Christopher Carl Jentsch
January 12, 1963 – April 2, 2021

On Friday, April 2, 2021, Mr. Christopher Carl Jentsch of Summerland passed away suddenly at the Penticton Regional Hospital at the age of 58 years.

Chris will be fondly remembered by his loving family including wife Betty Jentsch; daughters Megan, Danielle (Ricky) and Emily Jentsch; grandsons Henry and Luke and brother Dieter Jentsch (Angela) as well as many extended family and friends.

He was a long-time farmer and owner of C.C. Jentsch Cellars, winery in Oliver BC.

Chris enjoyed farming, playing with his grandsons, playing chess, collecting antiques, spending time with his family, working on projects and golfing.

A private family graveside service will be held at the Oliver Municipal Cemetery.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com

To view the private graveside service on Facebook Live, please click the following link:

Christopher Jentsch – Virtual Ceremony

Another movie being filmed on OIB lands

There will be a film company (Surprise Road Productions) filming a movie (Secrets of a Marine’s Wife) on the reserve April 5th to April 11th. They will have a few OIB members with them onsite and It will be filmed North of Area 27 and towards Manual flats.

They are filming a war movie and will be firing (BLANK) ammunition on April 5th and April 7th. Some people on the sub may hear gunshots (blanks) coming from above the ridge east of the sub-division.

***

Secrets of a Marine’s Wife, a Lifetime movie starring actors from Riverdale and Arrow, will be shooting in Osoyoos, Cawston and Oliver this month.

“It is exciting to have a new production company come to our region to film, it’s always good to be expanding our production company client base. And what we know is that once they come they keep coming back for all that this region has to offer: the extensive amenities, scenery, locations, weather, services and welcoming communities,” Jon Summerland, Okanagan Film Commissioner, said in a press release.

Front Street Pictures will begin production in early April for Secrets of a Marine’s Wife, which was written by the award-winning journalist and New York Times Best-Selling author Shanna Hogan, tells the true story of a young marine wife whose illicit affair ended in tragedy.

The film is based on the book of the same name written by Shanna Hogan.

We are creatures of a herd mentality believe it or not.

Whether our thinking is left or right, what religion we subscribe to, it doesn’t matter. The differences we have is more about common behaviors. We engage in some positive and some just plain ridiculous behaviors with our eyes wide open.

Last year for example we had a nationwide run on toilet paper when aside from panic buying there was no shortage. People equated COVID with a flu rather than a respiratory problem

Yes we agree in the majority we are a nation of laws even though we have contempt for a measure of them. We are sometimes like a wolf pack socially as evidenced in social interaction on facebook or gatherings at demonstrations and protests. There is a compassionate side when it comes to supporting children or those in need. We attend vigils born out of tragedy, we pay final respects together with decorum and dignity. We behave differently at sporting events, where despite our collective best efforts there is a small rowdy crowd caught up in the moment. Then there are times we practice a herd mentality when it comes to our financial and social behavior. Let me give you some examples.

When prices are good farmers all plant the same thing until the market is saturated and the price tanks. When word gets out everyone jumps on a stock tip over inflating the value for a time and the secret is knowing when to bail before its worthless paper. At present we are watching a housing bubble that will soon see many especially first time buyers drown in a sea of market correction. Another two herd problems are front and center. Vaccination vaccer’s and anti-vaccers as they’ve become known. Which herd will win? Despite all the rancor and debate the vast majority will roll up their sleeve. Get vaccinated and herd numbers will lead to ending the pandemic.

So what is the most significant thing mankind has learned or not learned?

There are those who lead and those who follow, and followers and leaders change places depending on life’s circumstances. The only way to avoid some of the pitfalls is for each person to learn how to learn. That is important, it’s is top of the instruction manual for free thinking souls who don’t want to just follow the herd. Then there are times when it is most appropriate to follow. The key is knowing the difference between proactive and reactive, and which measure is required in a given set of circumstances.

Fred Steele

.

Website: www.sd53.bc.ca

April 7, 2021

RE: School Community Member Tested Positive for COVID-19

School Exposure March 31 and April 1, 2021

Dear Families,

We are supporting Interior Health Authority as they undertake contact tracing to determine if any other members of our school community were in contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19, and if any additional steps are required. We are following the protocol established for these circumstances:

• A member of the Southern Okanagan Secondary school community has tested positive for COVID-19. They are self-isolating at home with support from local public contact tracing;

• The health authority will determine if anyone in the school community was in contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 while they were potentially infectious

• The health authority will determine if anyone in the school community is a close contact that is required to self-isolate.

Only the health authority can determine who is a close contact. If you are contacted by Interior Health Authority, please follow their advice. If you are not contacted by Interior Health Authority, it has been determined that your child is not at risk of developing COVID-19.

Bev Young
Superintendent of Schools

edited for brevity

CPE News (4/7/2021) – Zonda, a portfolio company of MidOcean Partners, has acquired Urban Analytics Inc., a premier Vancouver based multifamily and urban data and analytics company.

Led by Managing Principal Michael Ferreira of Osoyoos and

Principal Jon Bennest of Delta, Urban Analytics provides real estate industry stakeholders with the tools and intelligence to make better decisions.

Newport Beach, California based Zonda provides data-driven housing market solutions to the homebuilding industry. Zonda serves a diverse cross-category audience, including homebuilders, land brokers and developers, mortgage lenders, finance professionals, building product manufacturers, and many more.

Following this acquisition, Zonda plans to expand its client base into major markets across Canada, including Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, as well as add urban market coverage to its existing suite of solutions in the U.S.

In 2018, MidOcean acquired and merged Hanley Wood and Meyers Research and rebranded the combined company to Zonda in 2020.

Including Urban Analytics, Zonda has completed three add-on acquisitions and is seeking target with up to US $50 million in EBITDA.

Period of time for comparison

Past 7 days – cases March 24-30

WEEK 40

APRIL 6, 2021 REGULAR DRAW WINNER OF $52.00 – Ticket 201 – Dennis Materi

APRIL 6, 2021 REGULAR DRAW WINNER OF $100.00 – Ticket 118 – Ray Pitt

Female Western Bluebird

JANUARY 12, 1963 – APRIL 2, 2021

On Friday, April 2, 2021, Mr. Christopher Carl Jentsch passed away suddenly at the age of 58 years.

Full obituary will be posted soon.

Photo courtesy of Terry David Mulligan

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html

B.C.’s online registration system for COVID-19 vaccine appointments will open to eligible adults on Tuesday morning, as the province overhauls its current program for making bookings.

The new “Get Vaccinated” system will be available at 8 a.m. PT – People who are 71 and older — those born in 1950 or earlier — and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be able to register online to book their appointment, as will Indigenous people who are 18 and older .

The launch of the province-wide portal comes as case numbers spike in B.C., with a record-high daily total on Saturday of 1,072 new infections .

