Courts, Curtis Wayne Sagmoen was committed to stand trial.
At a previous hearing, Sagmoen’s charges were separated into three different matters. In February, Provincial Court Judge Mark Takahashi granted bail for two cases but denied bail on the matter for which Sagmoen appeared this week.
Evidence presented by both Crown prosecutor Juan O’Quinn and defence during the inquiry is withheld due to a court-ordered publication ban.
• The city’s 10th Syrian refugee family was settling in nicely. Originally from Damascus, the Qabours fled from Daraa in Syria, about 13 kilometres north of Jordan and a rebel stronghold until the Syrian army retook the city in July of this year.
The family spent five-and-a-half difficult years in Jordan where father, Tareq, worked 13 hours a day repairing and selling shoes in order to support his wife, Rasha Kabour, sons Mohammed, seven, Mohmoud, who is six, and three-year-old daughter Huda.
Through a translator Tareq says what his dream is for himself and his family in their new life in Canada.
“Learn English fast and get a good education for the children so they can have a good future.”
• The Salmon Arm bantam A female Silverbacks travelled north to 100 Mile House on Oct. 26 to 28 for their peewee-bantam’s girl tournament, going undefeated to claim the gold medal in a six-team field.
• Askew’s Foods has been recognized with a major award.
The grocery outlet, with locations in Salmon Arm, Sicamous and Armstrong, was named winner of the Arnold Rands Heritage Award at the 56th annual Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards ceremony in Toronto.
Blind Bay Village Grocer won the gold in the small surface category.
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