This is for everyone who asked me to talk to Randy Weekes about Highway 376. The following is exactly what went to him by email and what came back.
"Good Morning Randy I have been asked to write an article again about our highway 376 and before I do that I was wondering if you had any comment you'd like me to add. Things are getting really bad in our area, the campers going down to Glenburn are really complaining and someone wiped out on his motor cycle and actually lost the handle bars, it was a miracle he wasn't killed. I had heard also just hear say that a lady hit a hole on the way to Richard and the RCMP were called and she was taken away in an ambulance.
What do you think?"
Reply: "This section of Highway is a Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) highway. These roads are basically dirt roads with a thin layer of asphalt; they were never intended to carry truck traffic and they don't hold up well in extreme weather conditions.
"It cost about $800,000 per kilometer to upgrade a TMS road to a modern standard. Despite the fact the province is investing record amounts in transportation, it would cost a staggering $4.3 billion to upgrade all 5,400 km of TMS.
"The province is taking a strategic approach, prioritizing TMS highways for upgrading based on objective factors like economic activity, traffic volumes, safety and social considerations.
"Janet Hanson, Constituency Assistant to Randy Weekes MLA, Biggar Constituency."
Pat and John Reddekopp left on their travels May 21. They travelled to Vancouver and boarded Millennium Celebrity Cruise ship May 24. They were on the cruise until May 31. They said the cruise was wonderful. The stateroom was very nice and clean and they even had a veranda with a beautiful view some evenings. And as most of us know, if you've been on a cruise, the food is excellent.
There were two formal nights on the ship. Dinner was held in the formal dining room every night. There was lots to do on the ship. They had a comedian, a magician and Broadway singers and dancers. They had a party on the ship for the U.S. Memorial Day which was fantastic. There was also dancing with a stars night, and a karaoke night. I'm sure John sang a few songs, maybe even Pat.
There were port stops at Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Skagway. They arrived at Seward May 31 and there they boarded a train to Anchorage, Alaska. They said the train ride was awesome and the view of the mountains was beautiful. The 75-mile train ride took five hours. They stayed in Anchorage until June 1, then flew back to Vancouver and headed back home. Sounds like a trip everyone should go on.
I attended Family Days at the Western Development Museum, June 15. I had made arrangements to do a Child Find ID Clinic and was very disappointed. There must have been over 100 children there but only five families opted to have their children's IDed.
People ask, why should I fingerprint my child? Fingerprints will not find a missing child, but they do help in identification once a child has been located. No two fingerprints are identical. Not even identical twins have the same prints. Fingerprints will not change throughout life.
Most agencies agree fingerprints, as well as dental records, can be helpful. Though most useful in identifying children who are found, fingerprints are a valuable means of positive identification where photographs and physical description may fail. Photographs may become outdated if a child is missing for a long time.
In addition, when the police are given fingerprint records, they can avoid calling parents down to the station to identify each child that matches their missing youngster's description and spare parents much anguish.
The fingerprint record should be kept in a safe place. It is not given to the police unless the child goes missing. Although fingerprints don't change, it's useful to repeat fingerprints done on youngsters under seven because, once the child reaches this age, the points become better defined.
Besides fingerprints, an updated file should be kept on each child and should include a recent, close-up picture. Child Find recommends children of school age be photographed annually and that children of preschool age be photographed every three to four months as their features change rapidly. Other important information includes medical records, including drug allergies or needed medications; height and weight; identifying marks such as birthmarks or scars; and copies of custody papers, passports and birth certificates, as applicable.
What is the cost? Child Find is a not-for-profit organization and fingerprints children free of charge. Donations however are always gratefully appreciated and help ensure we can continue to offer these services in the future.