The online portal and single provincial call centre will replace the five regional call centres currently being used to register patients and book vaccine appointments .

Springtime along the river

Time of dispatch 1:45 am Saturday

Oliver firefighters had to use the paved hike and bike path to bring in various units – tender, bush truck, pumper and several supervisors

The fire on the west side of Okanagan River but east of Hike and Bike pavement

Fire reported by an ambulance crew driving southbound to Oliver.

Cause of fire unknown. – Some evidence of chainsaw cutting of large trees.

Command terminated at 3:39 am

Be Kind Be Calm Be Safe

Where?

EASTER’S LONG PAST

I love Easter, it is a time of hope and new beginnings. Although Christmas is thought of as the “season of joy” to me Easter is the time for rejoicing. The winter weather is usually a thing of the past and, although there will still be odd reminders of winter weather, they are usually short lived and the warmth of the sun is there to make us smile.

Growing up in Northern England meant winters were wet, windy and grey but come Easter time and a miracle occurred on the windswept hills. As Wordsworth put it so eloquently, “A host of golden daffodils” appeared, as if by magic.

There is honestly nothing as heart lifting or inspiring as coming across huge patches of daffodils, their golden heads really do dance in the wind, as though trying to get free of their roots and fly away. As a mere mortal, I feel my heart trying to free itself and dance away with them.

Easter, in my childhood, didn’t have an Easter bunny, I never heard of him until we came over to Canada. I never hunted for coloured eggs, but instead we were given large chocolate eggs, quite often several of them from various relatives.

In the area where I grew up, it was a long standing tradition to hike up a local hill on Good Friday. I’m not sure if this went on in other parts of England but people came from miles around to walk up Rivington Pike. I was lucky enough to live within walking distance to the base of the hill but hundreds of people arrived by bus, bicycle and cars.

The climb up the hill was quite a trek but people of all ages made the attempt. At the very top was a small tower or “pike”. These were built to be used as warning beacons during ancient wars. Fires were lit in these pikes, all located on the highest hill in the area, the fires could be seen from miles away and warned of the attack of invaders, by sea. I think our local pike was built rather later, as a decorative item, but the climb to the tower was a yearly ritual for thousands of people from nearby towns.

My mother’s family had gone there as children and, in those days, they actually carried hard boiled eggs and rolled them down the hill. I don’t know what this signified, by the time I came along, this practice was no longer observed, but the Good Friday trek up the hill continued.

As I grew older and more commercialism came into play, vendors drove up the lower levels of the hill, to a plateau, and set up sales of food and novelties, even small fairground rides, very popular with many people. My family chose the steeper route to the top, where vehicles couldn’t go, a much more satisfying climb. The view from the top was quite spectacular and, even in those days of smoky factories, you could see over thirty miles to the west coast. There we would enjoy our picnic lunch, before the tricky downhill climb.

Easter Saturday usually saw the arrival of one of my aunts, who had never married and spent all her vacations with my grandma. Aunt Alice, the oldest of her siblings had “gone into service” at the age of fourteen. This meant she became the live-in housekeeper for a fairly wealthy couple, who owned a large home. She had her own small apartment and seemed very happy with her life but was on duty six days a week and only visited her family on holidays.

She usually arrived at Easter with a huge chocolate egg for me, but this was never opened until after church on Sunday. This auntie was a mine of information on wild flowers and she inspired me to really appreciate all nature’s gifts. She taught me how to look in hedgerows to discover bird nests and discover the wonderfully soft fluff and grasses the birds had managed to find to line their nests. She saw God in all nature and instilled this discovery in my young heart and mind.

After our big Easter Sunday meal of ham, I would get to open my chocolate egg. The egg usually came in an elaborately decorated, cardboard box. It could usually be separated into two halves and the contents of small, filled chocolates could be discovered inside. Pure luxury!

My usual source of candy was the penny tray at the local store, which was a nasty, tooth rotting collection of sugared treats enjoyed by all children, but, usually recognised as rubbish. So the smooth, luxurious taste of quality chocolate, filled with flavourful creams, nougat or caramel was truly a treat. Because of my rather strict upbringing, I offered the treats to grandma, my aunt and my mom, but they were usually very kind and let me have the bounty all to myself. They usually had treats of their own to enjoy, but letting me have my entire collection of goodies was unusual and I made the most of it.

The tradition of the climb to the top of Rivington Pike is still an Easter tradition in my hometown but, as far as I know, the Easter bunny is not a visitor. That hill still means a lot to me and can be seen for miles around the area, visits to England are never complete without at least one sighting of the “Pike”.

To this day, the sight of daffodils gives me a lift and, even though I want no fancy funeral service and no burial, I would like my ashes to be spread where daffodils grow so my soul can dance with them throughout eternity.

Young John prepares the ground out back for another season of carrots, peas, garlic etc.

Cst. Shawn Ingham loves his job.

Ingham, the newest member of the RCMP detachment in Oliver, welcomed a transfer here after spending the first 16 years of his career in northern B.C. — first in Fort St. John and later his hometown of Prince George.

Since arriving in the Okanagan in December, he’s made an immediate impact on the community.

“It’s been a beautiful — well you guys call it winter, I call it fall,” he joked in reference to the Okanagan’s weather.

“You don’t have to look too far out the window. It’s a beautiful area. I’ve been in the north my whole life and this is a nice change of pace. Small-town policing is great because you get to know people right away. It’s a tight-knit community with everyone looking out for everyone.”

During his youth, he played in a minor hockey tournament in Osoyoos several times over the years and his family would often return in the summer for a vacation.

Ingham is a general duty constable and is also trained as a crisis negotiator.

One of the perks of being a Mountie compared with a member of a municipal force is the ability to move around the country.

Growing up, he played lacrosse, football and hockey and dabbled in high school volleyball. Many of his hours after school were spent at the boxing gym where he had an amateur career and later coached.

It was here that he learned teamwork, something that’s essential in policing.

“Even the guys I fought against in boxing, there was a mutual respect and we’d go hard, but hang out afterwards,” he recalls.

He looks forward to when his son — who soon turns seven — starts playing lacrosse.

Ingham began his professional life as a machinist before moving to corrections. He did his police training at the DEPOT division in Regina, an intensive 24-week program.

His father encouraged him to learn a trade because it’s always something you can fall back on. But becoming a police officer was always something he wanted to do.

“Even way back in kindergarten, I remember we were asked to fill out what we wanted to do (as a career). I said I wanted to be a please-man,” he chuckles.

While mainstream media generally reports the negative aspects of policing, Ingham focuses on what’s good.

“I love my job,” he said. “The good parts are putting smiles on people’s faces, making them happy. Just the relief some people feel and the calmness when a police officer shows up. Whether it’s helping locate their missing child or finding a lost dog, it’s great being able to help people.

