MARCH
• As far back as 1904, sightings have been reported of a strange creature dwelling in the depths of Shuswap Lake. The creature is known as the Shuswaggi. The Shuswaggi has been described in various ways, ranging from a large, furry mammal resembling a bear to a lengthy, grey-black aquatic creature similar to a giant eel. Stories of Shuswaggi do share a common theme, however, revolving around boaters encountering an unknown creature.
• A gold-medal finish in the zone championships and multiple silver medals in the provincial finals made the season one to remember for the Salmon Arm Secondary wrestling team as it wrapped up. The final provincial placements saw Elijah Lazar and his younger brother, Hayden, both claim silver medals, while Eve Maxwell placed fifth overall in her category. At the zone championships, every member of the team placed on the podium.
• Salmon Arm cross-country skier Natalie Wilkie ranked among the most talented para-nordic skiers in the world, winning a pair of silver medals at the World Para-Nordic Skiing Championships in Prince George.
• The Salmon Arm Rona Tier 3 Midget Silverbacks travelled to Clearwater and returned as midget league champions for the 2018-19 season. The tournament victory and league championship title for Salmon Arm earned them a spot to represent the region in the provincial championships, March 17 in Cranbrook.
• Following a marathon public hearing in front of a standing-room-only crowd, those in favour of a 60-unit mobile home park in Canoe went home disappointed. The hearing in Salmon Arm council chambers Monday, March 11, stretched from 7 p.m. to nearly 11 p.m. In the end, it was a close vote, with four members of council against the rezoning that would have allowed Kerry Tarnow’s development to proceed, and three members in favour.
• A Salmon Arm man was sentenced March 11 in provincial court for the killing of a cow moose out of season. The man, in his mid-50s, was fined $3,000 and forfeited two firearms.
• Closing the city’s swimming pool would not be an option when it came to upgrading Salmon Arm’s recreation centre. The importance of keeping the community pool open was stressed through public feedback to the City of Salmon Arm during consultation, including an online survey and a Feb. 10 open house on the proposed recreation centre upgrades.
• The company behind a cannabis growing operation under construction near Celista announced plans for another facility in Chase. Liht Cannabis Corp. said construction of the first building of its North Shuswap project was nearing completion. Plans for the project included a total of 10 buildings at 10,000 square feet each. The company said it remained on schedule for completion in May, and each building would have the capacity to grow 1,630,800 grams annually.
• Staff at Salmon Arm’s Buckerfield’s were fired up to be back at work. The business reopened March 14, four days after a fire in the upper level of the main building forced its closure. Those who have visited the store after it re-opened were greeted with signs advertising “Smokin’ Deals,” and inviting people to “Get fired up for spring.” “You got to keep laughing. What else can you do,” said Buckerfield’s employee Stephanie Evans, who was thrilled to be back at work so soon after the fire.
• A Salmon Arm man lost his beloved dog, Molly, to a coyote snare trap set on private property within the city. Molly was off the trail near 35 Street and 20 Avenue NE and had been caught with a wire around her neck. The death prompted A 22-page petition to the city requesting Molly’s Law, which would ban snare traps within Salmon Arm’s city limits.
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