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The community will get a chance to be involved in the pursuit of the North Cariboo Multi-Centre, with a slate of fundraising initiatives and public engagement opportunities on the way. At last night's North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee meeting, the Cariboo Regional District's Northern Directors and Quesnel City Council endorsed a comprehensive fundraising plan presented by the North Cariboo Multi-Centre Fundraising Committee.

The plan, which sets targets for local and corporate fundraising initiatives is ambitious, with a stated goal of raising $6.6 million as part of a larger objective of raising at least $15 million towards the capital costs of providing a new, wood-first Multi-Centre in Quesnel."I can't say enough about the work the committee has done to research, prepare, and present this plan to the NCJPC," said Fundraising Committee Chair Eric Wickham. "We have spent hours labouring through this process in an attempt to devise the strategies and tools that will help us reach our goal. On behalf of the committee, I thank the NCJPC for their support.  We have a strong group of volunteers who are committed to implementing this plan." 

During the evening of February 17, the Quesnel RCMP Drug Section stopped a vehicle on the Two Mile Flat area in Quesnel. The occupants, a 26 year old male and 19 year old male, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking.

Both are Quesnel residents. A search of the vehicle turned up over four ounces of cocaine, as well as a large sum of cash. Both men were later released on a Promise to Appear in court at a later date. RCMP are proposing charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking for both males.

The living history of the Cariboo region and Western Canada's gold rush era will be celebrated and commemorated, thanks to an investment from the Government of Canada. This was announced today by Richard Harris, Member of Parliament (Cariboo-Prince George), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

With this funding, the Barkerville Heritage Trust will host a summer celebration in honour of the 150th anniversary of Barkerville and the beginning of the Cariboo gold rush in 1862. Visitors will be treated to a series of special activities, including music and theatre performances, storytelling, gold panning, and historical lectures. In addition, the town's vast collection of artifacts and photographs will be available for public viewing.

The Prince George RCMP are asking the public’s help in locating a parolee wanted Canada Wide for being Unlawfully at Large.

On January 19, 2012, a Canada-wide warrant was issued for Aaron Craig Sutherland as a result of failing to report to his halfway house in Kelowna after being released from the Kent Correctional Institution in the Fraser Valley.

Mr. Sutherland is described as:

• Caucasian

• 33 years old

• 170 cm (5’7”)

• 96 kg (212 lbs)

• Brown hair

• Hazel Eyes

 

Have you ever wanted to manage your own forest? Here’s your chance with a new woodlot licence available near Quesnel, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson announced today.

The woodlot includes 1,175 hectares of Crown land approximately 35 kilometres south of Quesnel and has a proposed allowable annual cut of 1,479 cubic metres. Most of the woodlot is a mix of fir and aspen.

RCMP state that at approximately 9:30am today, the Cariboo Chilcotin Traffic Services responded to a two vehicle crash on Highway 97, five (5) kms north of Mcleese Lake, BC. Five (5) people in the Kia sustained fatal injuries as a direct a result of this crash.

A south bound Kia Sorrento crossed the center line and collided, head on, with a north bound Volvo tractor (semi) pulling a 53-foot trailer. As a result of the impact, both vehicles were quickly engulfed by fire. "At this time, we don't know which vehicle contributed to the resulting fire, but we do know that the semi driver was able to get out of his rig before it became fully engulfed," said Corporal Madonna Saunderson of the Prince George RCMP Regional Traffic Services. "The fire was so intense that the vehicles were almost completely destroyed. In the case of the SUV, there is nothing left of it."

(Photo: Got News Network Inc., Cailin Cousins.)

Two Quesnel men have been airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital after a serious snowmobile crash which occurred on Saturday night.

Shortly after 10:00pm on Saturday, January 14, Quesnel RCMP and BC Ambulance Services responded to a report of a collision on Lombardie Drive.

Investigation revealed that an unlicensed snowmobile traveling at a high rate of speed struck a parked vehicle resulting in very serious injuries to the sled’s two occupants. The helmet of one of the men flew off during the collision and was located on the ground more than twenty feet away.

By now, most City of Quesnel residents and businesses should have received a special edition of the Q-City News. The West Quesnel Land Stability newsletter details the plans for the upcoming year, and provides a brief look at the progress to date and some next steps.

The full-scale dewatering program, designed to help reduce land movement in the West Quesnel Land Stability study area, is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2012. The $4.7 million project will see the installation of 14 pumping wells, nine horizontal drain sites consisting of more than 70 drains, and stormwater system improvements for West Quesnel and area residents.

Quesnel RCMP are seeking public assistance in identifying three males associated to a robbery.

At approximately 7pm on Monday, January 9th, 2012, Quesnel RCMP were called to the 200 block of Hartley Street after receiving a report of fight.  Investigation determined that a delivery driver was approached by an unknown male suspect who used force in an attempt to steal item(s) in the victim's possession.  A struggle ensued. 

During the early morning hours of Saturday, January 7th, 2012, the Quesnel RCMP Drug Section executed a Search Warrant pursuant to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act on a residence located on Abbott Drive in Quesnel.  During the search, RCMP located a quantity of cocaine and drug paraphernalia as well as two prohibited weapons.