“There are bad parts, but I try to outweigh the good parts with the bad. Often people will focus on the 10% of what’s bad about a job. I always try and focus on the 90% of the good things.”

He also enjoys the PR aspect of his job. He agreed to this interview because it was an opportunity to promote the positive work Mounties do at a time when they’re often lambasted in mainstream media.

While in the north, Ingham was a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer and also helped with a bike program for children.

Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth, the detachment commander in Oliver, said he was instantly impressed with Ingham’s positive attitude describing him as “an excellent addition to our detachment.

Special thanks to the Penticton Herald and Editor James Miller

Face masks that contain graphene may pose health risk

Summary

• Product: Face masks labelled to contain graphene or biomass graphene.
• Issue: There is a potential that wearers could inhale graphene particles from some masks, which may pose health risks.
• What to do: Do not use these face masks. Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.

Court Martialed

How much pain and suffering would you be willing to endure for a dear friend?
Oliver Cromwell sentenced a soldier to capital punishment. He was to be brought before the firing squad and shot at the evening curfew bell. The riflemen assembled as they were ordered to do and waited. They waited for the bell to ring, waited and waited but it didn’t ring. The soldier’s fiancé had climbed into the bell on the belfry and clung to the clapper so it couldn’t ring. The bell swung back and forth, causing the girl to be hammered against the bell’s wall repeatedly, but she endured it. Brought down to face the general she tearfully showed her bruises and bleeding hands to Cromwell. At that the general responded, “Your lover shall live because of your sacrifice. Curfew shall not ring tonight.”

We have Someone who did even more than that for you and me. This is the weekend in the calendar when we are urged to think about Jesus on the cross. He didn’t just cling to the cross for a while, He hung there for hours until He died. It was love, not the nails, that kept Him there.

Thank you, Lord,

Henry Wiebe

“Today, we are reporting 832 new cases, for a total of 100,880 cases in British Columbia.

“There are 7,571 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 11,608 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 91,732 people who tested positive have recovered. Please note, these numbers are provisional due to a delayed data refresh and will be verified once confirmed.

“Of the active cases, 296 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 79 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

“Since we last reported, we have had 310 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 388 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 53 in the Island Health region, 42 in the Interior Health region, 39 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There have been 90 new confirmed COVID-19 cases that are variants of concern in our province, for a total of 2,643 cases. Of the total cases, 192 are active and the remaining people have recovered. This includes 2,214 cases of the B.1.1.7 (U.K.) variant, 50 cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) variant and 379 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) variant.

“There have been five new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,463 deaths in British Columbia.

“To date, 787,549 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,394 of which are second doses.

“Starting today, long-term care and assisted-living residents across the province can see their family and friends and can leave their home without needing to self-isolate on their return. We recognize and thank you for the sacrifices you and your families have made over the past year.

****

“Thursday, we are reporting 1,013 new cases, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 100,048 cases in British Columbia.

“There are 7,405 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 11,468 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 91,066 people who tested positive have recovered.

“Of the active cases, 301 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 80 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

“Since we last reported, we have had 385 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 458 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 47 in the Island Health region, 64 in the Interior Health region, 60 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There was a delay in the sequencing analysis for variants of concern. As a result, the new cases for the last 24 hours are unavailable.

“There have been three new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,458 deaths in British Columbia.

“There has been one new outbreak at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The outbreak at Mission Memorial Hospital is now over.

“To date, 756,080 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-SII COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,351 of which are second doses.

Director’s Motion – Director Ron Obirek-Area D

(Unweighted Corporate Vote – Simple Majority)

THAT the matter of discussion on a proposed name change for the Garnett Family Park be postponed to the next Board Meeting April 1st – CARRIED

When the motion came up Thursday to change the name of the Park at Heritage Hills – it failed on a vote of 13 to 6. There are 19 directors on the RDOS Board.

WEEK 39

MARCH 30, 2021 REGULAR DRAW WINNER OF $52.00 – Ticket 223 – Gail Erickson

MARCH 30, 2021 REGULAR DRAW WINNER OF $100.00 – Ticket 38 – Dave Mattes

Title: Firearm pulled on business employee after break in

 Penticton RCMP and the RCMP Southeast District Emergency Response Team converged on a vehicle used in a business break in after a firearm was pointed at one of the businesses employees.

On April 1, 2021 at 5:07 a.m., police were alerted to a break in and theft at a business in the 4300 block of Weyerhauser Road, Okanagan Falls.

Shortly later an employee with the business observed a black truck with their property parked at a cabin on the 201 Forest Service Road.  The employee was approaching the truck when a man and woman came out from behind the cabin and the man pointed a firearm at the employee. The man then fled in the truck, leaving the woman behind.

Officers located the woman, a 29 year-old of Okanagan Falls and took her into custody. Officers later located the unoccupied truck at a residence well known to them at Cedar Court.  The truck was previously stolen from Armstrong, BC.

The man has not yet been located.  He is described as Caucasian in his 40’s, wearing a black hat and brown jacket.

Penticton RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance for any information into this incident.  If you were in the area of 4300 Weyerhauser Road, the 201 FSR or Cedar Court on April 1, 2021 between 4:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and witnessed a black truck or you have a dash camera, police would like to speak to you.  You can contact the Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300 or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

***

Title: RCMP and BC Coroners Service investigating found human remains

The Penticton RCMP and the BC Coroners Service are investigating after the remains of an adult person were discovered on Tuesday afternoon.

On March 30, 2021 at 3:15 p.m., the Penticton RCMP received a report of a deceased person under the Causeway Bridge near Skaha Beach, Penticton, by a person jogging in the area.

“The Penticton RCMP is working to determine the decedents identity,” states Sgt. Scott Hanry of the Penticton RCMP.

The BC Coroners Service is conducting its own, parallel fact-finding investigation into the death with no further details available at this time.

Unless it is required to further the investigation, the RCMP will not be publicly identifying the individual.

Thanks to Robert Sieben

by Jessica Murphy

In defence of John Carmichael Haynes

I do not make a habit of commenting on the writing of others, but I do believe that Mr. Brian Wilson’s ‘history’ of Judge John Carmichael Haynes, requires a rebuttal, or, at the very least, a questioning review.

In the fourth paragraph, Mr. Wilson describes the 1861 lynching of a Colville band member. He writes: ‘Although Cox had no jurisdiction on the US side of the border the young man was retrieved and subsequently hanged without trial. The Okanagans, led by Chief Silhitza protested the lynching by the American miners, and the fact that Cox refused to charge the whites with any crime…..Judge Haynes had the power to stop the shooting and lynching but did nothing….’

Earlier in the story Mr. Wilson has stated that in 1860 Haynes was appointed to assist Cox. Difficult to see how he had the power—one short year later—to countermand Cox, who was still his superior. At this part of the bio Mr. Wilson refers to Haynes as Judge Haynes. Don’t think so. He was a customs officer. His first judgeship came a few years later and not in the Rock Creek—Osoyoos area. If the story is historically accurate.

I also have some trouble with the description of the lynching. Was the young Native Person lynched in Canada? By Americans? Or in Washington state, where Cox had no jurisdiction, by men who then presumably rode back to Canada, where they had—ostensibly—not committed a crime? I am not sure.
In any case, Chief Silhitza complained about this treatment to Governor Douglas. Douglas asked Cox about the situation, was told all was fine, but within one year fired Cox from his magisterial duties, demoting him to land agent. So, Chief Silhitza’s letter was, in fact, considered and acted upon. Did Haynes provide information to the governor to help bring about this change? I don’t know. I am not a historian. But I bet a letter to that effect exists.

Mr. Wilson refers to Haynes and his ‘fellow Irishman and gunman Constable Lowe’. Pretty prejudiced, I think. Any constable would have been armed, at that time. (Haynes probably was too. Who would not be?) In the next paragraphs Mr. Wilson depicts Haynes and Lowe as notorious acquirers of land. Was anyone cheated? Of course, who you knew was important in the 1800s; it still is today. If that was a crime we would have no politicians walking around free. (Sorry, my prejudice is showing.)
Then Haynes has to deal with Mrs. Lowe, presumably after her husband’s death. Lowe lived for ten years after the accident that removed him from policing duties in the southern interior. During all that time did he not ask his ‘partner’ for some equity? And how did an Irish constable have any money to invest, in any case? Constable Lowe might have helped Haynes acquire land, cattle, whatever in 1872. And it may not have all been legal. But, an interest in the properties Haynes had acquired? No. Perhaps Haynes genuinely wanted to see his erstwhile friend’s widow well looked after, or, more likely, she had some damning information. (Now, that would be a treasure trove of historical minutiae.) In any case, Haynes paid her out. If he was such a bad guy why not just ‘remove’ her? She no longer had the protection of her husband.

I have no doubt that through the 1870s Haynes manipulated maps, surveyors, and land agents, to acquire the lands—including reserve lands– that he wanted. But he was never charged with a crime. That sort of thing was considered okay. And he did pay for the land—or, at least, most of it. How else would he have generated a mortgage debt of $65,000.00? In 2021 dollars that amount is in excess of $2,000,000.00. So he was not land grabbing, all the time.

I feel I should defend Tom Ellis from Mr. Wilson’s suggestion that he ‘took the Haynes’ family to the cleaners.’ But that can wait for another day—after Mr. Wilson has given us a history of Mr. Ellis. Suffice it to say, that in 1895 very few men in the southern interior had the money needed to pay off Haynes’ mortgage debt. Any fewer still would have left the widow and her family with the lakeside property she continued to own and live in, for the rest of her life.

In his closing paragraph Mr. Wilson states: ‘But we need to put in perspective his (Haynes) position as a notorious colonialist and imperialist. His relationship with the local Indigenous peoples needs to live in infamy.’

Perhaps.

The Judge’s middle son, the famous Val Haynes, married a member of the Colville Band. And after her crippling riding injury continued to care for her, in their home at Road 22. Perhaps his father had not inculcated racism against the local indigenous peoples in his son.

Would it help us to know that John Carmichael Haynes, born in 1831, was a child during the ugly years of the Great Irish Famine, from 1845 to 1849? That he might have suffered starvation, or, certainly and at the very least, seen the ravages of starvation in the faces of his fellow Irish? Seen dead emaciated bodies on the streets of Cork? We had no understanding or knowledge of PTSD only short decades ago. Can we not forgive a child who suffered through the famine, wanting to do so well in ‘the colonies’ that his family would never suffer such deprivation again?

I am not sure. But I do know I will not be casting the first stone.
Do we erase the name Haynes from our landmarks, as has been suggested?
If we bury our history in denial, we are certain to forget it.

History is not a day in the past—it is every past day.

Thank you Edwin Dukes for a banner as well

Hope the blossom and buds survive.

Ever wonder what happens when predetermined laws and rules collide with common sense? This week there is a glowing example of that. ICBC once again put itself in the spotlight’s center stage. The insurance corporation decided to issue refunds of various amounts to customers dependent on a host of predetermined factors. The average refund is said to be 190 dollars, however the sliding scale determined that some would get as little as one dollar while others got considerably more.
What is the saying? Oh, yes “No good deed goes unpunished”

Receiving a one dollar check for me would be and insult and worse would be a gross waste of money. The check, the stamp the envelop, the letter of explanation and the processing costs more than the check. No one could possibly defend such an action it defies common sense. That is until you put on your Unthinking cap and see it through the corporations eyes. That’s when we shine a light in the fog and see how it makes sense to them.

First our perceived insult of one dollar, is seen by them as a gift.
We complain about them taking more and more.
They see it as “Giving a Little Something Back” emphases on a little something.

In the past people have had to get a lawyer to fight for their amount due. Originally government insurance was to mitigate that. Then the rate structure was an issue for many. Even worse and for no fault of their own governments intervened at times taking money to balance the budget. The problem is the Insurance Corporation is of value, but it has management problems Think about this for a moment. Private sector insurance companies in North America have come up with many programs like accident forgiveness. Well not exactly.
See many of the benefit programs were initiated by ICBC and were part of the program for a number of years and were adopted by the private sector for competitive reasons.

The other vexation for the public consisted of rate increases that were not fair increases. It turns out the former government allegedly took nearly a billion dollars to balance their budget. In turn the insurance corporation raised drivers insurance rates. Over time there has been many statements of verbal dissatisfaction with the corporation. Ironically some have never had a problem with them.
More than once I have been involved in an accident, and please note, none of them were my fault. Four times someone with a misplaced show of attention decided for whatever reason they wanted to run into me. Four times I was treated with respect and given fair compensation by ICBC.

The latest gaff, sending out a one dollar refund was not even measured on the common sense scale or the check would never have been sent right? Well it is not that simple. Going to the top of the page, the criteria was one dollar or more. That being the case one dollar checks had to be issued. It was also the intent that all drivers get something. Therefore we have to consider who’s logic is being applied in order to determine whether common sense was used or even considered.
Personally I think ICBC should have left well enough alone and not issued any checks at all. They could have avoided a lot of grief.

Well it’s time to remove my tongue from my cheek and wish all a very Happy Easter Weekend.

Fred Steele

After Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, Americans were quite willing to believe there was no limit to his genius. They were sure he could solve any problem he focused his powerful mind on. Therefore, when the New York Graphic announced in 1878 that Edison had invented a machine capable of transforming soil directly into cereal and water directly into wine, thereby ending the problem of world hunger, it found a willing audience of believers.

Newspapers throughout America copied the article unquestioningly and heaped lavish praise on Edison. The conservative Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, in particular, waxed eloquent about Edison’s genius in an editorial that dwelled upon the good fortune of a man like Edison having been born in the progressive nineteenth century when his genius could be appreciated. “Let steady-going people whose breath has been taken away by the pace we seem to be driving at just now, take heart therefore,” it declared. “And be thankful that the genius of true benefactors of the race, like Edison, cannot now be crippled and blighted by superstition and bigotry, as it was when Galileo was forced to recant the awful heresy that two and two make four.”

The New York Graphic took the liberty of reprinting the Advertiser’s credulous editorial in full. Above the article it placed a single, gloating headline: “They Bite!”

Thanks to http://hoaxes.org

Jessica Murphy

April 1st, 2021

Prompt: Why is your garden gnome wearing camouflage?

GARMENTS FOR THE GARDEN GNOME.

When conducting guests through my garden I expect to receive comments about the extensive variety of trees, or botanical questions relating to the taxonomy of my iris collection. Or concern for my roses, which suffer tragically from the predation of a herd of deer.
I do not expect to hear “Why is your garden gnome wearing camouflage?”
Secretly I had hoped that he was khakied sufficiently to make him invisible to my garden visitors. Sometimes you simply do not wish to have it known that you do, indeed, have a gnome. You know that is the single comment the local gardening grand dame will make when she can once again preside over a meeting of her exclusive gardening club.
I improvise. Quickly. The best method.
“The gnome was a gift from my sister’s family, so he does have a certain sine qua non.” (I adore Latin phrases, makes you sound as though you know something.) “But his original outfit, red gnome hat, pink polka-dotted shirt and lilac pantaloons; you know the look. That was distracting to butterflies. Particularly the Swallowtails. They kept flitting just above him, looking for the nectar that a ‘flower’ of such colours would normally produce.”
I kept a straight face. “Then there are the bumble bees. They are considered endangered, here. So I try not to make their lives any more difficult than they already are. I once saw six, grouped together on his belly, bumbling about and looking confused.”
My guest looked as though she might not be believing me.
“Then there are the deer. I know, I know. Most gardeners hate them, loathe them, fence them out. Hang soap bars in the rose bushes. Spread that noxious anti-deer liquid that smells so bad even the hardiest of persons does not want to visit those garden beds.”
My guest nodded. She knew.
“But my gnome sleeps near Rupert’s Pond, named for my French poodle. The water runs continuously, so is always fresh, and never freezes over. I think it may be the only water source in this area that is available all winter. So I welcome the deer. But I have seen fawns approach the pond, spot the gnome, then veer away, scared. Poor little things.”
I continue. “And of course hummingbirds. Sometimes a flock of at least six or seven would congregate above the gnome. One would make a sortie to his stomach while the others dive-bombed the brave one. I thought I was about to witness hummingbird homicide.”
I munched on a mint leaf. “Of course, if it was a bird that got killed that would not technically be homicide, so…”
My guest now openly snorted, a snort of disbelief.
“I can see you are still not sure about the camouflage. So I will tell you the truth.”
My guest leans in, waiting for the dope.
“Truth is, the gnome is wearing camouflage because his tuxedo is at the dry cleaners.”

APRIL FOOLS!!!

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

Petitions And Delegations

• Jayme Friedt, Managing Director of the Osoyoos Desert Society, presented the Osoyoos Desert Centre’s 2020 year in review to Council.
• Kester Bonsu and Bruce McCaskill, Account Executives, made a presentation to Council regarding Granicus’ Host Compliance service. The purpose of the presentation was to offer cost-effective solutions to the Town’s short-term rental registration, compliance monitoring, fraud, audit, and enforcement challenges. At Council’s request Gina MacKay, Director of Planning and Development, will bring a report on short-term rental enforcement options to a future meeting.

Staff Reports

• The Committee of the Whole recommended that the Community Service Grant requests in the amounts outlined in Director Davis’ report be moved to the Regular Meeting of Council for approval.
• Council directed staff to set the 2021 Property Tax due date for July 2, 2021 with a 5% late payment penalty on July 3^rd and a 5% late payment penalty on September 1^st.

PARCEL TAX ROLL REVIEW

Business

• The Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel met to consider the Parcel Tax Roll. No complaints were received from the public and the Water Parcel Tax, Sewer Parcel Tax, Sunnyville Water Parcel Tax, Museum Parcel Tax, Lacey Point Water Parcel Tax, Lacey Point Sewer Parcel Tax, South East Sector Water Parcel Tax, and South East Sector Sewer Parcel Tax Rolls were subsequently authenticated.

REGULAR OPEN MEETING

Public And Other Hearings

• A Public Hearing was held for Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1085.133, 2021. If adopted this amendment would add Outdoor Recreation as a permitted use to all properties within the M-1 Zone, which would allow for the extension of the Archery Club’s lease with the Town. No correspondence was received and following the Public Hearing the amending bylaw was read for a third time.
• Council authorized the amendment to Development Variance Permit 20-04. This amendment allows for a change in location for one of the signs at the development located at 8000 Vedette Drive.

Bylaws

• The 5 Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 1371,2021 was adopted. The Community Charter requires municipalities to prepare a Financial Plan for a period of five years, which is adopted annually by bylaw.
• Council authorized the amendment to Development Variance Permit 20-04. This amendment allows for a change in location for one of the signs at the development located at 8000 Vedette Drive.
• Museum Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1300.06, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw enables the purchase of the museum property located at 8702 Main Street, with this proposed amendment establishing the 2021 flat charge to all taxable properties as $15.24.
• Councillor Harvey recused himself from voting on the Lacey Point and Sunnyville amendments due to a conflict of interest.
• Lacey Point Sewer System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1158.05, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with sewer infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $164.28 in 2020 to $105.46 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.
• Lacey Point Water System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1156.02, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with water infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $97.02 in 2020 to $62.28 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.
• Sunnyville Water System Parcel Tax Amendment Bylaw No. 1157.03, 2021 was read for the first three times. The original bylaw was established to recover costs, over a twenty year period, associated with water infrastructure improvements completed in 2000. With a proposed final amendment from $52.36 in 2020 to $33.61 in 2021, the debt would be paid in full this year.

Reports Of Committees And COTW

• Council approved the recommended applications for the 2021 Community Service Grants Program. Councillor Harvey recused himself from voting on the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club requests and Councillor King recused himself from voting on the Rotary Club of Osoyoos request due to conflicts of interest.

Tan house is the home of the Massey family

JAIME MASSEY, a victim of the 2018 flood of Grand Forks, whose home was destroyed.

She was given 7 days notice to attend a Kamloops court hearing or face foreclosure, we trust you will story worth sharing, it involves a class action suit alleging over–logging, floods, mishandled relief, complex expropriation and foreclosure, by Industry, Government, the Financial and Legal systems.

Rallies for Jamie Massey and her family will be held at Kamloops Court House, Grand Forks City Hall and at the Legislature in Victoria today.

JAIME MASSEY, a resident of Grand Forks all her life and a local school trustee lost her house and her tenant because of the massive flood in Grand Forks on May, 2018, which completely destroyed her entire property.

Acting for the CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE (CIBC), Andrew Bury, Q.C. of the law firm called GOWLING WLG (CANADA) LLP sent a letter to Jaime Massey for a court hearing in Kamloops for the foreclosure of her flooded property. She received that letter by regular mail on March 23rd giving her no time to prepare for the hearing.

Supporters of Jaime Massey and her family will be demonstrating in solidarity on Monday March 29th at the Kamloops Courthouse, Grand Forks City Hall, and the BC legislature.

On July 13, 2020, Jaime Massey and others filed notice of a class action lawsuit against Interfor, Weyerhaeuser, Tolko, Celgar Mercer Pulp, Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation, Nik’Mip Forestry Corporation, Nk’Mip Forestry LLP plus BC Timber Sales.

In that lawsuit, Jaime Massey and others allege that logging by these defendants caused the 2018 flood that destroyed her home and property. They seek damages.

The B.C. government has announced new restrictions in an attempt to cut down COVID-19 transmission.

The new public health orders are effective midnight, Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

“COVID-19 continues to create challenges for people and businesses throughout B.C., and we are grateful for the sacrifices people continue to make to keep one another safe,” Premier John Horgan said Monday.

“We know that the idea of more restrictions is not welcome news, but we are asking people to rise to the challenge with the confidence that vaccines mean better days are ahead. We are not out of the woods yet, but the provincial health officer’s orders, combined with our vaccines give us the tools we need to move out of this pandemic together.”

All food and liquor-serving premises must only provide take-out or delivery service. Dine-in service is prohibited, except for outdoor patios.

People who are dining on patios should do so with their immediate household or core bubble only.

Indoor, adult group fitness activities of any kind are now paused under the orders. Gyms and fitness centres are restricted to individual or one-on-one activities only including one-on-one personal training.

The previously announced class variance for limited indoor worship services has been suspended. This means churches will no longer be able to hold indoor events for Easter.

Outdoor worship services under the current variance may continue.

The province has not introduced any ban on travel but it continues to be limited to essential travel, work or medical reasons only. For those who have travelled outside their health region, if you or anyone in your family develops any signs of illness, you must stay home from work, school or daycare, and arrange to get tested immediately.

In a new measure, the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort is now closed through to April 19, 2021, to address and prevent community spread related to non-essential travel.

“Rising case levels, variants of concern, increased transmission and an increase in more severe cases are huge concerns,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday.

“B.C. public health officials are making the tough choices now to break the chain and protect our communities.”

Public health guidance for schools has also been amended to support and encourage students down to Grade 4 to wear masks while at school.

Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization is expected to recommend today a pause in the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine on those under the age of 55 because of safety concerns.

On Friday, 908 new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths were announced.

A total of 1,449 people in B.C. have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

On Friday there were 294 people hospitalized due to COVID-19, 81 of whom were in intensive care.

Active cases of coronavirus are above 6,000 as of Friday, the highest they’ve been since the beginning of January

Please note this article is mainly about another jurisdiction but it should be noted injustice is universal. My father used to say , be aware , if unjust things can happen elsewhere they can happen here given the right circumstances.

I have watched with interest the backward view of lawmakers in Georgia. What’s happening there would be difficult to get away with here. In the US the States make the rules regarding how people get to vote. In Canada we have a third party Elections Canada entrusted with the rules. Provincially there is a third party as well Elections BC.

So what is going on and what is behind the changes and what might be the long term effects? The southern white population is motivated by fear a fear they themselves created. Instead of providing services and acknowledging a changing world they are in fact creating the outcome they fear. Beyond their view of twisted politics they are baptized in a religious Christianity that even Christ Himself would reject. How would one know that? Their faith has become polluted by fear that is generated by ignorance. Their leader and example was about love and enlightenment. Worshiping fear is like rejecting the message their founder brought to their ears. In Georgia the new law makes giving a person a drink of water, in a line up to vote, a crime. I rest my case. It is a version of conservative Christianity that is rejected by mainstream conservatives and that will become evident down the road.

Nearly a century ago it was the Southern Democrats that were the bigots and segregationists. Remember George Wallace, the segregationist was a Democrat. So what could happen? Building walls or instituting Jim Crow segregation laws and measures to restrict the voting rights of non whites over time does not work. Even Apartheid in South Africa was not in the end sustainable.

The 2022 election should not be about make every sacrifice and vote against Republicans who support injustice.. Once handed a monumental defeat the Republican Party can right its own ship and return to a measure of respectability. Politics and its outcomes are like a rubber band pull it right and it snaps back left. The problem for democracy is ensuring neither side is give power to excess.

In Canada we have seen versions of voter miscalculation and the results of one sided government. We have been lucky in that fanatics with oppressive intentions have not won the day.
Something as deadly for democracy has presented a problem it is called complacency. Complacency opens the door to the less desired outcomes the realm of politics can deliver. That is what we are witnessing south of our border. Recognizing it is the greatest prevention measure. To recognize it we have to pay attention to it when it happens elsewhere.

In America the Republican Party will learn soon enough bigotry, and suppression does not ensure political longevity even within their own ranks once fear is overcome.

Fred Steele

Fire Number: K51974
Date of Discovery 2021-3-28
Suspected Cause Unknown
Approximate Location McKinney Road
Estimated Size (HA) 2.00
Stage of Control New

Here is a list of the 20 friendliest cities and towns in Canada listed in order with Radium #1

by Travel Company – Expedia*

Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia – see pix above – Big Horn Meadows
Digby, Nova Scotia
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Drumheller, Alberta
Saint John, New Brunswick
Gatineau, Quebec
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Banff, Alberta
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Whistler, British Columbia
Osoyoos, British Columbia
La Malbaie, Quebec
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Gananoque, Ontario
Canmore, Alberta
Stratford, Ontario
Fernie, British Columbia

We contacted Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff over the weekend and she said she was “mighty pleased” with the publicity for her Town.

She pointed out that most of the towns and cities mentioned are vacation, resort and travel-to spots.

*Expedia Inc. is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, an American online travel shopping company based in Seattle.

Mt. Baldy

Last day of operations, subject to snow conditions will be March 29th, 2021.

Mt. Apex
Scheduled to close April 5th.

***

Schools in District #53 Okanagan Similkameen

So the answer is yes!

circled date are holidays or days of different breaks in the year
squared off date are NON instructional days

This week – 4 days on and 4 days off.

Image and capture Osoyoos Museum

JUDGE J.C. HAYNES

John Carmichael Haynes left Ireland in 1858, hoping to join the police force which Chartres Brew, a friend of his uncle and chief inspector of police, expected to establish in the new colony of British Columbia.

They arrived in Victoria on Christmas Day 1858, and early in January 1859 Governor James Douglas appointed Haynes and Thomas Elwyn special constables to accompany Brew on an expedition to quell disturbances among the gold-miners at Hills Bar (site of McGowen’s war against the Spuzzum Natives). Haynes then served at Yale as a constable under Magistrate Edward Howard Sanders, and in November 1859 was promoted to acting chief constable.

The next year Governor Douglas chose Haynes to assist William Cox, the notorious justice of the peace, assistant gold commissioner, and deputy collector of customs for the gold camp of Rock Creek. In this open range country around the Kettle River, it was easy for American traders, cattlemen, and mule-drivers to ignore the border and freight south. Douglas, to divert commerce to British hands, ordered the Hope-Princeton Trail built and stationed Cox and Haynes at Rock Creek to collect the taxes. Haynes arrived there on Oct. 15, 1860. Six weeks later Cox sent him to Similkameen, the scene of another gold flurry, where he opened a customs house in December. In 1861 the Cariboo gold rush drew miners north and by November the last miner had left Rock Creek. Inland traffic into British Columbia from Washington territory now passed through the Okanagan valley and Haynes was moved to Osoyoos Lake where he assumed responsibility for the whole area of Rock Creek, Okanagan, and Similkameen. He became deputy collector of customs in March 1862, a year in which 800 men and over 9,000 cattle, horses, and mules passed through his station, and he collected more than £2,200 in revenue by charging $6 a head for stock.

Cox remained as magistrate of Rock Creek, and later in 1861 he and Haynes had to deal with an uprising of miners and Indians. It seems a miner named Cherbart had been murdered by a young native of the Colville band. Although Cox had no jurisdiction on the US side of the border, the young man was retrieved and subsequently hanged without trial. The Okanagans, led by Chief Silhitza protested the lynching by the American miners and the fact that Cox refused to charge the whites with any crime. Silhitza travelled to the Oblate Mission on Mission Creek and had the Priest write a letter to Governor Douglas outlining the out-of-control violence against Natives in the Okanagan. He writes “that is what rouses the anger of all the Okanagan tribe which has already taken up arms. I tried to quiet the insurrection by assuring them that I have recourse to your kindness, persuaded as I am that you will give Mr. Cox instructions on the subject.” When questioned by Douglas, Cox just shrugged it off, reporting that everything was “satisfactory”. Judge Haynes had the power to stop the shooting and lynching but did nothing and native life was now changed forever.

Cox and Haynes were not finished with the Okanagans having to report many more violent problems over two years. In every case the final outcome was frontier justice. Cox failed to have any effect on relations with natives and whites. Douglas finally took him away from the magistrate job and made him Assistant Commissioner of Lands and Works, answering to Colonel Moody. Moody charged him with marking out a “reserve” as defined by the Indians themselves. Cox had a lengthy interview with Silhitza which ended in a satisfactory agreement for a reserve encompassing most of the head of the lake from Swan Lake to the Kamloops trail. Cox was sent off to do the same for the other Tribes of the Okanagan Nation. Cox despised this job almost as much as he despised the Natives.
The Okanagan Nation had been taught the value of agricultural land and many were experienced stock raisers long before the mining invasion. It made sense then, when marking out a reserve, that the Bands would chose good grazing land and winter range. They valued the land for the same reasons as the newly arrived competitors, and that was to support a quality of life. And so the land they chose was the best agricultural lands at the head and foot of the lake, well suited to subsistence farming and ranching. It would have supported them well had they been allowed to retain it.

Silhitza drew up a reserve for himself in N’kwala (Nicola Valley) and moved off hoping all was well. But then disaster struck. The Okanagans were decimated by a small pox outbreak in 1862/63. The many deaths seriously affected the population and their ability to govern themselves. Haynes showed complete indifference to the devastation of the Native population and it wasn’t long before white settlers barred their teeth and began gnawing away at the reserves.

John Carmichael Haynes replaced W. G. Cox as the Queen’s representative in the Okanagan Valley in 1862. Haynes was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1864 by Governor Fredrick Seymour and commissioned as a Justice of the Peace as well as collector of Customs. From his office in New Westminster he dealt with numerous complaints from good British immigrants. They complained that the Natives of the Okanagan had garnered all the best agricultural land and weren’t using it for anything but grazing. Haynes agreed that the reserves were far too large for the diminished population and he would authorize disposal of lands with compensation. Colonial Secretary Birch stepped into the fray and ordered Haynes to dispossess the Indians without compensation as the reserves were “out of proportion”.

Haynes was given an awesome level of power to deal with all issues of government in the south interior, near lordly, somewhat medieval. Judge Haynes returned to Osoyoos via the newly completed Dewdney Trail in 1865 to meet with surveyor J. Turnbull. They met with Chief Tonasket and travelled to Penticton to see Tom Ellis a local rancher. Turnbull did his best to map out the new boundaries as instructed by Haynes and to the disgust of Chief Tonasket. Tonasket can be credited for the retention of the best bottom lands for the Bands but the reserves on the lake were reduced to a shadow of the former acreage and common grazing lands were removed completely.
Judge Haynes was not a friend to the Okanagan Nation but he did surround himself with the elite of British Colonialists. If you arrived from the British Isles and wanted a particular piece of land, or a water license or you wanted someone to go away, Judge Haynes was there to help. Haynes surrounded himself with an Irish posse that struck fear into the hearts of all they encountered.
Attendance at the 1865 and 1866 sessions of the Legislative council strengthened Haynes’s ties with government officials. These associations proved helpful: in 1865 he obtained the power to reduce the size of the two large Indian reserves at the head and foot of Okanagan Lake, thus making meadow and range lands available for white settlement. That year Haynes also supervised the construction of a new customs house at “the narrows” of Osoyoos Lake. In August 1866 during the brief gold rush at Big Bend he was appointed district court judge at French Creek, but soon returned to Osoyoos as collector of customs. In November, when the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island were united, Haynes remained on the civil list as deputy collector of customs for the southern boundary.

Haynes rapidly expanded his land holdings after 1872. In August 1869, with his gunman and fellow Irishman, Constable William Lowe, he acquired 160 acres of land at the head of Osoyoos Lake, to which he added an adjoining 480-acre tract the following year. In 1872, Lowe suffered a severe accident when hit by a train in Ontario. He returned to BC, but completed his duties in New Westminster until his death in 1882. At this time, Haynes had to deal with Mrs. Lowe and she demanded a considerable sum of money for her interest in the Haynes ranch. It was decided to place a mortgage on the property through the British Land and Investment Company in New Westminster. Further acquisitions between 1874 and 1888 increased his holdings to 20,756 acres. He established a horse ranch but could not find a market, and turned to cattle ranching, eventually increasing his herd to 4,000 head and acquiring the title of “The Cattle-King of the South Okanagan.” With his long-time friend and fellow Irishman, Tom Ellis, he made cattle drives over the Hope Trail to New Westminster and over the Dewdney Trail to Kootenay and Calgary. With his fine house on the shores of Osoyoos Lake, it was rumoured that his properties had a value of $200,000. Doubtless all would have been well if the Judge had lived to manage his affairs.
In 1888, while returning over the Hope Trail with his two sons who had been at school in Victoria, Haynes was taken ill. He died on July 6 at the home of John Fall Allison at Princeton and was buried at Osoyoos. Judge Haynes had carried out his duties in Osoyoos and the Kootenay using a firm hand in collection of BC’s first taxes. With other Irish landed immigrants he later shared a comfortable life as a country squire in a pastoral setting and with them established cattle ranching as the first industry of the Okanagan.

After Haynes death, Mrs. Haynes and her children attempted to continue operations but failed and the mortgage was foreclosed in 1895.

Tom Ellis, with his connections in high places was able to purchase the $65,000 mortgage for the 20,000 plus acres. Within three weeks of the foreclosure, Ellis was able to secure a judgement against the estate and forced a sale of all stock, chattels and equipment.

Mrs. Haynes was devastated to say the least. She had always considered Ellis a family friend and confidant. Here he was taking her family to the cleaners. She hurried to the coast to take court action to stop the sale. She was successful in securing a stay of proceedings. As chance or circumstance will have it, the courier carrying the documents to stop the sale failed to arrive in Osoyoos on time and the sale proceeded. Ellis was successful in keeping the pending public sale from being advertised so attendance was very small. The few who attended lacked the resources to compete with Ellis. Ellis purchased the entire estate paying $17,000 for the 400 head and the horses, $2 per ton for the hay etc. etc.

Emily Haynes was able to maintain the Osoyoos home on the west side of the lake that the Judge had built in 1882. It was an impressive two storey, 10 room structure of hewn logs. She remained in it until her death. The 50 acre property was sold to D.P. Fraser in 1917, and the Fraser family lived in the structure for three generations.

When you consider that the home is nearly the same age as the Grist Mill in Keremeos, it must have tremendous heritage value, but heritage is chronically low priority in small communities. When the Fraser family sold the property in 1990, George failed to succeed in his attempt to have it set aside as the Osoyoos Museum. They opted for the curling rink that now must be vacated.
The new owners, Harbens and Harkesh Dhaliwal, have begun to dismantle the home in preparation for a winery on the property.

The ranch is still evident today in the skeletal remains of the buildings perched on a sandy dune on Road 22 in the regional district. Are any or all of the structures worth saving? Can they even be saved, and if so, for what? In 2015, Dave Mattes of the Haynes Ranch Preservation Committee stated they have efforts underway to try and save the mortise and tendon barn, possibly for wildlife habitat. Is it too little too late?

Maybe the Haynes name should fade away. I know he was the originator of Osoyoos and Oliver, and the foremost European settler. But we need to put in perspective his position as a notorious colonialist and imperialist. His relationship with local Indigenous peoples needs to live in infamy.

Brian Wilson is the Executive Director of the Okanagan Archives Trust Society and
Editor of the Archivos Magazine.

Local Okanagan historian who lives in Penticton.

OLD CORNER SHOP

We all knew the old corner shop when we were kids. Every street had a shop, usually owned by a family, where you could buy almost anything for long hours every day, except Sunday, of course. You could buy anything from a candle, during a power cut, first aid supplies for accidents and even boxes of chocolates for your sweetheart, in addition to a myriad of grocery items.

The corner shop was always a palace of delight for children as they all had the “penny tray”. This would be a large tray or drawer filled with all sots of disgustingly sweet offerings designed to rot little teeth. Some things were two, three or four for one penny and some things one penny each.

With the patience of Job, the shopkeepers would let their littlest customers drool and paw over everything on the proffered tray. These were their future customers and their parents were regulars, so they catered to the grubby kids with pennies clutched in little dirty fingers. I used to give my four girls a few pennies each on a Saturday morning and knew that I could probably clean the whole house while they were ogling the penny tray and making their choices. Once home, they would all sit outdoors with their bounty and chomp their way through the lot.

These shops were overpriced, carried goods of dubious quality and were not always too clean, but they were reliable. You could quite often buy just one cigarette, if it was nearly payday and your purse was banging on empty. If you were out of cash altogether, you could get credit, or, as it was known in Lancashire, on tick!

“On tick” was a very common way to go in those days and the corner shop could always be relied upon to supply goods when you had no money to buy them. Because of this, the higher prices and poorer quality were forgiven. If the potatoes had a couple of sprouts growing out of them or the bread was less than fresh, at least you could make a meal when funds were short, or non existent.

Bigger stores frowned on this way of doing business so being poor meant putting up with poorer stuff but still being able to make dinner. I think that many people owed half their wages to the corner store so, once they settled their account on Friday evening, they started buying on credit again, by Monday.

Those were the days when the week always lasted longer than the wage packet as wages were low and families were quite often large. Our meals were cheap and cheerful but always filling and always followed by pudding, as dessert was called in England.

Apart from smoking, people didn’t spend much money on luxuries. Very few people went out in the evenings so Saturday was usually date night. Friday was reserved for family bathing, usually everyone in the same water, the youngest first. But Saturday morning saw hair up in curlers as chores were done and then Saturday night was the big night of the week.

Young couples usually went out dancing at the local dance hall, even small towns had a dance hall, if not one of the churches put on a dance. Mums and dads usually went to the pub or a club on Saturday night, usually the Legion or somewhere similar, where you spent the evening with the same friends week after week.

Sunday was always church followed by a big lunch, always called dinner, and then most families got together for a walk in the country usually followed by a family tea. In those days, most married children lived in the same area as their parents, so grandchildren were left “at gran’s house” if needing to be looked after. No such thing as day-care back then. Mothers usually stayed home and looked after their own children, at least until they were of school age. Nobody thought to earn extra money for a second car, in fact very few people had one car.

Cars were indeed a luxury as most people worked within walking distance of their home or, if needed, they would catch a bus. The few fortunate souls who did have a car only used it for outings. Grocery shopping was done near home and on foot as supermarkets had not yet come on the scene, so everyone shopped locally.

There was usually a rather bigger shop that had a better quality of goods and a bigger variety of options, but usually a green-grocers was used for all produce and a butcher for the family’s meat and just dry goods from the general store. These were our weekend shopping venues, but once Thursday rolled around and the money was gone, it was back to the old corner shop.